.- a. cabr

U.S. Department of Energy

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

OPENING REMARKS

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Public Hearing Regarding

Test Procedure for Water Heaters;' Kitchen Ranges, Ovens,

and Microwave ovens; and Clothes Washers.

Docket Number EE -RM-94-230

July 12, 1995

Washington, DC

Good morning and welcome. I'm Ingrid Watson, program manager for kitchen products

and today's presiding official. On behalf of the Department of Energy, I would like to thank

you for taking.the time to participate in this public hearing concerning the.Department's

energy conservation program for consumer products.

The purpose of today's public hearing is to receive oral testimony on the notice of

proposed rulemaking regarding the Department's test procedures for Water Heaters; Kitchen

Ranges, Ovens, and Microwave ovens; and Clothes Washers as discussed in the proposed rule

published in the Federal Register on March 23, 1995. The comments received today and

those submitted during the written comment period will assist us in developing the Final Rule.

The comment period for this rulemaking ends August 31, 1995. All comments submitted on

this proposed rulemaking will be considered before DOE establishes the Final Rule.

Comments received after the comment period will be considered to the fullest extent possible.

EE-RM-94-230 COMMENT 0A
HEARING GUIDELINES

As DOE presiding official for this hearing, I will set forth the guidelines for conducting

the hearing and provide other pertinent information. A complete transcript of this hearing

will be available at the Department of Energy's Freedom of Information Reading Room as

described in the notice. Anyone wishing to purchase a copy of the transcript may make

arrangements with the court reporter.

This will not be an evidentiary or,judicial type of hearing. It will be conducted in

accordance with Section 553 Title 5, United States Codes and Section 336 of the Act.

To provide the Department of Energy with as much pertinent information and as many

views as can reasonably be obtained, and to enable interested persons to express their views,

the hearing will be conducted in accordance with the following procedures:

* speakers will be called to testify based on a schedule of those people who responded

to the notice of this hearing;

* speakers have been allotted 10 - 30 minutes for their oral statements;

* anyone may make an unscheduled oral statement after all schedule speakers have

delivered their statements; and

EE-RM-94-230 COMMENT 0A
at the conclusion of all presentations, each speaker. will be given the opportunity to

make a rebuttal statement, subject to time limitations, and will be called in the order in

which the initial statements were made.

Questions may be asked only by the panel members conducting the hearing. However,

the presiding official will allow any interested person an.opportunity to question speakers who

have made oral presentations. This opportunity will be allowed after any rebuttal statements,

to the extent that the presiding official determines that such question is likely to result in a

more timely and effective resolution of the issue. Persons interested in making use of this

opportunity must submit their request shortly after the completion of any rebuttal statements

to the registration desk. The questions submitted should be identified as to who the author of

the questions is and to whom the question is being directed to. The presiding official will

determine whether the question is relevant. If the question is allowed, it will be asked by the

presiding official.

As mentioned earlier, the close of the comment period is August 31, 1995. All comments

received will be available for public inspection at the DOE Freedom of Information Reading

Room. Such comments should be addressed to the Department of Energy as noted in the

proposed rule for today's hearing. Ten copies of the written, comments are requested. In

addition, the Department would appreciate an electronic copy in Wordperfect 5.1 of the

comments. No faxed comments will be accepted.

Any person submitting information which he or she believes to be confidential and exempt

EE-RM-94-230 COMMENT 0A
by law from public disclosure should submit to that same address, one complete copy and

nine copies from which information claimed to be confidential has been deleted.

In accordance with the procedures established at 10CFR 1004.11, the Department of

Energy shall make its own determination as to whether or not the information shall be exempt

from public disclosure.

We appreciate the time and effort you have taken in preparing your statements and are

pleased to receive your comments and opinions. I would now like to introduce the members

of the panel. Joining me this morning are: etc. ,etc.....................

At this time, I will call the first speaker. For the record, please state your name and

whom you represent.

EE-RM-94-230 COMMENT 0A