51304

Proposed Rules Federal Register

Vol. 63, No. 186

Friday, September 25, 1998

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER and this notice may be read (or copied) standards. In order to complete the

contains notices to the public of the proposed at the Freedom of Information Reading analysis, manufacturer interviews will

issuance of rules and regulations. The Room, U.S. Department of Energy, need to be conducted.

purpose of these notices is to give interested Forrestal Building, Room 1E-190, 1000 DOE is particularly interested in

persons an opportunity to participate in the Independence Avenue, SW, determining whether its proposal for

rulemaking prior to the adoption of the final Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-3142, confidential interviews with individual

rules.*_________ _ between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 manufacturers will be acceptable.

p.m., Monday through Friday, except During these interviews the DOE

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal holidays. contractor, a representative from Arthur

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: D. Little, will present the spreadsheet

Office of Energy Efficiency and Terry Logee EE-43, U.S. Department of results of a strawman GRIM analysis.

Renewable Energy Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, The company being interviewed will be

[Docket Number EE-98] SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) asked qualitative and quantitative 586-9138, e-mail: questions regarding the strawman

10 CFR Part 430 terry.logee@ee.doe.gov; or Eugene analysis that will indicate the extent

Margolis, Esq., GC-72, U.S. Department and nature of any impacts on the

Workshop Regarding Water Heater of Energy, Office of General Counsel, individual manufacturer. These

Energy Efficiency Standards, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, questions will be coordinated with and

Preliminary Analysis Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507, approved by the Department of Justice.

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and e-mail: eugene.margolis@hq.doe.gov. DOE will also present and discuss its

Renewable Energy. Department of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed methods for analyzing the

Energy. Department of Energy is preparing national energy savings, including fuel

ACTION: Notice of public workshop. engineering and economic analyses to switching scenarios, environmental,

support a revised Notice of Proposed utility, and consumer sub-group

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy Rulemaking for Water Heater Energy impacts. DOE's contractor, Lawrence

(the Department or DOE) will hold an Efficiency Standards under the Berkeley National Laboratory. has

informal public workshop to discuss the authority of the Energy Policy and convened a fuel switching working

preliminary results from the engineering Conservation Act (EPCA), 42 U.S.C. group to evaluate forecast algorithms,

and life-cycle cost analyses for the 6295(e). Previously, the Department fuel switching scenarios, and data

proposed water heater energy efficiency issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking sources. This working group is made up

standards. DOE will also present and on March 4, 1994, 59 FR 10465. of invited individuals from gas and

discuss its methods for analyzing the This workshop will provide electric utilities, utility associations,

impacts of energy efficiency standards opportunities for interested parties to State energy offices, environmental

on manufacturers, the national energy discuss the results of the revised advocates, research organizations, etc.

savings, environmental and consumer engineering and life-cycle cost analyses DOE plans to analyze the impacts on

sub-group analyses, and the impacts of to support water heater energy consumer sub-groups by income levels.

energy efficiency standards on utilities. efficiency standards. These revised Environmental and utility impacts will

DATES: The public workshop will be analyses use commercially available be analyzed using the National Energy

held on Monday, November 9. 1998, spreadsheet software and can be Modeling System (NEMS) from the

from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., and customized so that stakeholders may Energy Information Administration

Tuesday, November 10, 1998, from 8:30 run "what if' scenarios with their own (EIA). NEMS will be modified to extend

a.m. until 12:15 p.m. data and assumptions. The revised its forecast capability to 30 years and to

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held analyses also incorporate current allow the use of the EIA's Residential

at the U.S. Department of Energy, manufacturing cost and price data for Energy Consumption Survey

Forrestal Building, Room 1E-245, 1000 each design option, information on demographic data with respect to water

Independence Avenue, SW, household demographics from the 1992 heaters.

Washington, DC 20585. Residential Energy Consumption Survey At the workshop, the Department is

Written comments are welcome. and special cost data from expert particularly interested in receiving

Please submit 10 copies (no faxes) and, consultants hired by the Department's comments and views of interested

if possible, a computer diskette - contractors. parties concerning: (1) the analysis

(WordPerfect 6.1) to: Ms. Brenda The Department will also be methodologies, (2) the results from the

Edwards-Jones, U.S. Department of presenting and discussing its proposed engineering and life-cycle cost analyses.

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and method for analyzing the impacts of and (3) DOE's assumptions regarding

Renewable Energy, "Energy energy efficiency standards on the costs of designs that will prevent

Conservation Program for Consumer manufacturers. This is a revised analysis ignition of flammable vapors and costs

Products: Water Heater Efficiency using the Government Regulatory of venting for gas water heaters. The

Standards, Docket No. EE-98-", EE-43, Impact Model (GRIM) also implemented Department encourages those who wish

1000 Independence Avenue, SW, on a commercially available spreadsheet to participate in the workshop to obtain

Washington, DC 20585-0121. software program. The GRIM is a cash the preliminary Technical Support

Telephone: (202) 586-2945. flow model that assesses the changes in Document from the internet (see the

Copies of the transcript of the public industry cash flow resulting from address above) and to make

workshop, public comments received, proposed changes in energy efficiency presentations that address its contents.

EE-RM-97-900 COMMENT 37C
Federal Register/Vol. 63, No. 186/Friday, September 25, 1998/Proposed Rules 51305

Workshop participants need not limit the Federal Financial Institutions a full payment, and state that a loan is

their statements to those topics, Examination Council (FFIEC). not considered to be slow or a loss if an

however. The Department is interested DATES: Comments must be received on association can clearly demonstrate that

in receiving views concerning other or before October 26, 1998. repayment will occur regardless of

issues that participants believe would ADDRESSES: Send comments to Manager, delinquency status.

affect the Proposed Rule for Energy Dissemination Branch, Records Neither of these terms is used in any

Efficiency Standards for Residential Management and Information Policy, other OTS regulation. The OTS,

Water Heaters. Office of Thrift Supervision, 1700 G however, has issued guidance

The workshop will be conducted in Street, NW., Washington, DC 20552, instructing examiners to follow these

an informal, conference style. A court Attention Docket No. 98-95. Hand provisions when classifying closed-end

reporter will be present to record the deliver comments to 1700 G Street, NW. and open-end consumer credit. Slow

minutes of the meeting. There shall be from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on business credits are presumed Substandard and

no discussion of proprietary days. Send facsimile transmissions to consumer credit classified as a loss is

information, costs or prices, market FAX Number (202) 906-7755 or (202) presumed a Loss, subject to

shares, or other commercial matters 906-6956 (if the comment is over 25 management providing documentation

regulated under antitrust law. The pages). Send e-mails to that such an adverse classification is not

Department may use a professional public.info@ots.treas.gov and include warranted.

facilitator to conduct the workshop. your name and telephone number. Recently, the FFIEC sought public

After the manufacturer interviews are Interested persons may inspect comment on its proposed Uniform

completed and the draft manufacturing comments at 1700 G Street, NW., from Retail Credit Classification Policy

impacts analysis is finished, the 9:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. on business ("Uniform Classification Policy"). a

Department will issue a final technical days. supervisory policy used by the federal

support document to present the results. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: banking agencies for the uniform classification of retail credit loans of The national energy savings, consumer William Magrini, Senior Project c sifiction of eil c it ans

sub-group, environmental, and utility Manager Supervision Policy, (202/906-financial institutions The banking

analyses will also be presented in the 5744) or Vern McKinley Senioragencies are considering two possible

final technical support document. The Attorney (202/906-6241, Regulations options for the classification of openDepartment will invite comments on the and Legislation Division, Office of the b opions oth oen-end rand lonsed-nd

final technical support document and Chief Counsel, Office of Thrift b o th options, open-ed a d csed-end

the analyses used. If you would like to Supervision, 1700 G Street, N.W., retail loans that are past due 90 days

receive the technical support document, Washington, DC 20552. fro th e co n t a a ctu a l d u e s d a . U w o u ld be

or be added to the DOE mailing list to SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: first optio, open-end and closed-end

receive future notices and information

regarding the water heater energy Introduction retail loans would be charged off when

efficiency standards rulemaking, please The OTS is proposing to delete its they are past due 150 days or mor.

contact Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, regulatory definitions of "consumer nder the second option, open-end

(202) 586-2945. credit classified as a loss," "slow r etail loans would chged off at 180

Issued in Washington, DC, on September consumer credit," and "slow loans." days, charged off at 120 days. The 21, 1998. These definitions are not necessary for be charged off at 120 days The proposed Uniform Classification Policy Dan W. Reicher, the interpretation of any OTS regulationalso addresses the treatment of partial

Assistant Secretary, Energy Eficiency aand and may conflict with proposed payments. Like the OTS definition, the

Renewable Energy. guidance recently issued by the Federal proposed Uniform Classification Policy

[FR Doc. 98-25687 Filed 9-24-98; 8:45 am] Financal Insttutons Examination would consider a payment of 90 percent

BILLNG CODE 6450-01-Council (FFIEC). or more of the contract to be a full

Consumer Credit Classified as a Loss- payment. However, the proposed policy

§ 561.13 also permits an institution to aggregate

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Slow Consumer Credit- 561.47 payments and give credit for any partial payments received. 3

Office of Thrift Supervision Consumer credit is credit extended to As noted above, the terms "consumer

individuals for personal, family or credit classified as a loss" and "slow

12 CFR Part 561 household purposes. See 12 CFR 561.12. consumer credit" are not used anywhere

[No. 98-95] Currently, "consumer credit classified else in OTS regulations. Moreover, if the

as a loss" is defined as closed-end first option of the Uniform Classification

RIN 1550-AB28 consumer credit that is delinquent 120 Policy is adopted as proposed, the OTS

days or more (five monthly payments or definitions of consumer credit classified

Consumer Credit Classified as a Loss, more) and open-end consumer credit as a loss and slow consumer credit

Slow Consumer Credit and Slow Loans that is delinquent 180 days or more would conflict with the uniform

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. (seven zero billing cycles or more). See interagency guidance. Accordingly, OTS

12 CFR 561.13. OTS regulations define is proposing to delete §§ 561.13 and

SUMMARY: The Office of Thrift "slow consumer credit" as closed-end 561.47. The OTS, however, solicits

Supervision (OTS) is proposing to consumer credit that is delinquent for comment on whether these terms

delete its regulatory definitions of 90 to 119 days (four monthly payments) should be retained but revised to

"consumer credit classified as a loss," and open-end consumer credit that is

"slow consumer credit," and "slow delinquent for 90 to 179 days (four to 'Thrift Activities Handbook, Section 260.

loans." These definitions are not six zero billing cycles). See 12 CFR Classification of Assets.

necessary for the interpretation of any 561.47. Both definitions provide that a 263 3 FR 36403 July 6, 1998). The policy also addresses charge off policies for OTS regulation and may conflict with payment of 90 percent or more of the bankruptcies, fraud or deceased accounts, and other

proposed guidance recently issued by contractual payment is considered to be issues.

EE-RM-97-900 COMMENT 37C