This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

31524

Vol. 62, No. 111

Tuesday, June 10, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EE–RM–90–201]

RIN 1904–AA76

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products: Notice of Public

Workshop on Residential Water Heater

Energy Efficiency Standards

Rulemaking

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy.

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy

(the Department or DOE) today gives

notice that it will convene a public

workshop to discuss the proposed

analytical framework for evaluating

possible revisions to the water heater

energy efficiency standards. The

objective of the workshop will be to

discuss the methodology and

approaches to be utilized throughout the

water heater standards rulemaking

process.

DATES: The public workshop will be

held on Tuesday, June 24, 1997, from

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held

at the U.S. Department of Energy, Room

1E–245, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW., Washington, DC 20585.

Copies of the transcript of the public

workshop, public comments received,

and this notice may be read at the DOE

Freedom of Information Reading Room,

U.S. DOE, Forrestal Building, Room 1E–

190, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586–6020,

between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy, Forrestal

Building, Mail Station EE–43, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585–0121, (202)

586–0371.

Ms. Sandy Beall, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy, U.S.

Department of Energy, Mail Station

EE–43, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121,

(202) 586–7574.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the

preamble to the Department’s final rule

on procedures for consideration of new

or revised energy conservation

standards for consumer products

published on July 15, 1996, DOE

committed to revise the analysis of

energy efficiency standards for water

heaters and to issue a revised notice of

proposed rulemaking. 61 FR 36973 (July

15, 1996). The water heater standards

rulemaking has been designated a high

priority by DOE as addressed in the

Department’s Regulatory Plan and the

Unified Agenda. 61 FR 62043 and 62460

(November 29, 1996).

In continuing the work on possible

revisions to energy efficiency standards

on water heaters, the Department is

convening a workshop to present and

receive public comments on the

proposed analytical approach for

evaluating the water heaters standards.

At this workshop the following will be

discussed:

The Rulemaking Schedule

The Analytical Framework (including

the major components of the

methodology and the relationships

among the components)

Issues for Analysis

Analytical Methods and Tools

(including the selection of

engineering and economic analytical

tools to be used on issues such as

engineering analysis, national benefits

forecast, manufacturer impact, and

utility impacts)

Data Requirements and Data Collection

Methods

Industry Characterization (including

input on the present and past industry

structure and market characteristics)

Identification of Experts and Other

Interested Parties (who can provide

expert review of the results of the

engineering and economic analyses)

Identification of Qualifications for

Contractors

The workshop will be held on

Tuesday, June 24, 1997, at the U.S.

Department of Energy, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585–0121 in Room

1E–245 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Further background on the approach to

be followed in evaluating these

standards is found in Appendix A of

Subpart C of 10 Code of Federal

Regulations (CFR) Part 430, see 61 FR

36973 (July 15, 1996) which outlines the

planning and prioritization process,

data collection and analysis, and

decision making criteria.

The Department also welcomes

written comments or recommendations

on the process and the tools to be used

for the water heater rulemaking. Written

comments or recommendations should

be submitted to Sandy Beall at the above

listed address.

Copies of this notice, the workshop

transcript, and any written comments

will be available in the DOE Freedom of

Information Reading Room.

Please notify Sandy Beall or Bryan

Berringer at the above listed address if

you intend to attend the workshop, if

you wish to receive material prepared

for the workshop, or if you wish to be

added to the DOE mailing list for receipt

of future notices and information

concerning water heater matters relating

to energy efficiency.

Issued in Washington, DC, on June 3, 1997.

Joseph J. Romm,

Acting Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy.

[FR Doc. 97–15105 Filed 6–9–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 451

[Docket No. EE–NOI–97–301]

Renewable Energy Production

Incentive Program

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Inquiry and public

meeting and request for public

comment.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy

(DOE) is publishing this Notice of

Inquiry (NOI) to obtain information on

possible changes to the Renewable

Energy Production Incentive (REPI)

program that will improve its

EE-RM-90-201 COMMENT 0829