Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 8, 2020 / Proposed Rules 78967 

being submitted. However, if large 

volumes of comments are being 

processed simultaneously, your 

comment may not be viewable for up to 

several weeks. Please keep the comment 

tracking number that http://

www.regulations.gov provides after you 

have successfully uploaded your 

comment. 

Submitting comments via email, hand 

delivery/courier, or postal mail. 

Comments and documents submitted 

via email, hand delivery/courier, or 

postal mail also will be posted to http:// 

www.regulations.gov. If you do not want 

your personal contact information to be 

publicly viewable, do not include it in 

your comment or any accompanying 

documents. Instead, provide your 

contact information in a cover letter. 

Include your first and last names, email 

address, telephone number, and 

optional mailing address. The cover 

letter will not be publicly viewable as 

long as it does not include any 

comments. 

Include contact information each time 

you submit comments, data, documents, 

and other information to DOE. If you 

submit via postal mail or hand delivery/ 

courier, please provide all items on a 

CD, if feasible, in which case it is not 

necessary to submit printed copies. No 

telefacsimiles (faxes) will be accepted. 

Comments, data, and other 

information submitted to DOE 

electronically should be provided in 

PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or 

Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file 

format. Provide documents that are not 

secured, written in English, and free of 

any defects or viruses. Documents 

should not contain special characters or 

any form of encryption and, if possible, 

they should carry the electronic 

signature of the author. 

Campaign form letters. Please submit 

campaign form letters by the originating 

organization in batches of between 50 to 

500 form letters per PDF or as one form 

letter with a list of supporters’ names 

compiled into one or more PDFs. This 

reduces comment processing and 

posting time. 

Confidential Business Information. 

Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person 

submitting information that he or she 

believes to be confidential and exempt 

by law from public disclosure should 

submit via email, postal mail, or hand 

delivery/courier two well-marked 

copies: One copy of the document 

marked ‘‘confidential’’ including all the 

information believed to be confidential, 

and one copy of the document marked 

‘‘non-confidential’’ with the information 

believed to be confidential deleted. 

Submit these documents via email or on 

a CD, if feasible. DOE will make its own 

determination about the confidential 

status of the information and treat it 

according to its determination. 

It is DOE’s policy that all comments 

may be included in the public docket, 

without change and as received, 

including any personal information 

provided in the comments (except 

information deemed to be exempt from 

public disclosure). 

DOE considers public participation to 

be a very important part of the process 

for developing test procedures and 

energy conservation standards. DOE 

actively encourages the participation 

and interaction of the public during the 

comment period in each stage of this 

process. Interactions with and between 

members of the public provide a 

balanced discussion of the issues and 

assist DOE in the process. Anyone who 

wishes to be added to the DOE mailing 

list to receive future notices and 

information about this process should 

contact Appliance and Equipment 

Standards Program staff at (202) 287– 

1445 or via email at 

ApplianceStandardsQuestions@

ee.doe.gov. 

Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on December 3, 2020, 

by Daniel R Simmons, Assistant 

Secretary for Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, pursuant to 

delegated authority from the Secretary 

of Energy. That document with the 

original signature and date is 

maintained by DOE. For administrative 

purposes only, and in compliance with 

requirements of the Office of the Federal 

Register, the undersigned DOE Federal 

Register Liaison Officer has been 

authorized to sign and submit the 

document in electronic format for 

publication, as an official document of 

the Department of Energy. This 

administrative process in no way alters 

the legal effect of this document upon 

publication in the Federal Register. 

Signed in Washington, DC, on December 3, 

2020. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2020–26969 Filed 12–7–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

10 CFR Part 431 

[EERE–2019–BT–TP–0027] 

RIN 1904–AE80 

Energy Conservation Program: Test 

Procedures for Commercial 

Equipment; Early Assessment Review: 

Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners 

and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Request for information (RFI). 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy (‘‘DOE’’) is undertaking an early 

assessment review to determine whether 

to proceed with a rulemaking to amend 

DOE’s test procedures for packaged 

terminal air conditioners (‘‘PTACs’’) and 

packaged terminal heat pumps 

(‘‘PTHPs’’) to adopt the most recent 

procedures referenced in the American 

Society of Heating, Refrigerating and 

Air-Conditioning Engineers 

(‘‘ASHRAE’’) Standard 90.1, ‘‘Energy 

Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise 

Residential Buildings,’’ which are 

consistent with DOE’s current test 

procedures, unless there exists clear and 

convincing evidence supporting the 

adoption of alternate procedures. DOE 

welcomes written comments from the 

public on any subject within the scope 

of this document (including topics not 

raised in this RFI), as well as the 

submission of data and other relevant 

information concerning this early 

assessment review. 

DATES: Written comments and 

information will be accepted on or 

before February 22, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

encouraged to submit comments using 

the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

Alternatively, interested persons may 

submit comments, identified by docket 

number EERE–2019–BT–TP–0027 and/ 

or RIN 1904–AE80, by any of the 

following methods: 

1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

2. Email: to PTACHP2019TP0027@

ee.doe.gov. Include docket number 

EERE–2019–BT–TP–0027 in the subject 

line of the message. 

3. Postal Mail: Appliance and 

Equipment Standards Program, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Building 

Technologies Office, Mailstop EE–5B, 

1000 Independence Avenue SW, 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. 


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78968 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 8, 2020 / Proposed Rules 

1All references to EPCA in this document refer 

to the statute as amended through America’s Water 

Infrastructure Act of 2018, Public Law 115–270 

(October 23, 2018). 2Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, 

as amended (‘‘EPCA’’), if the industry test 

procedures for PTACs and PTHPs are amended, 

DOE must amend its test procedures to be 

consistent with the amended industry test 

procedure unless there is clear and convincing 

evidence that to do so would not meet the EPCA 

requirements that DOE’s test procedure: (1) Be 

reasonably designed to measure energy efficiency or 

energy use during a representative average use cycle 

or period of use; and (2) not be unduly burdensome 

to conduct. 

3For editorial reasons, upon codification in the 

U.S. Code, Part C was redesignated Part A–1. 

Telephone: (202) 287–1445. If possible, 

please submit all items on a compact 

disc (‘‘CD’’), in which case it is not 

necessary to include printed copies. 

4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Appliance 

and Equipment Standards Program, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Building 

Technologies Office, 950 L’Enfant Plaza 

SW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. 

Telephone: (202) 287–1445. If possible, 

please submit all items on a CD, in 

which case it is not necessary to include 

printed copies. 

No telefacsimiles (‘‘faxes’’) will be 

accepted. For detailed instructions on 

submitting comments and additional 

information on this process, see section 

III of this document. 

Docket: The docket for this activity, 

which includes Federal Register 

notices, comments, and other 

supporting documents/materials, is 

available for review at http://

www.regulations.gov. All documents in 

the docket are listed in the http://

www.regulations.gov index. However, 

some documents listed in the index, 

such as those containing information 

that is exempt from public disclosure, 

may not be publicly available. 

The docket web page can be found at 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

docket?D=EERE-2019-BT-TP-0027. The 

docket web page contains instructions 

on how to access all documents, 

including public comments, in the 

docket. See section III for information 

on how to submit comments through 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Building 

Technologies Office, EE–5B, 1000 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20585–0121. Telephone: (202) 586– 

0371. Email: 

ApplianceStandardsQuestions@

ee.doe.gov. 

Ms. Jennifer Tiedeman, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Office of the 

General Counsel, GC–33, 1000 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20585–0121. Telephone: (202) 287– 

6111. Email: Jennifer.Tiedeman@

Hq.Doe.Gov. 

For further information on how to 

submit a comment or review other 

public comments and the docket, 

contact the Appliance and Equipment 

Standards Program staff at (202) 287– 

1445 or by email: 

ApplianceStandardsQuestions@

ee.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents 

I. Introduction 

A. Authority 

B. Rulemaking History 

II. Request for Information 

A. Energy Use Measurements 

B. Representative Average Use Cycle 

III. Submission of Comments 

I. Introduction 

DOE established an early assessment 

review process to conduct a more 

focused analysis of a specific set of facts 

or circumstances to allow DOE to 

determine that, based on statutory 

criteria, an amended test procedure is 

not warranted. In the case of PTACs and 

PTHPs, the purpose of the early 

assessment analysis is to assist DOE in 

determining whether to adopt industry 

standard ASHRAE 90.1–2019, which is 

consistent with DOE’s current test 

procedures, or whether clear and 

convincing evidence exists that this 

standard would not meet the 

requirements in the Energy Policy and 

Conservation Act (‘‘EPCA’’).1 (42 U.S.C. 

6314(a)(4)(B) and (C)) 2 The purpose of 

the review is to limit the resources, from 

both DOE and stakeholders, committed 

to rulemakings that will not satisfy the 

requirements of EPCA. See 85 FR 8626, 

8653–8654 (Feb. 14, 2020). 

As part of the early assessment, DOE 

publishes an RFI in the Federal 

Register, announcing that DOE is 

soliciting comments, data and 

information on the question above. 

Based on the information received in 

response to the RFI and DOE’s own 

analysis, DOE will determine whether to 

proceed with a rulemaking for an 

amended test procedure. 

If DOE makes an initial determination 

that clear and convincing evidence does 

not exist to justify procedures other than 

those consistent with the industry 

testing standards referenced in ASHRAE 

90.1–2019, DOE would engage in a 

notice and comment rulemaking to 

adopt the ASHRAE 90.1–2019 testing 

standards, which are consistent with the 

current test procedures and which 

would satisfy the Department’s 7-yearlookback test procedure review 

requirement under the statute (as 

discussed in section I.A of this 

document). 

Conversely, if DOE makes an initial 

determination that clear and convincing 

evidence does exist to justify the 

consideration of test procedures other 

than those referenced in ASHRAE 90.1– 

2019, DOE would undertake the 

preliminary stages of a rulemaking to 

issue amended test procedures. 

Beginning such a rulemaking, however, 

would not preclude DOE from later 

making a determination that any such 

amended test procedures would not 

satisfy the requirements in EPCA, based 

upon the full suite of DOE’s analyses. 

Id. at 85 FR 8654. 

A. Authority 

EPCA among other things authorizes 

DOE to regulate the energy efficiency of 

a number of consumer products and 

certain industrial equipment. (42 U.S.C. 

6291–6317) Title III, Part C3 of EPCA 

established the Energy Conservation 

Program for Certain Industrial 

Equipment. This equipment includes 

PTACs and PTHPs, the subjects of this 

document. (42 U.S.C. 6311(1)(I)) 

Under EPCA, DOE’s energy 

conservation program consists 

essentially of four parts: (1) Testing, (2) 

labeling, (3) Federal energy conservation 

standards, and (4) certification and 

enforcement procedures. Relevant 

provisions of EPCA include definitions 

(42 U.S.C. 6311), test procedures (42 

U.S.C. 6314), labeling provisions (42 

U.S.C. 6315), energy conservation 

standards (42 U.S.C. 6313), and the 

authority to require information and 

reports from manufacturers. (42 U.S.C. 

6316) 

Federal energy efficiency 

requirements for covered equipment 

established under EPCA generally 

supersede State laws and regulations 

concerning energy conservation testing, 

labeling, and standards. (42 U.S.C. 

6316(a) and (b); 42 U.S.C. 6297) DOE 

may, however, grant waivers of Federal 

preemption in limited instances for 

particular State laws or regulations, in 

accordance with the procedures and 

other provisions of EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 

6316(b)(2)(D)) 

EPCA requires that the test 

procedures for PTACs and PTHPs be 

those generally accepted industry 

testing standards or rating procedures 

developed or recognized by the AirConditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration 

Institute (‘‘AHRI’’) or by the American 

Society of Heating, Refrigerating and 

Air-Conditioning Engineers 

(‘‘ASHRAE’’), as referenced in ASHRAE 

Standard 90.1, ‘‘Energy Standard for 

Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential 


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Buildings’’ (‘‘ASHRAE Standard 90.1’’). 

(42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)(A)) If such an 

industry testing standard is amended, 

DOE must update its test procedure to 

be consistent with the amended 

industry testing standard, unless DOE 

determines, by rule published in the 

Federal Register and supported by clear 

and convincing evidence, that the 

amended test procedure would not meet 

the requirements in 42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(2) 

and (3) that DOE’s test procedure: (1) Be 

reasonably designed to measure energy 

efficiency or energy use during a 

representative average use cycle or 

period of use; and (2) not be unduly 

burdensome to conduct. (42 U.S.C. 

6314(a)(4)(B) and (C)) 

EPCA also requires that, at least once 

every 7 years, DOE evaluate test 

procedures for each type of covered 

equipment, including PTACs and 

PTHPs, to determine whether amended 

test procedures would more accurately 

or fully comply with the requirements 

for the test procedures to be reasonably 

designed to produce test results that 

reflect energy efficiency, energy use, 

and estimated operating costs during a 

representative average use cycle and to 

not be unduly burdensome to conduct. 

(42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(1)) DOE is publishing 

this RFI also to collect data and 

information to inform its decision to 

satisfy the 7-year-lookback review 

requirement. 

B. Rulemaking History 

DOE’s current test procedures for 

PTACs and PTHPs are codified at 10 

CFR 431.96. The test procedures were 

most recently amended after AHRI 

published AHRI Standard 310/380– 

2014, ‘‘Standard for Packaged Terminal 

Air-Conditioners and Heat Pumps’’ 

(‘‘AHRI 310/380–2014’’) in February 

2014. The 2014 version of the standard 

updated and superseded AHRI Standard 

310/380–2004. In a final rule published 

on June 30, 2015, DOE amended the test 

procedures for PTACs and PTHPs. 80 

FR 37136, 37136–37149. (‘‘June 2015 

Final Rule’’). In the June 2015 Final 

Rule, DOE incorporated by reference 

certain sections of AHRI 310/380–2014. 

Id. at 80 FR 37148. DOE also 

incorporated by reference (1) American 

National Standard Institute (‘‘ANSI’’)/ 

ASHRAE Standard 16–1983 (RA2009), 

‘‘Method of Testing for Rating Room Air 

Conditioners and Packaged Terminal 

Air Conditioners’’ (‘‘ASHRAE Standard 

16’’); (2) ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 58– 

1986 (RA2009), ‘‘Method of Testing for 

Rating Room Air Conditioner and 

Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner 

Heating Capacity’’ (‘‘ASHRAE Standard 

58’’); and (3) ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 

37–2009, ‘‘Methods of Testing for Rating 

Electrically Driven Unitary AirConditioning and Heat Pump 

Equipment’’ (‘‘ASHRAE Standard 37’’). 

Id. Additionally, DOE amended the 

PTAC and PTHP test procedures to 

specify an optional break-in period; 

explicitly require that wall sleeves be 

sealed; allow for the pre-filling of the 

condensate drain pan; require that 

measurements of cooling capacity be 

conducted using electrical instruments 

accurate to ± 0.5 percent of reading; and 

require testing with 14-inch deep wall 

sleeves and the filter option most 

representative of a typical installation. 

Id. at 80 FR 37149. 

AHRI published AHRI Standard 310/ 

380–2017, ‘‘Packaged Terminal AirConditioners and Heat Pumps’’ (‘‘AHRI 

310/380–2017’’) in July 2017. The 2017 

version of the standard updated and 

superseded AHRI Standard 310/380– 

2014. The 2017 version of the standard 

incorporated DOE’s additional PTAC 

and PTHP test procedure specifications 

listed above. The DOE test procedures 

for PTACs and PTHPs are consistent 

with AHRI 310/380–2017. 

ASHRAE most recently updated 

Standard 90.1 in 2019. In the 2019 

update, ASHRAE updated the AHRI 

310/380 reference to the 2017 edition. 

As discussed, the DOE test procedures 

for PTACs and PTHPs are consistent 

with AHRI 310/380–2017. Clear and 

convincing evidence is required for DOE 

to adopt other procedures. (42 U.S.C. 

6314(a)(4)(A)) 

Current Market 

Over the past five years, several 

manufacturers have introduced PTAC 

and PTHP models that are designed to 

take outdoor air into the unit, 

dehumidify the outdoor air, and 

introduce the dehumidified outdoor air 

to the conditioned space. These models 

are commonly referred to as ‘‘make-up 

air PTACs’’ or ‘‘make-up air PTHPs.’’ 

The test procedures for PTACs and 

PTHPs referenced in ASHRAE Standard 

90.1 do not specify how to measure the 

energy use associated with 

dehumidification of makeup air 

transferred through the test unit, nor do 

they account for the additional 

conditioning required for this makeup 

air. 

Additionally, over the past five years, 

several PTAC and PTHP models have 

been introduced to the market that 

incorporate variable-speed compressors 

and are capable of part-load operation. 

The test procedures for PTACs and 

PTHPs referenced in ASHRAE Standard 

90.1 do not specify how to measure the 

energy use associated with part-load 

performance of the test unit. 

II. Request for Information 

DOE is publishing this RFI to collect 

data and information during the early 

assessment review to inform its 

determination of whether to adopt 

ASHRAE 90.1–2019 in the absence of 

clear and convincing evidence that 

would justify the adoption of 

procedures other than those referenced 

in ASHRAE 90.1–2019. See 42 U.S.C. 

6314(a)(4)) Accordingly, DOE has 

identified specific issues on which it 

seeks input to aid in its analysis. DOE 

also welcomes comments on other 

issues relevant to its early assessment 

that may not specifically be identified in 

this document. 

A. Energy Use Measurements 

DOE’s current test procedures for 

PTACs and PTHPs are codified at 10 

CFR 431.96. The test procedures 

measure energy use by operating the 

equipment in cooling-only and heatingonly modes at standard rating 

conditions per AHRI Standard 310/380– 

2014 and measuring the power input to 

the equipment in watts. The test metric 

for the cooling efficiency is the Energy 

Efficiency Ratio (‘‘EER’’), which is the 

ratio of the produced cooling effect of 

the PTAC or PTHP to its power input, 

expressed in Btu/watt-hour, and 

measured at standard rating conditions. 

The test metric for the heating efficiency 

is the Coefficient of Performance 

(‘‘COP’’), which is the ratio of the 

produced heating effect of the PTHP to 

its power input, expressed in watts/ 

watts, and measured at standard rating 

conditions. 

Issue 1: DOE seeks comment on 

whether the test procedure requirements 

in ASHRAE 90.1–2019 (e.g., 

instrumentation testing configurations/ 

specifications, calculation 

methodologies) accurately measure 

energy use without adding undue 

burden to the test procedure. 

Issue 2: DOE seeks information on the 

need for DOE’s test procedure for 

PTACs and PTHPs to specify how to 

measure the energy use associated with 

dehumidification of ‘‘makeup air’’ for 

PTAC and PTHP models designed to 

take outdoor air into the unit, 

dehumidify the outdoor air, and 

introduce the dehumidified outdoor air 

to the conditioned space. 

Issue 3: DOE seeks information on the 

need for DOE’s test procedure for 

PTACs and PTHPs to specify how to 

measure the energy use associated with 

part-load operation. 

Issue 4: DOE requests information on 

whether any existing industry test 

procedures may be used to measure the 

energy use associated with ‘‘makeup 


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78970 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 8, 2020 / Proposed Rules 

air’’ or part-load operation of PTACs 

and PTHPs. 

B. Representative Average Use Cycle 

The current DOE test procedure for 

PTACs and PTHPs, adopted in 2015, 

was reasonably designed to measure 

energy use during a representative 

average use cycle. Specifically, the test 

procedure adopted in 2015 provides 

instructions to measure the energy use 

of the equipment in cooling and heating 

modes at standard rating conditions, as 

prescribed in AHRI Standard 310/380– 

2014. 

Issue 5: DOE seeks comment on 

whether ASHRAE 90.1–2019 and the 

references therein is reasonably 

designed to measure energy use during 

a representative use cycle. 

Issue 6: DOE also seeks comment on 

‘‘make-up air’’ and part load operation 

as they relate to a representative average 

use cycle for PTACs and PTHPs. 

III. Submission of Comments 

DOE invites all interested parties to 

submit in writing by February 22, 2021, 

comments and information on matters 

addressed in this notice and on other 

matters relevant to DOE’s consideration 

of whether DOE should adopt the most 

recent version of ASHRAE 90.1, which 

makes no substantive changes to DOE’s 

test procedures, or whether there is 

clear and convincing evidence that 

ASHRAE 90.1–2019 is not reasonably 

designed to measure energy efficiency 

or energy use during a representative 

average use cycle or period of use; and 

is not unduly burdensome to conduct. 

Submitting comments via http://

www.regulations.gov. The http://

www.regulations.gov web page will 

require you to provide your name and 

contact information. Your contact 

information will be viewable to DOE 

Building Technologies staff only. Your 

contact information will not be publicly 

viewable except for your first and last 

names, organization name (if any), and 

submitter representative name (if any). 

If your comment is not processed 

properly because of technical 

difficulties, DOE will use this 

information to contact you. If DOE 

cannot read your comment due to 

technical difficulties and cannot contact 

you for clarification, DOE may not be 

able to consider your comment. 

However, your contact information 

will be publicly viewable if you include 

it in the comment or in any documents 

attached to your comment. Any 

information that you do not want to be 

publicly viewable should not be 

included in your comment, nor in any 

document attached to your comment. If 

this instruction is followed, persons 

viewing comments will see only first 

and last names, organization names, 

correspondence containing comments, 

and any documents submitted with the 

comments. 

Do not submit to http://

www.regulations.gov information for 

which disclosure is restricted by statute, 

such as trade secrets and commercial or 

financial information (hereinafter 

referred to as Confidential Business 

Information (‘‘CBI’’)). Comments 

submitted through http://

www.regulations.gov cannot be claimed 

as CBI. Comments received through the 

website will waive any CBI claims for 

the information submitted. For 

information on submitting CBI, see the 

Confidential Business Information 

section. 

DOE processes submissions made 

through http://www.regulations.gov 

before posting. Normally, comments 

will be posted within a few days of 

being submitted. However, if large 

volumes of comments are being 

processed simultaneously, your 

comment may not be viewable for up to 

several weeks. Please keep the comment 

tracking number that http://

www.regulations.gov provides after you 

have successfully uploaded your 

comment. 

Submitting comments via email, hand 

delivery/courier, or postal mail. 

Comments and documents submitted 

via email, hand delivery/courier, or 

postal mail also will be posted to http:// 

www.regulations.gov. If you do not want 

your personal contact information to be 

publicly viewable, do not include it in 

your comment or any accompanying 

documents. Instead, provide your 

contact information on a cover letter. 

Include your first and last names, email 

address, telephone number, and 

optional mailing address. The cover 

letter will not be publicly viewable as 

long as it does not include any 

comments. 

Include contact information each time 

you submit comments, data, documents, 

and other information to DOE. If you 

submit via postal mail or hand delivery/ 

courier, please provide all items on a 

CD, if feasible, in which case it is not 

necessary to submit printed copies. No 

facsimiles (‘‘faxes’’) will be accepted. 

Comments, data, and other 

information submitted to DOE 

electronically should be provided in 

PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or 

Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file 

format. Provide documents that are not 

secured, written in English and free of 

any defects or viruses. Documents 

should not contain special characters or 

any form of encryption and, if possible, 

they should carry the electronic 

signature of the author. 

Campaign form letters. Please submit 

campaign form letters by the originating 

organization in batches of between 50 to 

500 form letters per PDF or as one form 

letter with a list of supporters’ names 

compiled into one or more PDFs. This 

reduces comment processing and 

posting time. 

Confidential Business Information. 

According to 10 CFR 1004.11, any 

person submitting information that he 

or she believes to be confidential and 

exempt by law from public disclosure 

should submit via email, postal mail, or 

hand delivery/courier two well-marked 

copies: One copy of the document 

marked confidential including all the 

information believed to be confidential, 

and one copy of the document marked 

‘‘non-confidential’’ with the information 

believed to be confidential deleted. 

Submit these documents via email to 

PTACHP2019TP0027@ee.doe.gov or on 

a CD, if feasible. DOE will make its own 

determination about the confidential 

status of the information and treat it 

according to its determination. 

It is DOE’s policy that all comments 

may be included in the public docket, 

without change and as received, 

including any personal information 

provided in the comments (except 

information deemed to be exempt from 

public disclosure). 

DOE considers public participation to 

be a very important part of the process 

for developing test procedures and 

energy conservation standards. DOE 

actively encourages the participation 

and interaction of the public during the 

comment period in each stage of this 

process. Interactions with and between 

members of the public provide a 

balanced discussion of the issues and 

assist DOE in the process. Anyone who 

wishes to be added to the DOE mailing 

list to receive future notices and 

information about this process should 

contact Appliance and Equipment 

Standards Program staff at (202) 287– 

1445 or via email at 

ApplianceStandardsQuestions@

ee.doe.gov. 

Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on November 25, 

2020, by Alexander N. Fitzsimmons, 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy 

Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, pursuant to 

delegated authority from the Secretary 

of Energy. That document with the 

original signature and date is 

maintained by DOE. For administrative 

purposes only, and in compliance with 

requirements of the Office of the Federal 


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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 8, 2020 / Proposed Rules 78971 

Register, the undersigned DOE Federal 

Register Liaison Officer has been 

authorized to sign and submit the 

document in electronic format for 

publication, as an official document of 

the Department of Energy. This 

administrative process in no way alters 

the legal effect of this document upon 

publication in the Federal Register. 

Signed in Washington, DC, on December 1, 

2020. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2020–26722 Filed 12–7–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2020–1113; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2020–00893–T] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to 

supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 

2019–03–10, which applies to all Airbus 

SAS Model A300 series airplanes; and 

Model A300 B4–600, B4–600R, and F4– 

600R series airplanes, and Model A300 

C4–605R Variant F airplanes 

(collectively called Model A300–600 

series airplanes). AD 2019–03–10 

requires repetitive detailed visual 

inspections of the main landing gear 

(MLG) leg components and replacement 

of the MLG leg if cracked components 

are found. Since the FAA issued AD 

2019–03–10, it was determined that 

additional actions (including 

inspections, modifications, and checks) 

are needed to address the unsafe 

condition. This proposed AD would 

continue to require the actions required 

by AD 2019–03–10. For certain 

airplanes, this proposed AD would also 

require modification of the MLG hinge 

arm by installing improved MLG hinge 

arm/barrel pins; an out-of-roundness 

check of removed pins; repetitive 

inspections of any affected pins and the 

associated connecting rod bushes, and 

replacement of the MLG leg if cracked 

components are found; and installation 

of an improved spacer as specified in a 

European Union Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD, which is proposed for 

incorporation by reference. The FAA is 

proposing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by January 22, 

2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For material that will be incorporated 

by reference (IBR) in this AD, contact 

the EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 

50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 

221 8999 000; email ADs@

easa.europa.eu; internet 

www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this 

IBR material on the EASA website at 

https://ad.easa.europa.eu. You may 

view this IBR material at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

It is also available in the AD docket on 

the internet at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2020– 

1113. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the internet at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2020– 

1113; or in person at Docket Operations 

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The AD docket contains this NPRM, any 

comments received, and other 

information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan 

Rodina, Aerospace Engineer, Large 

Aircraft Section, International 

Validation Branch, FAA, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone and fax 206–231–3225; email 

dan.rodina@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written relevant data, views, or 

arguments about this proposal. Send 

your comments to an address listed 

under the ADDRESSES section. Include 

‘‘Docket No. FAA–2020–1113; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2020–00893–T’’ at the 

beginning of your comments. The most 

helpful comments reference a specific 

portion of the proposal, explain the 

reason for any recommended change, 

and include supporting data. The FAA 

will consider all comments received by 

the closing date and may amend the 

proposal because of those comments. 

Except for Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) as described in the 

following paragraph, and other 

information as described in 14 CFR 

11.35, the FAA will post all comments 

received, without change, to https://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. The 

agency will also post a report 

summarizing each substantive verbal 

contact received about this proposed 

AD. 

Confidential Business Information 

CBI is commercial or financial 

information that is both customarily and 

actually treated as private by its owner. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt 

from public disclosure. If your 

comments responsive to this NPRM 

contain commercial or financial 

information that is customarily treated 

as private, that you actually treat as 

private, and that is relevant or 

responsive to this NPRM, it is important 

that you clearly designate the submitted 

comments as CBI. Please mark each 

page of your submission containing CBI 

as ‘‘PROPIN.’’ The FAA will treat such 

marked submissions as confidential 

under the FOIA, and they will not be 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to Dan Rodina, 

Aerospace Engineer, Large Aircraft 

Section, International Validation 

Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 

206–231–3225; email dan.rodina@

faa.gov. Any commentary that the FAA 

receives which is not specifically 

designated as CBI will be placed in the 

public docket for this rulemaking. 

Discussion 

The FAA issued AD 2019–03–10, 

Amendment 39–19562 (84 FR 5595, 

February 22, 2019) (AD 2019–03–10), 

which applies to all Airbus SAS Model 

A300 series airplanes; and Model A300– 

600 series airplanes. AD 2019–03–10 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with PROPOSALS