't. Proposed Rules 

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER 

contains notices to the public of the proposed 

issuance of rules and -regulations. The 

purpose of these notices is to give interested 

persons an opportunity to participate in the 

rule making prior to the adoption of the final 

rules. 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy 

10 CFR Part 430 

[Docket No. EE-RM-94-403) 

RIN 1904-AA67 

Energy Conservation Program for 

Consumer Products: Notice of Public 

Workshop on Clothes Washers Energy 

Efficiency Standards Rulemaklng 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Notice of Public Workshop. 

SUMMARY: The Department will convene 

a public workshop to discuss revised 

analytical tools (e.g., life cycle cost, 

national energy forecasting, and 

shipment spreadsheets) and the 

assumptions to be used for the lifecycle-cost (LCC) analysis including 

some sample LCC results if available. 

The Department also will present a 

document stating the methodology and 

assumptions used for the reverse engineering analysis for the typical 

vertical-axis clothes washers. 

Additionally, the Department will 

report a tabulation of existing consumer 

research which it plans to use to address 

consumer issues. 

DATES: The public workshop will be 

held on Wednesday, March 11. 1998, 

from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and 

Thursday, March 12, 1998, from 9:00 

a.m. to noon. Written comments (3 

copies) must be received on or before 

April 15, 1998. 

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held 

at the U.S. Department of Energy, Room 

lE-245, on March 11, 1998, and in 

Room 6E-069 on March 12, 1998, 1000 

lndependence A venue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20585. Comments 

should be addressed to Bryan Berringer 

at the address indicated below under 

Further Information. 

Copies of the transcript of the public 

workshop, public comments received, 

and this notice may be read or 

purchased at the DOE Freedom of 

Information Reading Room, U.S. DOE, 

Forrestal Building. Room lE-190, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-6020, 

between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency 

and Renewable Energy, Forrestal 

Building, Mail Station EE-43, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20585-0121. (202) 

586-0371, E-mail: · 

Bryan.Berringer@HQ.DOE.GOV 

Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department 

of Energy. Office of General Counsel, 

Forrestal Building. Mail Station GC72, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20585-3410, (202) 

586-9507, E-mail: 

Eugene.Margolis@HQ.DOE.GOV 

Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Office of Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy. U.S. 

Department of Energy. Mail Station EE43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-

2945, E-mail: Brenda.EdwardsJones@HQ. DOE.GOV 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The following topics will be 

discussed at this workshop: 

1. Overview of the current clothes 

washers rulemaking schedule and 

process. 

2. Discussion of Revised Analytical 

Tools, Data and Assumptions: The 

Department seeks input on the revised 

analytical tools, data, and assumptions 

to be used for the life-cycle-cost 

analysis. 

A. Life-Cycle-Cost: The Department 

will present a revised life-cycle-cost 

spreadsheet model that has been 

developed which will account for 

variability of key criteria, such as, 

energy prices and water heater fuel type. 

The spreadsheet includes the cost and 

energy efficiency level data obtained. 

B. Price: To obtain prices as an input 

to the LCC spreadsheet, the Department 

will present a draft discussion paper on 

the assumptions for mark-ups for 

clothes washer rulemaking analysis. 

C. National Energy Savings Forecasts: 

The Department will review the 

spreadsheet discussed at the previous 

workshop. 

'6 t C. 

Federal Register 

Vol. 63, No. 42 

Wednesday, March 4, 1998 

10571 

D. Shipment Forecasts: The 

Department will present alternative 

approaches to obtain shipment data for 

the National Energy Savings 

spreadsheet. 

3. Reverse Engineering Approach: The 

Department will present a document 

stating the methodology and 

assumptions used for the reverse 

engineering analysis for the typical 

vertical-axis clothes washers. 

4. Consumer Issues: The Department 

will report a tabulation of existing 

consumer research which it plans to use 

to address consumer issues. 

Previously released and distributed 

information pertaining to this 

rulemaking include the following: An 

Advance Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking to Amend the Energy 

Conservation Standards for Three 

Cleaning Products, published on 

November 14, 1994 (59 FR 56423). and 

comments thereon; Draft Report on the 

Preliminary Engineering Analysis for 

Clothes Washers (October, 1996); Draft 

Report on Design Options for Clothes 

Washers (October, 1996); Draft Clothes 

Washers Rulemaking Framework Ouly 

8, 1997); and the transcript from the 

November 15, 1996, and July 23, 1997, 

Workshops and comments relating to 

the workshops. Copies of these 

materials may be read or purchased at 

the DOE Freedom of Information 

Reading Room. You can contact the 

Freedom of Information Reading Room 

at the above address and phone number 

for further information. 

The Department also welcomes 

written comments on the items to be 

presented at the workshop until April 

15, 1998. Written comments or 

recommendations (3 copies) should be 

submitted to Bryan Berringer at the 

above listed address. 

Copies of the preliminary material for 

the workshop, including spreadsheets, 

will be available beginning the week of 

February 16, 1998, on the Office of 

Codes and Standards web site which is 

as follows: http://www.eren.doe.gov/ 

buildings/ codes standards/index. htm. 

If you have any questions, or plan to 

attend the workshop, or if you are 

unable to access the web site and wish 

to obtain material for the workshop, 

please contact Ms. Brenda EdwardsJones at {202) 586-2945 or Mr. Bryan 

Berringer at (202) 586-0371, or (202) 

586-4617 by fax. 
' j '. *"'0:10572 Federal Register/Vol. 63, No. 42/Wednesday, March 4, 1998/Proposed Rules 

-.. Issued in Washington, DC, on February 26, 

1998. 

Dan W. Reicher, 

Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy. 

[FR Doc. 98-5544 Filed 3-3-98; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. 96-NM-103-AD] 

RIN 2120-AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model 

A320 Series Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This document proposes the 

adoption of a new airworthiness 

directive (AD) that is applicable to 

certain Airbus Model A320 series 

airplanes. This proposal would require 

installation of a rubber strip, and 

replacement of connection sheets and 

the seal retainer on the avionics 

compartment access door with new 

parts; and installation of drip pans and 

additional drain gutters on the avionics 

racks. This proposal fs prompted by 

issuance of mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information by a foreign 

civil airworthiness authority. The 

actions specified by the proposed AD 

are intended to prevent the trickling of 

water into the avionics compartment, 

which could result in avionics computer 

and equipment malfunctions. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

April 3, 1998. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in 

triplicate to the Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Transport 

Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, 

Attention: Rules Docket No. 96-NM103-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 

Renton, Washington 98055-4056. 

Comments may be inspected at this 

location between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

The service information referenced in 

the proposed rule may be obtained from 

Airbus Industrie, 1 Rand Point Maurice 

Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France. 

This information may be examined at 

the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 

Renton, Washington. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Norman B. Martenson, Manager, 

International Branch, ANM-116, FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 

98055-4056; telephone (425) 227-2110; 

fax (425) 227-1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

Interested persons are invited to 

participate in the making of the 

proposed rule by submitting such 

written data, views, or arguments as 

they may desire. Communications shall 

identify the Rules Docket number and 

be submitted in triplicate to the address 

specified above. All communications 

received on or before the closing date 

for comments, specified above, will be 

considered before taking action on the 

proposed rule. The proposals contained 

in this notice may be changed in light 

of the comments received. 

Comments are specifically invited on 

the overall regulatory, economic, 

environmental, and energy aspects of 

the proposed rule. All comments 

submitted will be available, both before 

and after the closing date for comments, 

in the Rules Docket for examination by 

interested persons. A report 

summarizing each FAA-public contact 

concerned with the substance of this 

proposal will be filed in the Rules 

Docket. 

Commenters wishing the FAA to 

acknowledge receipt of their comments 

submitted in response to this notice 

must submit a self-addressed, stamped 

·postcard on which the following 

statement is made: "Comments to 

Docket Number 96-NM-103-AD." The 

postcard will be date stamped and 

returned to the commenter. 

Availability of NPRMs 

Any person may obtain a copy of this 

NPRM by submitting a request to the 

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

ANM-114, Attention: Rules Docket No. 

96-NM-103-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, 

SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056. 

Discussion 

The Direction Generale de I' Aviation 

Civile (DGAC), which is the 

airworthiness authority for France, 

notified the FAA that an unsafe 

condition may exist on certain Airbus 

Model A320 series airplanes. The DGAC 

advises that it has received several 

reports of reduced operation of the 

avionics compartment computers due to 

water spillage in the galley and the 

trickling of water into the electrical 

connectors located below the floor 

panels of the galley. This condition, if 

not corrected, could result in avionics 

computer and equipment malf~nctions. 

Explanation of Relevant Service 

Information 

Airbus has issued Service Bulletin 

A320-53-1070, Revision 6, dated July 

18, 1995, which describes procedures 

for installation of a rubber strip, and 

replacement of connection sheets and 

the seal retainer on the avionics 

compartment access door with new 

parts. 

In addition, Airbus has issued Service 

Bulletin A320-24-1054, Revision 2, 

dated September 22, 1993, which 

describes procedures for installation of 

drip pans and additional drain gutters 

on the avionics racks. 

Accomplishment of the actions 

specified in the service bulletins is 

intended to adequately address the 

identified unsafe condition. The DGAC 

classified these service bulletins as 

mandatory and issued French 

airworthiness directives 96-0l l-075(B), 

dated January 3, 1996, and 96-040-

076(B), dated February 14, 1996, in 

order to assure the continued 

airworthiness of these airplanes in 

France. 

FAA's Conclusions 

This airplane model is manufactured 

in France and is type certificated for 

operation in the United States under the 

provisions of section 21.29 of the 

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 

21.29) and the applicable bilateral 

airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to 

this bilateral airworthiness agreement, 

the DGAC has kept the FAA informed 

of the situation described above. The 

FAA has examined the findings of the 

DGAC, reviewed all available 

information, and determined that AD 

action is necessary for products of this 

type design that are certificated for 

operation in the United States. 

Explanation of Requirements of 

Proposed Rule 

Since an unsafe condition has been 

identified that is likely to exist or 

develop on other airplanes of the same 

type design registered in the United 

States, the proposed AD would require 

accomplishment of the actions specified 

in the service bulletins described 

previously. 

Cost Impact 

The FAA estimates that 118 airplanes 

of U.S. registry would be affected by this 

proposed AD. 

It would take approximately 3 work 

hours per airplane to accomplish the 

actions specified in Airbus Service 

Bulletin A320-53-1070, at an average 

labor rate of $60 per work hour. 

Required parts would cost 

approximately $1,273 per airplane.