### 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 (orcopied) standards. In order to complete the contains notices tothe public of the proposed at the Freedom of Information Reading analysis, manufacturer interviews will issuance of rules and regulations. The Room, U.S. Department ofEnergy, need tobe conducted. purpose ofthese notices is to give interested Forrestal Building, Room 1E-190, 1000 DOE is particularly interested in persons an opportunity to participate inthe Independence Avenue, SW, determining whether its proposal for rulemaking prior tothe adoption ofthe 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 ofa 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 Part430 terry.logee@ee.doe.gov; or Eugene analysis that will indicate the extent Margolis, Esq., GC-72, U.S. Department and nature ofany impacts on the Workshop Regarding Water Heater ofEnergy, Office ofGeneral Counsel, individual manufacturer. These Energy Efficiency Standards, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, questions will be coordinated with and PreliminaryAnalysis Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507, approved bythe Department ofJustice. AGENCY: Office ofEnergy 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 ofEnergy is preparing national energy savings, including fuel ACTION: Notice of public workshop. engineering and economic analyses to switching scenarios, environmental, support a revised Notice ofProposed utility, and consumer sub-group SUMMARY: The Department ofEnergy Rulemaking forWater 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 ofthe 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 ofProposed Rulemaking sources. This working group is made up standards. DOE will also present and on March 4, 1994, 59 FR 10465. ofinvited individuals from gas and discuss its methods for analyzing the This workshop will provide electric utilities, utility associations, impacts ofenergy efficiency standards opportunities for interested parties to State energy offices, environmental

on manufacturers, the national energy discuss the results ofthe revised advocates, research organizations, etc. savings, environmental and consumer engineering and life-cycle cost analyses DOEplans 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 sothat stakeholders may Energy Information Administration Tuesday, November 10, 1998, from 8:30 run "what if' scenarios with theirown (EIA). NEMS will be modified to extend

a.m. until 12:15 p.m. data and assumptions. The revised its forecast capability to 30years and to ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held analyses also incorporate current allow the use ofthe EIA's Residential
at theU.S. Department ofEnergy, manufacturing cost and price data for Energy Consumption Survey Forrestal Building, Room 1E-245, 1000 each design option, information on demographic data with respect towater Independence Avenue, SW, household demographics from the 1992 heaters. Washington, DC 20585. Residential Energy Consumption Survey Atthe 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 ofinterested ifpossible, 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 ofEnergy Efficiency and method for analyzing theimpacts 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 offlammable vapors and costs Products: Water Heater Efficiency using the Government Regulatory ofventing for gaswater 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 (seethe

Copies ofthetranscript ofthe public industry cashflow resultingfrom address above) and to make workshop, public comments received, proposed changes inenergy efficiency presentations that address its contents.

### Federal Register/Vol. 63, No. 186/Friday, September 25, 1998/Proposed Rules 51305

Workshop participants need not limit the Federal Financial Institutions afull payment, and state thata loan is their statements to those topics, Examination Council (FFIEC). not considered tobe slow or a loss ifan however. The Department is interested DATES: Comments must be received on association can clearly demonstrate that in receiving views concerning other orbefore October 26, 1998. repayment will occur regardless of issuesthat participants believe would ADDRESSES: Send comments to Manager, delinquency status. affectthe Proposed RuleforEnergy Dissemination Branch, Records Neither ofthese terms isused in any Efficiency Standards forResidential Management and Information Policy, other OTS regulation. The OTS, Water Heaters. Office ofThrift Supervision, 1700 G however, has issued guidance

The workshop willbe 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 willbepresent torecord the deliver comments to 1700G Street, NW. and open-end consumer credit. Slow minutes ofthe meeting. There shall be from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00P.M. on business credits are presumed Substandard and

no discussion ofproprietary days. Send facsimile transmissions to consumer credit classified as a loss is information, costs orprices, market FAXNumber (202) 906-7755 or (202) presumed a Loss, subjectto shares, or other commercial matters 906-6956 (ifthe comment is over 25 management providing documentation regulated under antitrust law. The pages). Send e-mails to that such anadverse classification is not Department may use a professional public.info@ots.treas.gov and include warranted. facilitator to conduct theworkshop. yourname and telephone number. Recently, the FFIEC sought public

After the manufacturer interviews are Interested persons may inspect comment on its proposed Uniform completed and thedraft manufacturing comments at 1700G Street, NW., from Retail Credit Classification Policy impacts analysis isfinished, the 9:00 A.M. until4:00 P.M. on business ("Uniform Classification Policy"). a Department will issue a finaltechnical days. supervisory policy used by thefederal support document to present the results. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: banking agencies for the uniform 

### classification ofretail credit loansof The national energy savings, consumer William Magrini, SeniorProject 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 theclassification ofopenDepartment will invite comments on the and Legislation Division, Office ofthe b oth opions oen-end randlonsed-nd final technical support document and ChiefCounsel, Office ofThrift b o th 

### options, open-ed a d 

### csed-end the analyses used. Ifyou would like to Supervision, 1700 GStreet, N.W., retail loansthat are pastdue 90 days receive the technical support document, Washington, DC20552. 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 tothe DOE mailing listto 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 offwhen efficiency standards rulemaking, please The OTS isproposing todelete its theyare past due 150 days ormor. contact Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, regulatory definitions of"consumer nder the second option, open-end (202) 586-2945. creditclassified as a loss," "slow r etail loans would chged offat 180 Issued inWashington, DC, on September consumer credit," and "slow loans." days, charged offat 120days. The 21, 1998. These definitions are notnecessary for be charged offat 120 days The proposed Uniform Classification Policy Dan W. Reicher, the interpretation ofany OTS regulationalso addresses thetreatment ofpartial AssistantSecretary, EnergyEficiencyaand and may conflict withproposed payments. Like the OTS definition, the RenewableEnergy. guidance recently issued bythe Federal proposed Uniform Classification Policy [FRDoc. 98-25687 Filed 9-24-98; 8:45 am] Financal InsttutonsExamination would consider a payment of90 percent

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

### Consumer CreditClassified asa Loss- payment. However, the proposed policy §561.13 also permits an institution to aggregate DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY SlowConsumer Credit- 561.47 payments and give credit forany partial payments received. 3 

### Office ofThrift Supervision Consumer credit iscredit extended to As noted above, the terms "consumer individuals for personal, family or credit classified as a loss" and "slow 12 CFRPart561 household purposes. See 12 CFR 561.12. consumer credit" are not used anywhere [No. 98-95] Currently, "consumer credit classified else inOTS regulations. Moreover, ifthe as a loss" isdefined as closed-end first option ofthe Uniform Classification RIN 1550-AB28 consumer credit that is delinquent 120 Policy is adopted as proposed, the OTS daysor more (five monthlypayments or definitions ofconsumer credit classified Consumer CreditClassified asa Loss, more) and open-end consumer credit as a loss and slow consumer credit Slow Consumer Credit and Slow Loans that isdelinquent 180 days or more would conflict with the uniform ACTION: Notice ofproposed rulemaking. (seven zero billing cycles or more). See interagency guidance. Accordingly, OTS 12 CFR561.13. OTS regulations define isproposing to delete §§561.13 and SUMMARY: The Office ofThrift "slow consumer credit" as closed-end 561.47. The OTS, however, solicits Supervision (OTS) isproposing to consumer creditthat isdelinquent for comment on whether these terms delete its regulatory definitions of 90to 119days (four monthly payments) should be retained but revised to "consumer credit classified as a loss," and open-end consumer credit thatis "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 ofAssets. 

### necessary forthe interpretation ofany 561.47. Both definitions provide that a 263 FR 36403 July 6, 1998). 3The policy also addresses charge offpolicies for OTSregulation and may conflict with payment of 90 percent or more ofthe bankruptcies, fraudor deceased accounts,and other 

### proposed guidance recently issuedby contractual payment isconsidered to be issues.