DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 1999 REGULATORY PLAN

Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products and Commercial Equipment

During fiscal year 1999, the Department made substantial progress with the high priority

standards rulemakings (i.e., clothes washers, fluorescent lamp ballasts, water heaters, and

residential central air conditioning and central air conditioning heat pumps). In November 1998,

the Department published a supplemental advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for clothes

washers. A final report on marginal energy prices was issued in July 1999. A proposed rule for

distribution transformer test procedures was published in November 1998.

The Department established an Advisory Committee on Appliance Energy Efficiency

Standards in January 1997. The advisory committee is made up of interested stakeholders and is

chaired by the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Department

issued a final report on marginal energy prices in July 1999. Recommendations for future studies

include the range of future energy prices and primary energy conversion factors.

The Department's rulemaking activities related to energy efficiency standards and

determinations have been categorized as high, medium, or low priority. The schedules in this

regulatory plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions reflect

priorities established with significant input from the public. The standards rulemakings

incorporate the process improvements established in July 1996, including more workshops to

collect public input and new, more transparent forecasting models developed with the help of

industry experts, including manufacturers.

During fiscal year 2000, the Department expects to publish final rules for clothes washer,

fluorescent lamp ballast, and water heater efficiency standards, and to propose efficiency

standards for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps. The Department expects to

begin preparation of efficiency standards for commercial air conditioners and heat pumps,

furnaces and boilers, and water heaters. Proposed rules for test procedures for these commercial

products should be published by the early part of fiscal year 2000. Additional information and

timetables for these actions are presented below. Information concerning the medium priority

rulemakings (small electric motors and high intensity discharge lamps) and low priority

rulemakings (i.e., clothes dryers, dishwashers, electric cooking products, mobile home furnaces,

plumbing fixtures/fittings, refrigerators, residential furnaces and boilers, pool heaters, room air

conditioners, direct heating equipment, 1-200 HP motors, and fluorescent and incandescent

lamps) and the test procedures rulemakings can be found in the Department's regulatory agenda,

which appears elsewhere.

 EE-PS-96-001 COMMENT 51

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 1999 REGULATORY PLAN 

Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products and Commercial Equipment 

During fiscal year 1999, the Depattment made substantial progress with the high priority 

standards rulemakings (i.e., clothes washers, fluorescent lamp ballasts, water heaters, and 

residential central air conditioning and central air conditioning heat pumps). In November 1998, 

the Department published a supplemental advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for clothes 

washers. A final report on marginal energy prices was issued in July 1999. A proposed mle for 

distribution transformer test procedures was published in November 1998. 

The Department established an Advisory Committee on Appliance Energy Efficiency 

Standards in January 1997. The advisory committee is made up of interested stakeholders and is 

chaired by the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Department 

issued a final repOlt on marginal energy prices in July 1999. Recommendations for future studies 

include the range of future energy prices and primary energy conversion factors. 

The Department's mlemaking activities related to energy efficiency standards and 

determinations have been categorized as high, medium, or low priority. The schedules in this 

regulatory plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions reflect 

priorities established with significant input from the public. The standards mlemakings 

incorporate the process improvements established in July 1996, including more workshops to 

collect public input and new, more transparent forecasting models developed with the help of 

industry experts, including manufacturers. 

During fiscal year 2000, the Department expects to publish finalmles for clothes washer, 

fluorescent lamp ballast, and water heater efficiency standards, and to propose efficiency 

standards for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps. The Department expects to 

begin preparation of efficiency standards for commercial air conditioners and heat pumps, 

furnaces and boilers, and water heaters. Proposed mles for test procedures for these commercial 

products should be published by the early part of fiscal year 2000. Additional information and 

timetables for these actions are presented below. Information concerning the medium priority 

mlemakings (small electric motors and high intensity discharge lamps) and low priority 

rulemakings (i.e., clothes dryers, dishwashers, electric cooking products, mobile home furnaces, 

plumbing fixtures/fittings, refrigerators, residential furnaces and boilers, pool heaters, room air 

conditioners, direct heating equipment, 1-200 HP motors, and fluorescent and incandescent 

lamps) and the test procedures mlemakings can be found in the Department's regulatory agenda, 

which appears elsewhere.