G/TBT/N/USA/1841/Add.1  
 
15 March 2022  
(22-2286) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
 
NOTIFICATION  
Addendum  
The following communication , dated  15 March 2022 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United States of America . 
 
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Title: Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Variable Refrigerant Flow 
Multi-Split Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps  
 
Reason for Addendum:  
[  ] Comment period changed - date:   
[  ] Notified measure adopted - date:  
[  ] Notified measure published - date:  
[  ] Notified measure enters into force - date:  
[  ] Text of final measure available from1:  
[  ] Notified measure withdrawn or revoked - date:  
Relevant symbol if measure re -notified:   
[  ] Content or scope of notified measure changed  and text available from1:  
New deadline for comments (if applicable):   
[  ] Interpretive guidance issued and text available from1:  
[X] Other: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-03-14/html/2022 -05292.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-03-14/pdf/2022 -05292.pdf  
https://members.wto .org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/USA/22_2232_00_e.pdf  
Need for clarification  
 
Description:  TITLE: Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for  Variable 
Refrigerant Flow Multi -Split Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps;  Clarification  
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of  Energy  
ACTION: Notice of pro posed rulemaking and request for comment;  clarification  
SUMMARY: On 10 February 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE" or "the Department") 
submitted a notice of proposed rulemaking  ("NOPR") to the Federal Register proposing amended 
energy  conservation  standards for variable refrigerant flow ("VRF") multi -split air conditioners and 
VRF multi -split heat pumps, collectively  referred to as "VRF multi -split systems" ("2022 VRF NOPR"). 
After submission of the NOPR to the Office of the Federal Register for  publication, the U.S. District 
Court for the Western District of  Louisiana issued a preliminary injunction on 11 February 2022, in 
 
1 This information can be provided by including a website address, a pdf attachment, or other 
information on where the text of the final /modified  measure and/or interpretive guidance can be obtained.  G/TBT/N/USA/1841/Add.1  
 
- 2 - 
 
  the case of State of Louisiana v. Biden, which prohibits certain actions  relating to the monetization 
of benefits associated wi th greenhouse gas  emissions reductions. Through this clarification 
document, DOE is  clarifying its response to a public comment in the 2022 VRF NOPR so as  to avoid 
any confusion or ambiguity of DOE's response in light of the  court's preliminary injunction and to 
reiterate that no missions  analysis (or related monetization) was conducted for this 
proposed  rulemaking.  
This clarification goes into effect on 14 March 2022.  
The notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment notified as G/TBT/N/USA/1841  and this 
clarification are identified by Docket Number EERE -2018-BT-STD-0003. The Docket Folder is 
available from Regulations.gov at  https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE -2018-BT-STD-
0003/document  and provides access to primary documents as well as comments received. 
Documents are also accessible from  Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number. As indicated 
in WTO Members and their stakeholders are reminded to submit comments to the  USA TBT Enqui ry 
Point on the proposed rulemaking by or before  4pm Eastern Time  on 2 May 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 receiv ed within the 
comment period.   
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