Office of Energy Efficency and -

Renewable Energy

Energy Conservaton Program for

Consumer Products: Energy

Conservatlon Program for Fluorescent

Lamp Ballasts, Clothes Washers, and

Water Heaters

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy.

ACTlON: Notice of public workshops.

SUMMARY: The Energy Policy and

Conservation Act, as amended (EPCA or

Act), requires the Department of Energy

(DOE or Department) to consider

amending the energy conservation

standards for certain major household

appliances. This notice announces three

public workshops as steps in the

appliance standards rulemaking

procedures. These public workshops

will be conducted for the rulemakings

on revised energy efficiency standards

for fluorescent lamp ballasts, clothes

washers, and water heaters.

DATEB: The following table lists the

respective analyses release dates,

workshop dates, and comment period

dates.

Fluorescent lamp bal- Clothes washers Water heaters

lasts

Release Analyses .................................................. April 27, 1999 ............ June 14, 1999 ........... June 14, 1999.

Comments Due ................................... May 18, 1999 ............ July 6, 1999 ............... July 6, 199.

Workshops ................................... June 1. 1999 ............. July 22, 1999 ............. July 23, 1999.

Comments Due ............................. . June 15, 1999 ........... August 3, 1999 .......... August 3. 1999.

ADDRESSES: The Department will hold you must supplement such comments Copies of the completed analyses may

the public workshops between the hours with a signed hard copy. also be obtained from: U.S. Department

of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the U.S. You should identify all comments on of Energy, Office of Codes and

Department of Energy, Forrestal both the envelope and document with Standards, 1000 Independence Avenue.

Building. 1000 Independence Avenue, the name of the product and the SW, Room 1J-018. Washington. DC

SW, Room IE-245. Washington. DC appropriate docket number: Fluorescent 20585.

20585. Written comments are welcome, Lamp Ballasts, EE-RM-97-500: Clothes Public information: The public may

especially following the workshops. Washers. EE-RM-94-403: or Water access the Freedom of Information

Please submit one signed copy and a Heaters, EE-RM-97-900. Reading room, located at the U.S.

computer diskette (WordPerfect 6.1) or If you submit information or data that Department of Energy, Forrestal

10 copies (no telefacsimiles) to: U.S. you believe is confidential, and should Building. 1000 Independence Avenue,

Department of Energy, Attn: Brenda not be publicly disclosed, you should SW, Room IE-190. Washington, DC

Department of Energy, Attn: Brenda submit one complete copy of your 20585, between the hours of 9:00 a.m.

Edwards-Jones, Office of Energy document and ten (10) copies or one and 4:00 p.m.. Monday through Friday,

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, EE- electronic copy from which the (except Federal holidays). Call (202)

43, 1000 Independence Avenue. SW. information believed to be confidential 586-3142 for information.

Washington, DC 20585. (202) 586-2945. has been deleted. We will make our own FOR FURT"ER INFORMATION CONTACT:

e-mail: Brenda.Edwards- determination regarding the Edward Pollock. U.S. Department of

Jones@ee.doe.gov. confidentiality of the information or Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and

The Department will also accept data according to our regulations at 10 Renewable Energy, Forrestal Building,

electronically-mailed comments, but CFR 1004.11. Mall Station EE-43, 1000 Independence
Federal Register/Vol. 64, No. 88/Friday, May 7. 1999/Notices 24635

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585- impacts, manufacturer impact analyses.

0121, (202) 586-5778, e-mail: and environmental effects. The

Edward.Pollock@ee.doe.gov. or Michael complete set of analyses will be

J. McCabe, U.S. Department of Energy, available according to the schedule in

Office of Energy Efficiency and the DATES section of this Notice.

Renewable Energy, Forrestal Building, Once the analytical results are

Mail Station EE-40, 1000 Independence publicly available for each product, the

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585- Department will provide periods during

0121, (202) 586-9155, e-mail: which it will receive comments on both

Michael.McCabePee.doe.gov: Eugene the analyses as well as on the policy

Margolls, Esq. U.S. Department of implications drawn from the analyses.

Energy. Office of General Counsel, The Department will review and

Forrestal Building, Mall Station GC-72. analyze the comments It receives on the

1000 Independence Avenue, SW, policy recommendations and analyses.

Washington, DC 20585-0103, (202) 586- y r a

9507, e-mail: Following receipt and review of

Eugene.Margolis@hq.doe.gov. comments for each product, the

SUPPLgene.Margoln MA In its Department will conduct a workshop.

administration of the Appl:ance The workshops will all have similar

administration of the Applianceformats, wherein there will be a

Standards Program, DOE has published formats, wherein there will be a

procedures to make the rulemaking summary of the analytical results that

process more accessible to the public will have been publicly available prior

process more accessible to the public.

(Procedures for Consideration of New or to each respective workshop, followed

Revised Energy Conservation Standards by a summary discussion of the

for Consumer Products, 61 FR 36974, comments received prior to the

July 15, 1996). As part of the revised' workshop. Lastly. a senior DOE official

July 15, 1996). As part of the revisedP discussion on which

procedures, the Department pledged to will facilitate a discussion on which

procedures, the Department pledged to participants at the

provide "early opportunities for public standard levels participants at the

input to and comment on the analyses." workshop believe can be supported by

(61 FR 36976). the analyses.

This notice announces three public The Department will conduct these

workshops by which the Department workshops prior to our selection of

plans to obtain public comment on the proposed revisions to the energy

analyses being prepared for Notices of efficiency standards for fluorescent

Proposed Rulemakings on revised lamp ballasts, clothes washers, and

energy efficiency standards for water heaters, and the Department will

fluorescent lamp ballasts, clothes consider output from the workshops in

washers, and water heaters. In addition the development of those proposals.

to providing interested parties the Following the respective workshops,

opportunity to comment on the the Department will provide an

analyses, the workshops will also additional comment period, during

provide interested parties with the which Interested parties will have an

opportunity to comment on what levels opportunity to comment on the

of revised energy efficiency standards proceedings at the workshops. as well as

proposals they could support from the on any aspect of the rulemaking

analyses. proceedings, Including what policy

Prior to the public workshops, the Implications the commenters might

Department will make publicly draw from the analyses.

available the analytical results that It

presently plans to use in its formal The Department will also consider all

decision process. The material to be comments provided after the respective

presented will be the bases for the workshops in its determination of the

Technical Support Documents for the appropriate revised energy-efficiency

Notices of Proposed Rulemaklngs. DOE standards to propose.

staff and contractors will prepare the If you would like to participate in the

material. workshops, receive workshop material,

These analytical results will be or be added to the DOE mailing list to

available from the Office of Codes and receive future notices and information

Standards (OCS) Internet site regarding these workshops, please

(http:www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/ contact Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones,

codes standards/index.htrn), and the (202) 586-2945.

DOE Freedom of Information Reading Issued In Washington, DC, on May 4, 1999.

Room. The analyses that the Department n Rechr

plans to provide for review for eachency and

product are the results of the Assis Secret Enery E ency and

engineering cost-efficiency curves, life- Renewable Energy

cycle costs, paybacks, national energy FR Doc. 99-11566 Filed 5-699: 8:45 am]

savings, net national employment aIu.INO CODE 4-8l1-