G/TBT/N/USA/1913  
31 August 2022  
(22-6499) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (OEERE), 
Department of Energy (DOE) [1943]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Water -
source heat pumps; Refrigerators, freezers and other refrigerating or freezing equipment, 
electric or other; heat pumps other than air conditioning machines of heading 84.15. (HS 
code(s): 8418); Quality (ICS code(s): 03.120); Environmental protection (ICS code(s): 
13.020); Test conditions and procedures in g eneral (ICS code(s): 19.020); Heat pumps 
(ICS code(s): 27.080)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Energy 
Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Water -Source Heat Pumps; (58 page(s), in 
English)  
6. Description of content : Notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment - The 
U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") proposes to amend its test procedures for water -
source heat pumps, with the main changes being ones to expand the scope of applicability 
of the test procedure, reference different industry standards than currently referenced, 
change to a seasonal cooling efficiency metric, and change the test conditions used for 
the heating metric. DOE has tentatively determined that the amended test procedure 
would produce resul ts that are more representative of an average use cycle and more 
consistent with current industry practice without being unduly burdensome to conduct. 
DOE seeks comment from interested parties on this proposal.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer protection; Protection of the 
environment; Quality requirements; Harmonization  G/TBT/N/USA/1913  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
87 Federal Register (FR) 53302, 30 August 2022; Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Parts 429 and 431:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-08-30/html/2022 -17075.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-08-30/pdf/2022 -17075.pdf  
The Department of Energy will hold a public meeting via webinar on Wednesday, 14 
September 2022, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Eastern Time . See section V, "Public 
Participation," for webinar registration information, participant instructions, and 
information about the capabilities available to webinar participants.  
This notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment is identified by Docket 
Number EERE -2017-BT-TP-0029. The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE -2017-BT-TP-0029/document  and provides 
access to primary documents as well as comments received. Documents are also 
accessible from Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number. WTO Members and 
their stakeholders are asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point  by or 
before 4pm Eastern Time  on 31 October 2022. Comments received by the USA TBT 
Enquiry Point from WTO Members and their stakeholders will be shared with the regulator 
and will also be submitted to the Docket  on Regulations.gov if received within the 
comment period.  
G/TBT/N/USA/676/Add.2  - Energy Conservation Prog ram for Certain Industrial 
Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Commercial Heating, 
Air-Conditioning, and Water -Heating Equipment; Final Rule identified by Docket Number 
EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029. 
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Water -Source Heat Pumps; Request for 
Information  published 22 June 2018 and  identified by Docket Number EERE-2017-BT-TP-
0029. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  31 October 2022  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/USA/22_5890_00_e.pdf