Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 81 1 Monday, April 28, 1997 / Notices 23117 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Office of Energy Efnclency and 

Renewable Energy 

Finding of No Significant Impact; 

Energy Conservation Program for 

Consumer Products 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 


Renewable Energy, DOE. 


ACTION: Finding of no significant impact 


(FONSI) for amended energy 


conservation standards for refrigerators. 


refrigerator-freezers. and freezers. 


SUMMARY: The Energy Policy and 


Conservation Act, as amended by the 


National Energy Conservation Policy 


Act and the National Appliance Energy 


Conservation Act, and the National 


Appliance Energy Conservation 


Amendments, prescribes energy 


conservation standards for certain major 


household appliances, and requires the 


Department of Energy (DOE) to 


administer an enerev -
conservation 


program for these products. Based on an Environmental Assessment (EA), DOE/ 

EA-1138, DOE has determined that the 

adoption of the amended energy 

efficiency Standard Level 1 for 

refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers. and 

freezers, as modified for the Final Rule. 

would not be a major Federal action 

significantly affecting the quality of the 

human environment within the meaning 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969 (NEPA). Therefore. an environmental impact statement (EIS) is 

not required, and the Department is 

issuing this finding of no significant 

impact (FONSl). 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the EA and 

modified emission reduction tables for 

the Final Rule are available from: U.S. 

Department of Energy, Office of Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 

Forestal Building, Mail Station EE-43, 

1000 Independence Avenue, SW.. 

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9127. 

FOR FURTHER PROGRAM INFORMATION 

CONTACT: Dr. Barry P. Berlin, Office of 

Energy Efficiency and Renewable 

Energy (EE-43). U.S. Department of 

Energy. 1000 Independence Avenue, 

SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 

586-9127. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING 

THE DOE NEPA PROCESS, CONTACT: Carol 

Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA 

Policy and Assistance (EH-42), 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585-01 19. (202) 586- 

4600. 

DESCRIPTION OF ME PROPOSED ACTION: 

The action is the establishment of 

revised energy conservation standards 

for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, 

and freezers. 

Environmental Impacts 

The EA evaluates the environmental 

impacts of a range of new energy 

conservation standards for refrigerators, 

refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. The 

results are presented for each potential 

standard level. Each potential standard 

level is an alternative action, and the 

environmental impacts of each 

alternative are compared to what would 

be expected to happen if no new standard were adopted, i.e., the "no 

action" alternative. The amended 

standard being finalized today is a small 

modification of one of the standard 

levels that had been proposed. 

The main environmental concern is 

emissions from fossil-fueled electricity 

generation. Most of the design options 

for this appliance product category 

would result in decreased electricity use and, therefore, a reduction in power 

plant emissions. The proposed 

efficiency standards would generally 

decrease air pollution by decreasing 

future energy demand. The greatest 

decreases in air pollution would be for 

sulfur oxides. listed in eauivalent 

weight of sulfur dioxide.'or SO2. 

Reductions of nitrogen oxides and 

carbon dioxide wozd also occui, and are listed by weight of NOx and CO2. 

respectively. 

Although the quantity of raw 

materials used per appliance would 

remain relatively constant, in most 

scenarios initial price increases from 

standards are expected to reduce 

slightly the number of appliances sold, 

which would result in small decreases 

in the total amount of raw materials 

used. The main effect of this decreased 

appliance production would be the SO2 

decreases from avoided fuel burning at 

power plants. The environmental 

contribution from reduced steel 

production is not included in the 

estimates for net SO2 decreases resulting 

from design changes in these products. 

Although the effects on particulate 

emissions related to the standardinduced decrease in electricity 

generation would be minor compared to 

effects on SOL NOx, and CO2, any 

reduction would possibly be beneficial 

to the quality of surface water. Since the 

total amount of particulate emitted 

would decrease, it is very likely that less 

particulate would reach surface water. 

Reduction in particulate emissions 

accompanied by decreases in SO2 and 

NOx would have other beneficial effects 

on the environment. The resultant 

improvement in air quality and the 

decreased potential for acid rain 

formation could help improve the 

quality of wetlands and fish and 

wildlife as well as aid in the 

preservation of historical and 

archaeological sites. 

Determination 

Based upon the EA, DOE has 

determined that the adoption of the 

amended energy-efficiency standards for 

refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and 

freezers would not constitute a major 

Federal action significantly affecting the 

quality of the human environment, 

within the meaning of NEPA. Therefore, an E1S is not required. 

Issued in Washington,DC, on Aprll 23, 

1997. 


Christine A. Ervin. 


Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy. 

[FR Doc. 97-10889 Filed 4-25-97; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450414