48108 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 156 / Monday, August 13, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

is not necessary. Members of the public 

choosing to participate in this meeting 

remotely can do so in one of two ways— 

online, or via a telephone (audio) 

connection. The webinar and call-in 

information is provided below: 

Date and Time: August 29, 2012 8:00 

a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Telephone Number: 1–888–469–3043. 

Access Code: 23678. 

Webinar Address: https://www1.

gotomeeting.com/register/937057065. 

Date and Time: August 30, 2012 8:00 

a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Telephone Number: 1–888–942–8392. 

Access Code: 85687. 

Webinar Address: https://www1.

gotomeeting.com/register/156319977. 

Members of the public interested in 

participating via webinar should follow 

the registration link above. After 

registering, instructions for joining the 

Webinar (including a teleconference 

number and pass code) will be provided 

via email. All participants will be in 

‘‘listen-only’’ mode during the 

presentation. Participants will have a 

chance to pose questions either orally 

after the presentation or in writing 

during the Webinar. 

The agenda for the public meeting 

will be noticed no fewer than 10 days 

prior to the meeting on the NRC’s Public 

Meeting Schedule Web site at http://

www.nrc.gov/public-involve/publicmeetings/index.cfm. 

Questions about participation in the 

public meetings should be directed to 

the points of contact listed in the FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 

this document. 

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day 

of August 2012. 

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 

Kevin Hsueh, 

Acting Deputy Director, Environmental 

Protection and Performance Assessment 

Directorate, Division of Waste Management 

and Environmental Protection, Office of 

Federal and State Materials and 

Environmental Management Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–19774 Filed 8–10–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

10 CFR Part 430 

[Docket No. EERE–2012–STD–0020] 

RIN 1904–AC77 

Energy Conservation Standards for 

Commercial Clothes Washers: Public 

Meeting and Availability of the 

Framework Document 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and 

availability of the framework document. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy 

(DOE) issues a framework document to 

consider whether to amend the energy 

and water conservation standards for 

commercial clothes washers. DOE also 

announces a public meeting to discuss 

and receive comments on issues that it 

will address in this rulemaking 

proceeding. DOE is initiating data 

collection for considering amended 

energy and water conservation 

standards for commercial clothes 

washers. DOE also encourages written 

comments on potential amended 

standards, including comments on the 

issues identified in the framework 

document. The framework document, 

which is intended to inform 

stakeholders and facilitate the 

rulemaking process, is available at 

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/

appliance_standards/commercial/

clothes_washers.html. 

DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting 

on September 24, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 

12 p.m. in Washington, DC. Any person 

requesting to speak at the public 

meeting should submit such request 

along with a signed original and an 

electronic copy of the statements to be 

given at the public meeting before 4:00 

p.m., September 10, 2012. Written 

comments are welcome, especially 

following the public meeting, and 

should be submitted by October 12, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be 

held at the U.S. Department of Energy, 

Forrestal Building, Room 8E–089, 1000 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. Please 

note that foreign nationals participating 

in the public meeting are subject to 

advance security screening procedures. 

If a foreign national wishes to 

participate in the public meeting, please 

inform DOE of this fact as soon as 

possible by contacting Ms. Brenda 

Edwards at (202) 586–2945 so that the 

necessary procedures can be completed. 

Stakeholders may submit comments, 

identified by docket number EERE– 

2012–STD– 0020 and/or Regulation 

Identifier Number (RIN) 1904–AC77, by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Email: CommClothesWashers-2012- 

STD-0020@ee.doe.gov Include docket 

number EERE–2012–STD–0020 and/or 

RIN 1904–AC77 in the subject line of 

the message. 

• Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Building 

Technologies Program, Mailstop EE–2J, 

1000 Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. If 

possible, please submit all items on a 

CD. It is not necessary to include 

printed copies. 

• Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda 

Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, 

Building Technologies Program, 950 

L’Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600, 

Washington, DC 20024. Phone: (202) 

586–2945. Please submit one signed 

paper original. If possible, please submit 

all items on a CD. It is not necessary to 

include printed copies. 

• Docket: The docket is available for 

review at http://www.regulations.gov, 

and will include Federal Register 

notices, framework document, notice of 

proposed rulemaking, public meeting 

attendee lists and transcripts, 

comments, and other supporting 

documents/materials throughout the 

rulemaking process. The docket can be 

accessed by searching for Docket No. 

EERE–2012–BT–STD–0020 at the 

regulations.gov Web site. 

For further information on how to 

submit or review public comments or 

view hard copies of the docket in the 

Resource Room, contact Ms. Brenda 

Edwards at (202) 586–2945 or email: 

Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Stephen Witkowski, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Office of 

Energy Efficiency and Renewable 

Energy, Building Technologies, EE–2J, 

1000 Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. Phone: 

(202) 586–7463. Email: stephen.

witkowski@ee.doe.gov. 

Ms. Elizabeth Kohl, U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of General Counsel, 

GC–71, 1000 Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121. 

Phone: (202) 586–7796, email: 

elizabeth.kohl@hq.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction and Legal Authority 

II. Test Procedures 

III. Energy Conservation Standards 

I. Introduction and Legal Authority 

The Energy Policy and Conservation 

Act of 1975 (EPCA) established an 

energy conservation program for 

consumer products. (42 U.S.C. 6291– 

6309) The National Energy Conservation 

Policy Act of 1978 amended EPCA to 

add Part C of Title III, which established 

an energy conservation program for 

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

6311–6317) (Part C was re-designated 

Part A–1 on codification in the U.S. 

Code, for editorial reasons.) The Energy 

Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005), 

Public Law 109–58, further amended 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 156 / Monday, August 13, 2012 / Proposed Rules 48109 

EPCA to expand DOE’s energy 

conservation program to include 

commercial clothes washers and other 

commercial equipment. 

EPACT 2005 established the first 

energy conservation standards for 

commercial clothes washers, requiring 

commercial clothes washers 

manufactured on or after January 1, 

2007 to have a modified energy factor 

(MEF) of at least 1.26 and a water factor 

(WF) of no more than 9.5. (42 U.S.C. 

6313(e)(1); 10 CFR 431.156) EPACT 

2005 further directed DOE to conduct 

two rulemaking cycles to determine 

whether to amend these standards. 

EPCA required completion of the first 

rulemaking by January 1, 2010, and DOE 

must complete the second rulemaking 

by January 1, 2015. (42 U.S.C. 6313(e)). 

DOE completed the first rulemaking 

when it issued a final rule to amend the 

standards for commercial clothes 

washers on December 18, 2009. (75 FR 

1122, January 8, 2010). Compliance with 

the amended standards is required as of 

January 8, 2013. The January 2010 final 

rule established revised standards for 

two separate product classes: toploading and front-loading commercial 

clothes washers. These standards were 

based on the MEF and WF metrics. 

This current rulemaking will satisfy 

the requirement to publish the second 

final rule by January 1, 2015. 

Compliance with any amended 

standards would be required three years 

after the date of publication of the final 

standards. 

II. Test Procedures 

EPCA requires that CCWs use the 

same test procedures as residential 

clothes washers. (42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(8)) 

DOE published a final rule amending its 

clothes washer test procedures on 

March 7, 2012. (‘‘March 2012 final 

rule’’). (77 FR 13888) The March 2012 

final rule amended the test procedure at 

10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix J1 

and established a new test procedure at 

Appendix J2. Manufacturers of both 

commercial and residential clothes 

washers will be required to use the new 

Appendix J2 on the compliance date of 

the amended standards for residential 

clothes washers, March 7, 2015. (The 

amended standards for residential 

clothes washers were established by a 

direct final rule. If DOE withdraws the 

direct final rule on the basis of adverse 

comments pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 

6295(p)(4), a different compliance date 

may be established in subsequent 

rulemaking action for residential clothes 

washers.) 

The new Appendix J2 contains 

provisions for measuring standby mode 

and off mode energy use, which is 

factored into a new efficiency metric, 

integrated modified energy factor 

(IMEF). Appendix J2 also establishes a 

new water efficiency metric, integrated 

water factor (IWF), which provides a 

more representative measure of water 

consumption by incorporating water 

consumption from all the temperature 

cycles; in contrast, the WF metric is 

based on the water consumption of only 

the cold wash cycle. 

Appendix J2 retains provisions for 

calculating MEF and WF; however, 

because of certain changes to the active 

mode provisions of the test procedure, 

MEF and WF calculated using 

Appendix J2 will differ from MEF and 

WF calculated for the same clothes 

washer using the current test procedure 

at Appendix J1. The current standard 

levels for commercial clothes washers 

are based on MEF and WF as measured 

using Appendix J1, and products that 

minimally comply with the standard as 

measured using Appendix J1 would 

likely not comply if measured using 

Appendix J2. 

III. Energy Conservation Standards 

During this rulemaking, DOE will 

determine whether to further amend the 

energy conservation standards for 

commercial clothes washers. (42 U.S.C. 

6313(e)). DOE will also consider 

developing correction factors that would 

be used to determine compliance with 

the MEF/WF standards effective January 

8, 2013 when manufacturers are 

required to measure energy and water 

consumption using Appendix J2. Such 

correction factors would be used until 

compliance with any amended 

standards developed in this rulemaking 

was required. 

EPCA requires that any new or 

amended energy conservation standard 

be designed to achieve the maximum 

improvement in energy or water 

efficiency that is technologically 

feasible and economically justified. To 

determine whether a standard is 

economically justified, EPCA requires 

that DOE determine whether the 

benefits of the standard exceed its 

burdens by considering, to the greatest 

extent practicable, the following: 

(1) The economic impact of the 

standard on the manufacturers and 

consumers of the affected products; 

(2) The savings in operating costs 

throughout the estimated average life of 

the product compared to any increases 

in the initial cost, or maintenance 

expense; 

(3) The total projected amount of 

energy and water (if applicable) savings 

likely to result directly from the 

imposition of the standard; 

(4) Any lessening of the utility or the 

performance of the products likely to 

result from the imposition of the 

standard; 

(5) The impact of any lessening of 

competition, as determined in writing 

by the Attorney General, that is likely to 

result from the imposition of the 

standard; 

(6) The need for national energy and 

water conservation; and 

(7) Other factors the Secretary 

considers relevant. 

(42 U.S.C. 6295 (o)(2)(B)(i) and 42 

U.S.C. 6316(a)) 

To begin the required rulemaking 

process, DOE has prepared a framework 

document to explain the issues, 

analyses, and processes that it is 

considering for the development of 

amended energy conservation standards 

for commercial clothes washers. The 

framework document is available at 

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/

appliance_standards/commercial/

clothes_washers.html. 

Additionally, DOE will hold a public 

meeting to focus on the analyses and 

issues described in the framework 

document. DOE encourages anyone who 

wishes to participate in the public 

meeting to view the framework 

document and to be prepared to discuss 

its contents. Public meeting participants 

need not limit their comments to the 

topics identified in the framework 

document; DOE is also interested in 

receiving views on other relevant issues 

that participants believe would affect 

energy conservation standards for this 

equipment. DOE welcomes all 

interested parties, regardless of whether 

they participate in the public meeting, 

to submit in writing comments and 

information on matters addressed in the 

framework document and on other 

matters relevant to consideration of 

standards for commercial clothes 

washers. 

DOE will conduct the public meeting 

in an informal conference style. A court 

reporter will record the minutes of the 

meeting. The discussion will not 

include proprietary information, costs 

or prices, market shares, or other 

commercial matters regulated by U.S. 

antitrust laws. 

After the public meeting and the 

expiration of the period for submitting 

written statements, DOE will begin 

collecting data, conducting the analyses 

as discussed at the public meeting, and 

reviewing public comments. 

Anyone who wishes to participate in 

the public meeting, receive meeting 

materials, or be added to the DOE 

mailing list to receive future notices and 

information about the rulemaking 

process for commercial clothes washers 

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48110 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 156 / Monday, August 13, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

should contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at 

(202) 586–2945. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on July 31, 

2012. 

Kathleen B. Hogan, 

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy, Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2012–19766 Filed 8–10–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0817; Directorate 

Identifier 99–NE–24–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; General 

Electric Company Turbofan Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) 

that applies to certain General Electric 

Company (GE) CF6–80C2 series 

turbofan engines. The existing AD 

requires replacement of the fuel tubes 

connected to the fuel flowmeter. Since 

we issued that AD, we received several 

additional reports of fuel leaks and two 

reports of engine fire due to misassembled supporting brackets on the 

fuel tube connecting the flowmeter to 

the Integrated Drive Generator (IDG) 

fuel-oil cooler. This proposed AD would 

require installing a new simplified onepiece bracket to eliminate mis-assembly. 

We are proposing this AD to prevent 

high-pressure fuel leaks caused by 

improper seating of fuel tube flanges, 

which could result in an engine fire and 

damage to the airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by October 12, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal Rulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://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 service information identified in 

this AD, contact General Electric 

Company, GE–Aviation, Room 285, 1 

Neumann Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215, 

phone: (513) 552–3272; email: 

geae.aoc@ge.com. You may review 

copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 781–238–7125. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 

docket contains this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Office 

(phone: 800–647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jason Yang, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 

Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

phone: 781–238–7747; fax: 781–238– 

7199; email: jason.yang@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2012–0817; Directorate Identifier 

99–NE–24–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD because of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

On February 17, 2000, we issued AD 

2000–04–14, Amendment 39–11597 (65 

FR 10698, February 29, 2000), for all GE 

CF6–80C2 series turbofan engines. That 

AD requires replacement of the fuel tube 

connecting the fuel flowmeter to the 

IDG fuel-oil cooler and the fuel tubes 

connecting the fuel flowmeter to the 

Main Engine Control (MEC) or 

Hydromechanical Unit (HMU) with 

improved fuel tubes. That AD resulted 

from reports of fuel leaking in the core 

cowl cavity under high pressure that 

can be ignited by contact with hot 

engine case surfaces. We issued that AD 

to prevent high-pressure fuel leaks 

caused by improper seating of fuel tube 

flanges, which could result in an engine 

fire and damage to the airplane. 

Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued 

Since we issued AD 2000–04–14, 

Amendment 39–11597 (65 FR 10698, 

February 29, 2000), we received several 

reports of fuel leaks and two reports of 

engine fire due to mis-assembled 

supporting brackets on the fuel tube 

connecting the fuel flowmeter to the 

IDG fuel-oil cooler. Investigation of 

these two fires determined the root 

cause was due to a design shortfall, 

which allowed improper installation of 

the two-piece bracket and subsequent 

fuel leaks from the fuel tube connection. 

FAA’s Determination 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all the relevant information 

and determined the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop in other products of the same 

type design. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require 

replacement of the fuel tube connecting 

the fuel flowmeter to the IDG fuel-oil 

cooler and the fuel tubes connecting the 

fuel flowmeter to the MEC or HMU with 

improved fuel tubes. This proposed AD 

would also require installing a 

simplified one-piece bracket to 

eliminate mis-assembly when the fuel 

tubes connecting the fuel flowmeter to 

the IDG fuel-oil cooler are disconnected. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 2,300 CF6–80C2 engines 

installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We also estimate that one work-hour 

would be required per engine to 

accomplish the actions required by this 

AD. The average labor rate is $85 per 

work-hour. We also estimate that the 

required parts will cost about $180 per 

engine. Based on these figures, we 

estimate the total cost of the proposed 

AD to U.S. operators is $609,500. 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

Title 49 of the United States Code 

specifies the FAA’s authority to issue 

rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, 

Section 106, describes the authority of 

the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, 

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