55FR51116

51116 Federal Register / Vol. 55, No. 239 / Wednesday, December 12, 1990 / Proposed Rules

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. CE-RM-90-2011

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products; Advance Notice

of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding

Energy Conservation Standards for

Nine Types of Consumer Products

AGENCY: Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy.

ACTION: Extension of comment period

for clothes washers.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy

(DOE) hereby extends the comment

period on the Advance Notice of

Proposed Rulemaking (ANOPR) for

energy conservation standards for

clothes washers only (Docket No. CERM-90-201) from December 12, 1990, to

April 12, 1991. DOE's receipt of

comments on all other aspects of the

ANOPR, including product-specific

comments pertaining to the other eight

appliance types, remains unchanged at

December 12, 1990; in addition,

interested parties are also encouraged to

provide preliminary comments on the

clothes washer product type by

December 12, 1990.

DATES: Written comments in response to

this ANOPR must be received by DOE

by December 12, 1990; in the case of the

clothes washer product, type-written

comments must be received by DOE by

April 12, 1991.

ADDRESSES: Written comments are to be

submitted to: U.S. Department of Energy,

Office of Conservation and Renewable

Energy, Hearings and Dockets, Energy

Efficiency Standards for Consumer

Products, Docket No. CE-RM-90-201,

room 6B-025, Forrestal Building, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW., .

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-3012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Barry P. Berlin, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Forrestal Building,

Mail Station CE-43, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9127.

Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department

of Energy, Office of General Counsel,

Forrestal Building, Mail Station GC12, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507.

Discussion

On September 28, 1990, the DOE

published an ANOPR on energy

conservation standards for nine types of

consumer products, including clothes

washers. (55 FR 39624).

In the ANOPR, DOE stated that

further consideration of amended

standard levels for clothes washers, the

subject of a pending final rule, would be

included in this rulemaking. This would

enable DOE to obtain information

concerning the economic justification

and technical feasibility of a design

option-a top-loading, horizontal axis

clothes washer-manufactured and

marketed in Europe but not available in

the United States, and which appears to

have the potential for saving significant

amounts of energy and water.

Because that clothes washers design

option is unknown to most U.S.

manufacturers, Maytag Company, by

letter dated November 2, 1990, and the

Association of Home Appliance

Manufacturers (AHA^M), by letter dated

November 5, 1990, petitioned the

Department to extend the closing date of

the comment period of the ANOPR for

clothes washers for six months from

December 12, 1990, the scheduled close

of the comment period, in order for

manufacturers to have time to provide

full and complete comments. A meeting

at AHAM's request was held on

November 6, 1990, between

representatives of DOE and AHAM at

which AHAM further articulated the

reasoning upon which the requests were

based.

The ANOPR requested comment on

the economic justification and technical

feasibility of the top-loading, horizontal

axis clothes washer as a "design

option." The manufacturers' concern

was that the potential economic

consequences of such a standard are so

great that sufficient time must be

allowed to thoroughly examine all

aspects of this proposal. Manufacturers,

it was stated, are now in the process of

obtaining a representative sample of the

top-loading, horizontal axis machine

from Europe so that their comments may

be based on fact rather than

speculation.

DOE concludes that a six-month delay

in the ANOPR comment period for

clothes washers would jeopardize the

Congressionally mandated date of

 CE-RM-90-201 COMMENT 0B

51116

55FR51116

Federal Register I Vol. 55, No. 239 I Wednesday, December 12, 1990 I Proposed Rules

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9127.

Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department

of Energy, Office .of General Counsel.

Forrestal Building, Mail Station GC12.1000 Independence Avenue. SW.,

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507.

Discussion

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

. [Docket No. CE-RM-90-201l

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products; Advance Notice

of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding

Energy Conservation Standards for

Nine Types of Consumer Products

AGENCY: Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy.

ACTION: Extension of comment period

for clothes washers.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy

(DOE) hereby extends the comment

period on the Advance Notice of

Proposed Rulemaking (ANOPR) for

energy conservation standards for

clothes washers only (Docket No. CERM-9G-201) from December 12,1990, to

April 12, 1991. DOE's receipt of

comments on all other aspects of the

ANOPR, including product-specific

comments pertaining to the other eight

appliance types, remains unchanged at

December 12, 1990; in addition,

interested parties are also encouraged to

provide preliminary comments on the

clothes washer product type by

December 12, 1990.

DATES: Written comments in response to

this ANOPR must be received !;ly DOE

by December 12, 1990; in the case of the

clothes washer product, type-written

comments must be received by DOE by

April 12, 1991.

ADDRESSES: Written comments are to be

submitted to: u.s. Department of Energy,

Office of Conservation and Renewable

Energy, Hearings and Dockets, Energy

Efficiency Standards for Consumer

Products, Docket No. CE-RM-9G-201,

room 6}3-025, Forrestal Building, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.•

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-3012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Barry P. Berlin, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Forrestal Building,

Mail Station CE-43, 1000 .

On September 28, 1990, the DOE

published an ANOPR on energy

conservation standards for nine types of

consumer products, including clothes

washers. (55 FR 39624).

In the ANOPR, DOE stated that

further consideration of amended

standard levels for clothes washers, the

subject of a pending final rule. would be

included in this rulemaking. This would

enable DOE to obtain information

concerning the economic justification

and technical feasibility of a design

option-a top-loading, horizontal axis

clothes washer-manufactured and

marketed in Europe but not available in

the United States, and which appears to

have the potential for saving significant

amounts of energy and water.

Because that clothes washers design

option is unknown to most U.S.

manufacturers, Maytag Company, by

leller dated November 2, 1990, and the

Association of Home Appliance

Manufacturers (AHAJ.'l.1), by letter dated

November 5. 1990, petitioned the

Department to extend the closing dilte of

the comment period of the ANOPR for

clothes washers for six months from

December 12, 1990, the scheduled close

of the comment period, in order for

manufacturers to have time to provide

fun and complete comments. A meeting

at AHAM's request was held on

November 6.1990, between

representatives of DOE and AHAM at

which AHAM further articulated the

reasoning upon which the requests were

based.

The ANOPR requested comment on

the economic justification and technical

feasibility of the top-loading, horizontal

axis clothes washer as a "design

option." The manufacturers' concern

was that the potential economic

consequences of such a standard are so

great that sufficient time must be

allowed to thoroughly examine all

aspects of this proposaL Manufacturers,

. it was stated. are now in the process of

obtaining a representative sample of the

top-loading, horizontal axis machine

from Europe so that their comments may

be based on fact rather than

speculation.

DOE concludes that a six-month delav

in the ANOPR comment period for •

clothes washers would jeopardize the

Congressionally manda ted da te of
55FR51116

Federal Register j Vol. 55, No. 239 j Wednesday, December 12, 1990 / Proposed Rules

January 1.1992, for the final rule for

seven of the products included in this

rulemaking. However, by readjusting its

schedule of .-analytical work to be

performed .for the products.in this,

rulemaking, DOE finds that a four-month

extension of :the close of the 'comment

period f©rnlothes washers can be

accommodated. DOE hereby extends the

comment period for clothes washers to

April 12.1991. The additional time will

allowrallinterested parties'o provide

full and complete comments. The close

of the comment period for all Other \;

matters pertaining to this rulemaking'

remains December 12,1990.

Issued in Washington. DC. on December 7,

1990.

S. Reid Detchun,

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary.

Conservation and Renewable Energy.

IFR Doc.,90-291£35 Filed 12-10-90:11:35 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-M

51117

 CE-RM-90-201 COMMENT 0B

55FR51116

Federal Register .J VDl. 55, No. 239 1 Wednesday. December 12, 1990 I Proposed Rules

January 1.1'992. for the final rule for

seven of the pmdlio1s included in ·this

rnlemaldng. However. by readjusting lis

schedule :of..analFtical work to be

perfonne:u:fur the products,in ,thisl

rulemaking. DOE finds that a fOllI-m~nth

extension iDf {he dose of the 'oommenl

period f@rd.otbes washers can be'

accommodated. DOE hereby extends the

comment :period for clothes washers to

April 12. 1991. The additional time will

allow:aU interested p'arties to prOVide

full and complete .comments. The close

of the comment period for all other ";

rnaUers pertaining 1:0 this rulemaking"

remains December 1.Z, 1990.

Issued in Wash1nglon. DC. on December 7,

1990,

B. Reid Detchon.

Princ~val Deputy Assistant Secretary.

Conserl"CI{ion '(lndRenewable Energy.

IFR Doc. '90-29185 Filed 12-10-90; 11:35 am]

BILLING CODE 645ll-01-M

51117