### Federal Register / Vol. 54, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 9, 1989 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy
[Docket Number CE-RM-88-101]
Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products

AGENCY: Department ofEnergy. ACTION: Finding ofNo Significant Impact (FONSI) for Candidate Energy Conservation Standards for Dishwashers, Clothes.Washers and Clothes Dryers.

SUMMARY: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended by the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA) and the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA), prescribes energy conservation standards for certain major household appliances, and requires the Department ofEnergy (DOE) to administer an energy conservation program forthese products. As a general matter, these federal standards preempt State and local standards and any other State and local requirements with respect to energy efficiency or energy use ofthese products. Among other things, NAECA requires DOE to consider amending the energy conservation standards for dishwashers, clothes washers and clothes dryers.

Based on an Environmental Assessment (EA), (DOE/EA-0386), DOE has determined that the proposal ofany ofthe candidate amended energy efficiency standards for dishwashers, clothes washers and clothes-dryers would not be a major federal action significantly affecting the quality ofthe human environment within the meaning ofthe National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Therefore an Environmental Impact Statement is not required.

Public Availability: The EA is published within the Technical Support Document for the range ofcandidate amended energy efficiency standards and is available on request at the following address: Hearings and Dockets Branch, Office ofConservation and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department ofEnergy, Docket Number CE-RM-88- 101, 1000 Independence Avenue. SW., Room 6B-025. CE-43.1 Washington,.DC 20585 (202) 586-9320.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael J.McCabe, U.S. Departmentof

Energy, Office ofConservation and Renewable Energy (CE-132), 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9127. Donald K Henninger, U.S. Departinent of Energy, Office ofNEPA Project Assistance (EH-25], 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-2410. Martha S. Crosland, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of General Counsel (GG-11), 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-6947.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

### DOE prepared an Environmental Assessment (DOE/EA--0386) on the candidate standards for amended energyefficiency standards pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, Pub. L. 91-190, 40 U.S.C.4221 et seq., and the implementing regulations ofthe Council

on Environmental Quality [40 CFR Parts 1500-1508]. The EA addresses the possible incremental environmental effects attributable to the application of

a range of candidate amended standards (in the form ofengineering changes) to the design ofdishwashers, clothes washers, and clothes dryers. The effects ofthe candidate amended standards range from no change to a slight improvement in the environment as discussed in the General Findings below. Approach Used in the Analysis

The EA evaluates the environmental impacts resulting fromthe proposed setting ofa range ofamended energyefficiency standards for dishwashers, clothes washers, and clothes dryers in accordance with the NAECA. A complete description ofthe Engineering and Economic Analysis ofthe range of amended standards may be found in the Technical Support Document (TSD).

The main environmental concern addressed is emissions from fossil fueled electricity generation. Each ofthe design options for dishwashers, clothes washers and clothes dryers would result in decreased electricity use and, therefore, reduced powerplant emissions. The proposed efficiency standards would decrease air pollution by decreasing future energy demand. The greatest decreases in air pollution would be in sulfur oxides.

Some design options for dishwashers would also reduce water consumption, resulting in lower in-house emissions from fuel-burning water heaters.

An in-depth analysis ofparticulate emissions is not included in the EA because particulate emissions are minor compared to sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions. For example, in 1984 power plants contributed only 7percent ofU.S. total particulate emissions as compared
to contributions of83 percent and 34 percent oftotal SO 2 and NO 2 emissions, respectively (EPA, 1986)

General Findings

1.Dishwashers"

The greatest environmental impacts of the candidate standards would result from generating less electricity. Power plants' main environmental effects on air and water result from emissions of sulfur oxides (SO.), nitrogen oxides (NO.), and carbon dioxide (CO 2). All SO. and NO. emissions are expressed in the equivalent weights ofSO2 and NO 2, respectively. Carbon dioxide emissions

are commonly expressed as tons of carbon. General findings are summarized below.

A. SulfurDioxide

The greatest decrease in air pollution would occur for sulfur dioxide. The range ofexpected reductions from the candidate standards is from4,442 tons,

or 0.03 percent of the U.S. SO2 emissions expected to be emitted by power plants in the year 2010,to a level of9,523 tons,

or 0.06 percent ofthe expected U.S.
power plant emissions ofSO2 in 2010.

B. Nitrogen Dioxide



### . The expected reductions in NO2 from the candidate standard levels range from 3,299 tons, or 0.03 percent of the total NO2 emissions expected to be emitted by power plants in the year 2010, to a level of6,869 tons, or 0.07 percent ofthe expected U.S.power plant emissions of NO 2 in 2010.

C. Carbon Dioxide

The expected reductions in CO 2 from the candidate standard levels range from the equivalent of350,000 tons, or 0.02 percent ofthe total CO2 emissions expected to be emitted inthe U.S. in the
year 2010, to a level of 704,000 tons, or 0.04 percent ofexpected U.S. emissions of CO2 

### in2010.

The candidate dishwasher standards would also save 197 billion to276 billion gallons of water during the 1993-2015 time period.

None ofthe environmental impacts from the savings of SO2, NO 2, or CO2 from the candidate standards is considered to be significant.

2. Clothes Washers

The greatest environmental impact of the candidate standards for clothes washers would be a decrease in electricity consumption. General findings are summarized below:

A. Sulfur Dioxide

The expected reductions in SO2 from the candidate standard levels range 

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### Federal Register / Vol. 54, No. 152 /Wednesday, August 9, 1989 / Notices

from 8,943 tons, or 0.05percent of the expected U.S. power plant emissions of SO 2 

### in 2010, to a level of21,528 tons or 0.13 percent ofthe U.S. SO 2 

### emissions expected to be emitted by power plants in the year 2010.

B.Nitrogen Dioxide

The expected reductions inNO2 

### from the candidate standard levels range from 6,759 tons, or .07percent ofthe U.S. NO2 

### emissions expected to be emitted by power plants in the year2010, to a level of15,875 tons, or0.16 percent of 2010emissions ofNO 2 

### from U.S. power plants.

C.Carbon Dioxide

The expected reductions in CO2 from the candidate standard levels range from736,000 tons, or0.04percent ofthe expected CO2 emissions in the U.S. in 2010, to a level of 1,677,000 tons, or C.09 percent ofthe CO2 emissions expected in the U.S. in the year 2010.

The environmental impacts from the savings ofSO2, NO2, or CO2 from the candidate standards are considered to be insignificant. 3. ClothesDryers
The greatest impact ofthe candidate standard levels forclothes dryers is a decrease in electricity consumption. General findings are summarized below:

A. Sulfur Dioxide

The expected reductions in SO2 from 

### the candidate standard levels range from 10,552 tons, or 0.06 percent of the SO2 emissions expected from U.S. power 

### plantsin theyear 2010, to a level of 38,230 tons, which would represent 0.22' percent ofSO2 emissions by U.S. power plants in 2010.

B.Nitrogen Dioxide

The expected reductions in NO 2 from 

### the candidate standard levels range from 7,020 tons, or 0.07percent ofthe U.S. NO 2 emissions expected to be 

### emitted byU.S. power plantsin theyear 2010, to a level of25,641 tons, representing 0.25 percent ofNO2 emissions by U.S. power plants in 2010.
C. Carbon Dioxide

The expected reductions in CO2 from 

### the candidate standard levels range from 638,000 tons, or0.04 tons ofthe CO2 emissions expected to be emitted in the U.S. in the year2010, to a level of 2,398,000 tons, or0.13 percent ofU.S. emissions ofCO2 in 2010.

The environmental impacts from the savings ofSO2, NO2, or CO2 from the candidate standards are considered to be insignificant.

In conclusion, no levels ofthe candidate standards for the appliances, individually orcumulatively, would result in significant reductions ofSO2, NO2, or CO2 and therefore none would resultin significant environmental impacts.

Determination

Based upon the EA,DOE has determined that the proposal ofany of the candidate amended energyefficiency standards fordishwashers, clothes dryers and clothes washers would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality ofthe human environment, within the meaning ofNEPA. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement is not required.

Issued in Washington, DC, May 30, 1989.
Peter N. Brush, ActingAssistant Secretary, Environment, Safety and Health. [FR Doc. 89-18538 Filed 8-8-89; 8:45am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-M 

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