[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 9572-9576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00452]



[[Page 9571]]

Vol. 89

Friday,

No. 28

February 9, 2024

Part VII





Department of Energy





-----------------------------------------------------------------------





Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

Federal Register / Vol. 89 , No. 28 / Friday, February 9, 2024 / UA: 
Reg Flex Agenda

[[Page 9572]]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Chs. II, III, and X

48 CFR Ch. 9


Fall 2023 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Semiannual Regulatory Agenda.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared and is making 
available its portion of the semi-annual Unified Agenda of Federal 
Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Agenda), including its Regulatory 
Plan (Plan), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 12866, ``Regulatory 
Planning and Review,'' as reaffirmed and amended in E.O. 13563, 
``Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,'' and E.O. 14094, 
``Modernizing Regulatory Review,'' and the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agenda is a government-wide compilation 
of upcoming and ongoing regulatory activity, including a brief 
description of each rulemaking and a timetable for action. The Agenda 
also includes a list of regulatory actions completed since publication 
of the last Agenda. The Department of Energy's portion of the Agenda 
includes regulatory actions called for by the Energy Policy and 
Conservation Act, as amended, and programmatic needs of DOE offices.
    The internet is the basic means for disseminating the Agenda and 
providing users the ability to obtain information from the Agenda 
database. DOE's entire Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda can be accessed 
online by going to www.reginfo.gov.
    Publication in the Federal Register is mandated by the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 602) only for Agenda entries that require 
either a regulatory flexibility analysis or periodic review under 
section 610 of that Act. The Plan appears in both the online Agenda and 
the Federal Register and includes the most important of DOE's 
significant regulatory actions and a Statement of Regulatory and 
Deregulatory Priorities.

Samuel Walsh,
General Counsel.

        Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy--Final Rule Stage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
302.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AD20
                             Standards for Residential
                             Non-Weatherized Gas
                             Furnaces and Mobile Home
                             Gas Furnaces.
303.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AD91
                             Standards for Consumer
                             Water Heaters (Reg Plan
                             Seq No. 46).
304.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AD98
                             Standards for Consumer
                             Clothes Washers.
305.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AE82
                             Standards for Consumer
                             Boilers.
306.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AF00
                             Standards for
                             Miscellaneous Residential
                             Refrigeration.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
References in boldface appear in The Regulatory Plan in part II of this
  issue of the Federal Register.


        Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy--Completed Actions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
307.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AD15
                             Standards for Residential
                             Conventional Cooking
                             Products.
308.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AD34
                             Standards for Commercial
                             Water Heating-Equipment.
309.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AF01
                             Standards: Computer Room
                             Air Conditioners.
310.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AF27
                             Standards for Dedicated-
                             Purpose Pool Pump Motors.
311.......................  Energy Conservation                1904-AF32
                             Standards for 3-Phase,
                             Small Commercial Package
                             Air Conditioning and
                             Heating Equipment With a
                             Cooling Capacity of Less
                             Than 65,000 Btu/h.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                Departmental and Others--Final Rule Stage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
312.......................  Statutory Updates to the           1901-AB60
                             Advanced Technology
                             Vehicles Manufacturing
                             Incentive Program.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE)

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE)

Final Rule Stage

302. Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Non-Weatherized Gas 
Furnaces and Mobile Home Gas Furnaces [1904-AD20]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6295(f)(4)(C); 42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(1); 42 
U.S.C. 6295(gg)(3)
    Abstract: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, 
(EPCA) prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer 
products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including the 
residential furnaces which are the subject of this rulemaking. (42 
U.S.C. 6292(a)(5)) EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy 
(DOE) to determine whether more-stringent amended standards would be 
technologically feasible and economically justified and would save a 
significant amount of energy (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(A) and (3)(B)). EPCA 
specifically provides that DOE must conduct two rounds of energy 
conservation standards rulemakings for the residential furnaces at 
issue (42 U.S.C. 6295(f)(4)(B) and (C)), and the statute also requires 
that not later than six years after issuance of any final rule 
establishing or amending a standard, DOE must publish either a notice 
of determination that standards for the product does not need to be 
amended, or a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) including new 
proposed energy conservation standards (42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(1)). This 
rulemaking is being undertaken pursuant to the statutorily-required 
second round of rulemaking for

[[Page 9573]]

non-weatherized gas furnaces (NWGFs) and mobile home gas furnaces 
(MHGFs), and once completed, it will also satisfy the statutorily-
required six-year-lookback review. In the July 7, 2022 NOPR, DOE 
proposes amended and new energy conservation standards for NWGFs and 
MHGFs pursuant to a court-ordered remand of DOE's 2011 rulemaking for 
these products and other statutory requirements. 87 FR 40590. 
Specifically, the NOPR proposes amended active mode annual fuel 
utilization efficiency (AFUE) standards at 95 percent for both NWGFs 
and MHGFs. It also proposes amended standby mode and off mode standards 
(in watts) at 8.5 watts for both NWGFs and MHGFs. If finalized, the 
proposed standards would apply to all NWGFs and MHGFs manufactured in, 
or imported into, the United States starting on the date five years 
after the publication of the final rule for this rulemaking.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice of Public Meeting............   10/30/14  79 FR 64517
NPRM and Notice of Public Meeting...   03/12/15  80 FR 13120
NPRM Comment Period Extended........   05/20/15  80 FR 28851
NPRM Comment Period Extended End....   07/10/15
Notice of Data Availability (NODA)..   09/14/15  80 FR 55038
NODA Comment Period End.............   10/14/15
NODA Comment Period Reopened........   10/23/15  80 FR 64370
NODA Comment Period Reopened End....   11/06/15
Supplemental NPRM and Notice of        09/23/16  81 FR 65720
 Public Meeting.
Supplemental NPRM Comment Period End   11/22/16
SNPRM Comment Period Reopened.......   12/05/16  81 FR 87493
SNPRM Comment Period End............   01/06/17
Notice of NPRM Withdrawal...........   01/15/21  86 FR 3873
NPRM................................   07/07/22  87 FR 40590
NPRM Comment Period Extended, NODA     08/30/22  87 FR 52861
 and Notice of Public Meeting.
NPRM Comment Period Extended End....   10/06/22
Final Action........................   11/00/23
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Julia Hegarty, Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, Phone: 240 597-6737, 
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#472d322b2e26692f22202635333e0722226923282269202831"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7c160910151d5214191b1d0e08053c191952181319521b130a">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1904-AD20

303. Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Water Heaters [1904-
AD91]

    Regulatory Plan: This entry is Seq. No. 46 in part II of this issue 
of the Federal Register.
    RIN: 1904-AD91

304. Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Clothes Washers [1904-
AD98]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6295(g); 42 U.S.C. 6295(m)
    Abstract: Consistent with the requirements under the Energy Policy 
and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended, the U.S. Department of Energy 
(DOE) is examining whether to amend the current energy conservation 
standards for consumer clothes washers found at 10 CFR 430.32(g). To 
this end, DOE must determine whether standards more stringent than 
those currently in place would result in a significant amount of energy 
savings and whether such amended standards would be technologically 
feasible and economically justified. DOE has tentatively proposed 
standards that represent the maximum improvement in energy efficiency 
that is technologically feasible and economically justified, and would 
result in the significant conservation of energy. Specifically, with 
regards to technological feasibility, products achieving these standard 
levels are already commercially available for all product classes 
covered by this proposal. As for economic justification, DOE's analysis 
shows that the benefits of the proposed standard exceed the burdens. 
Once completed, this rulemaking will fulfill DOE's statutory obligation 
to either propose amended standards for this product or determine that 
the standards do not need to be amended.
    Additionally, EPCA directs DOE to provide interested persons an 
opportunity to present oral and written comments on matters related to 
any energy conservation standard proposed rule. To satisfy this 
requirement, DOE held an initial public meeting in November 2021 to 
discuss preliminary materials and a second meeting in March 2023 to 
specifically discuss the proposed rule. DOE intends address any 
feedback provided during the March 2023 public meeting in subsequent 
materials.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request for Information (RFI).......   08/02/19  84 FR 37794
RFI Comment Period Extended.........   08/26/19  84 FR 44557
RFI Comment Period Extended End.....   10/03/19
RFI Comment Period Reopened.........   10/03/19  84 FR 52818
RFI Comment Period Reopened End.....   10/17/19
Preliminary Analysis and Notice of     09/29/21  86 FR 53886
 Webinar.
Public Meeting......................   11/10/21
Preliminary Analysis Comment Period    10/29/21  86 FR 59889
 Extended.
Preliminary Analysis Comment Period    01/27/22
 Extended End.
Notice of Data Availability (NODA)..   04/13/22  87 FR 21816
NODA Comment Period End.............   05/13/22
NODA Comment Period Reopened........   05/19/22  87 FR 30433
NODA Comment Period Reopened End....   05/27/22
NPRM................................   03/03/23  88 FR 13520
Public Meeting......................   03/28/23
NPRM Comment Period Extended........   05/01/23  88 FR 26511
NPRM Comment Period Extended End....   05/17/23
Final Action........................   12/00/23
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Bryan D. Berringer, Building Technologies Office, 
EE-5B, Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 
1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, Phone: 202 586-0371, 
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0c6e7e756d62226e697e7e65626b697e4c696922686369226b637a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="680a1a110906460a0d1a1a01060f0d1a280d0d460c070d460f071e">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1904-AD98

305. Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Boilers [1904-AE82]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(1)
    Abstract: Consistent with the requirements under the Energy Policy 
and Conservation Act (EPCA), as

[[Page 9574]]

amended, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is examining whether to 
amend the current energy conservation standards in place for consumer 
boilers found at 10 CFR 430.32(e). As a result of this effort, DOE may 
propose and adopt more-stringent standards or issue a determination 
that no amendments to the current standards are required. To this end, 
DOE must determine whether national standards more stringent than those 
currently in place would result in a significant amount of energy 
savings and whether such amended national standards would be 
technologically feasible and economically justified. Once completed, 
this rulemaking will fulfill DOE's statutory obligation to either 
propose and adopt amended standards for this product or determine that 
the existing standards do not need to be amended.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request for Information (RFI); Early   03/25/21  86 FR 15804
 Assessment Review.
RFI Comment Period End..............   04/26/21
RFI; Early Assessment Comment Period   04/09/21  86 FR 18478
 Extended.
RFI; Early Assessment Comment Period   05/26/21
 Extended End.
Notice of Webinar and Availability     05/04/22  87 FR 26304
 of Preliminary Technical Support
 Document.
Preliminary Technical Support          07/05/22
 Document Comment Period End.
NPRM................................   08/14/23  88 FR 55128
Notice of Public Meeting and Webinar   08/31/23  88 FR 60152
NPRM Comment Period End.............   10/13/23
Final Rule..........................   07/00/24
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Julia Hegarty, Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, Phone: 240 597-6737, 
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6e041b02070f40060b090f1c1a172e0b0b400a010b40090118"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ea809f86838bc4828f8d8b989e93aa8f8fc48e858fc48d859c">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1904-AE82

306. Energy Conservation Standards for Miscellaneous Residential 
Refrigeration [1904-AF00]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6292(a)(20); 42 U.S.C. 6295(l); 42 
U.S.C. 6295(m)
    Abstract: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated an 
effort to consider amending the energy conservation standards for 
miscellaneous residential refrigeration (e.g., wine coolers and certain 
other combination consumer refrigeration products). Once completed, 
this rulemaking will fulfill DOE's statutory obligation to either 
propose amended energy conservation standards for these products or 
determine that the existing standards do not need to be amended. To 
this end, DOE must determine whether national standards more stringent 
than those currently in place would result in a significant amount of 
energy savings and whether such amended national standards would be 
technologically feasible and economically justified.
    In the notice of proposed rulemaking, DOE proposed standards that 
represent the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is 
technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result 
in the significant conservation of energy. Specifically, with regards 
to technological feasibility products achieving these standard levels 
are already commercially available for all product classes covered by 
this proposal. As for economic justification, DOE's analysis shows that 
the benefits of the proposed standard exceed, to a great extent, the 
burdens of the proposed standards.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request for Information (RFI); Early   12/08/20  85 FR 78964
 Assessment Review.
Comment Period End..................   02/22/21
Notification of Webinar and            01/21/22  87 FR 3229
 Availability of Preliminary
 Technical Support Document.
Notice of rescheduled public meeting   02/09/22  87 FR 7396
 to March 7, 2022.
Preliminary Analysis Comment Period    03/22/22
 End.
NPRM................................   03/31/23  88 FR 19382
NPRM Comment Period End.............   05/30/23
Final Rule..........................   07/00/24
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Lucas Adin, Project Manager, Department of Energy, 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, 
Mail Stop EE-5B, Washington, DC 20585, Phone: 202 287-5904, Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ed81988e8c9ec38c898483ad8888c3898288c38a829b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0d61786e6c7e236c6964634d686823696268236a627b">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1904-AF00

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE)

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE)

Completed Actions

307. Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Conventional Cooking 
Products [1904-AD15]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(1); 42 U.S.C. 6292 (a)(10); 42 
U.S.C. 6295(h)
    Abstract: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended 
by Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), prescribes 
energy conservation standards for various consumer products, including 
consumer conventional cooking products. EPCA also requires the U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE) to periodically determine whether more 
stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically 
justified and would result in a significant conservation of energy. In 
this rulemaking, DOE proposes new and amended energy conservation 
standards for consumer conventional cooking products and tentatively 
concludes that the proposed standards represent the maximum improvement 
in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and economically 
justified, and would result in the significant conservation of energy.
    On September 25, 2023, the Association of Home Appliance 
Manufacturers and efficiency and consumer organizations and utilities, 
submitted a joint letter to DOE recommending new and amended efficiency 
standards for various home appliances for consideration including for 
conventional cooking products. Under the authority provided in 42 
U.S.C. 6295(p)(4), DOE is now pursuing this effort through a direct 
final rule, see 1904-AF57.
    Completed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Reason                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Supplemental NPRM; Extension of        04/17/23
 Public Comment Period End.
NODA Comment Period End.............   04/03/23
Withdrawn...........................   11/03/23
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Carl Shapiro, Phone: 240 315-4339.

[[Page 9575]]

    RIN: 1904-AD15

308. Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Water Heating-
Equipment [1904-AD34]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(C)(i) and (vi)
    Abstract: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has completed a 
rulemaking to amend energy conservation standards for commercial water 
heaters. Now completed, this rulemaking fulfills DOE's statutory 
obligation under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, 
(EPCA) to either propose amended energy conservation standards for 
commercial water heaters and hot water supply boilers (CWHs), or 
determine that the existing standards do not need to be amended. 
(Unfired hot water storage tanks and commercial heat pump water heaters 
are being considered in a separate rulemaking.) DOE must determine 
whether national standards more stringent than those that are currently 
in place would result in a significant additional amount of energy 
savings and whether such amended national standards would be 
technologically feasible and economically justified. In the final rule, 
DOE concludes, based on clear and convincing evidence that the 
standards adopted are technologically feasible and economically 
justified, and would result in significant additional conservation of 
energy. Specifically, with regards to technological feasibility, CWH 
equipment achieving the adopted standard levels are already 
commercially available for all equipment classes covered by the final 
rule. As for economic justification, DOE's analysis shows that the 
benefits of the proposed standard exceed, to a great extent, the 
burdens of the adopted standards.
    Completed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Reason                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Action........................   10/06/23  88 FR 69686
Final Action Effective..............   12/05/23
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Julia Hegarty, Phone: 240 597-6737, Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#18726d74717936707d7f796a6c61587d7d367c777d367f776e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b7ddc2dbded699dfd2d0d6c5c3cef7d2d299d3d8d299d0d8c1">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1904-AD34

309. Energy Conservation Standards: Computer Room Air Conditioners 
[1904-AF01]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6313(a)6)(A); 42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(C)(i)
    Abstract: This rulemaking for Computer Room Air Conditioners 
(CRACs) is required under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
(EPCA), as amended, ASHRAE trigger provision at 42 U.S.C. 
6313(a)(6)(A). Under the statute, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is 
required to either: (1) establish an amended uniform national standard 
for this equipment at the minimum level specified in the amended ASHRAE 
Standard 90.1; or (2) adopt a more-stringent standard, if supported by 
clear and convincing evidence. To adopt a more-stringent standard, the 
Secretary must determine, by rule published in the Federal Register, 
that adoption of such standard would result in significant additional 
conservation of energy and is technologically feasible and economically 
justified.
    As noted previously, this rulemaking originally started under RIN 
1904-AD92, with the publication of a notice of data availability and 
request for information addressing CRACs on September 11, 2019 (84 FR 
48006). However, ASHRAE 90.1-2019 made additional revisions to the 
efficiency levels for CRACs and newly acted to amend the efficiency 
levels for 3-Phase Commercial Unitary Air-Cooled Air Conditioners and 
Heat Pumps Less Than 65,000 Btu/h. Consequently, DOE had bundled these 
two equipment categories in the rulemaking under RIN 1904-AF01. (Note 
that the earlier RIN 1904-AD92 also addressed Dedicated Outdoor Air 
Systems, but since that equipment category saw no further ASHRAE 
action, DOE is moving forward with that equipment category separately 
under that RIN.) However, DOE is now addressing consideration of 
potential amended energy conservation standards for 3-Phase Commercial 
Unitary Air-Cooled Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Less Than 65,000 
Btu/h in a separate rulemaking under RIN 1904-AF32. Consequently, RIN 
1904-AF01 is currently limited to consideration of amended energy 
conservation standards for CRACs.
    In the final rule, DOE is adopting amended energy conservation 
standards for CRACs that rely on a new efficiency metric and are 
equivalent to those levels specified in ASHRAE Standard 90.1 2019. DOE 
has determined that it lacks the clear and convincing evidence required 
by the statute to adopt standards more stringent than the levels 
specified in the industry standard.
    Completed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Reason                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Rule..........................   06/02/23  88 FR 36392
Final Rule Effective................   08/01/23
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Troy Watson, Phone: 240 449-9387, Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#384c4a5741164f594c4b5756785d5d165c575d165f574e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5f2b2d302671283e2b2c30311f3a3a713b303a71383029">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1904-AF01

310. Energy Conservation Standards for Dedicated-Purpose Pool Pump 
Motors [1904-AF27]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6295(o); 42 U.S.C. 6316(a); 42 U.S.C. 
6311(1)(A)
    Abstract: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a final 
rule adopting energy conservation standards for dedicated-purpose pool 
pump motors (DPPP), which is a category of electric motor. DOE 
determined that the standards adopted represent the maximum improvement 
in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and economically 
justified, and would result in the significant conservation of energy. 
Specifically, equipment are able to achieve these standard levels using 
technology options currently available in the DPPPM market. As for 
economic justification, DOE's analysis shows that the benefits of the 
standards exceed the burdens of the standards.
    Completed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Reason                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Action........................   09/28/23  88 FR 66966
Final Action Effective..............   11/27/23
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Jeremy Dommu, Phone: 202 586-9870, Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ff959a8d9a9286d19b9092928abf9a9ad19b909ad1989089"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d7bdb2a5b2baaef9b3b8babaa297b2b2f9b3b8b2f9b0b8a1">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1904-AF27

311. Energy Conservation Standards for 3-Phase, Small Commercial 
Package Air Conditioning and Heating Equipment With a Cooling Capacity 
of Less Than 65,000 Btu/h [1904-AF32]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(A); 42 U.S.C. 
6313(a)(6)(C)(i)
    Abstract: Consistent with the requirements under the Energy Policy 
and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended, the Department of Energy (DOE) 
is examining whether to amend the current energy conservation standards 
for certain categories of Commercial Air Conditioning and Heating 
Equipment found at 10 CFR 431.97. As a result of this effort, DOE may 
either propose and adopt: (1) the amended ASHRAE standard 90.1-2019 
levels; or (2) more-stringent standards if supported by ``clear and 
convincing'' evidence. DOE has proposed amended energy conservation 
standards that rely

[[Page 9576]]

on new efficiency metrics and align with the amended efficiency levels 
in the industry standard, ASHRAE 90.1-2019. DOE has preliminarily 
determined that it lacks clear and convincing evidence required by the 
EPCA to adopt standards more stringent than the levels specified in the 
industry standard. DOE has also proposed definitions for space-
constrained commercial package air conditioning and heating equipment 
and for small-duct, high-velocity commercial package air conditioning 
and heating equipment.
    In the final rule, DOE is adopting amended energy conservation 
standards for air cooled, three-phase, small commercial air 
conditioners and heat pumps with a cooling capacity of less than 65,000 
Btu/h and air-cooled, three-phase, variable refrigerant flow air 
conditioners and heat pumps with a cooling capacity of less than 65,000 
Btu/h that rely on new efficiency metrics and align with amended 
efficiency levels in the industry standard. For the relevant equipment 
classes, DOE has determined that it lacks clear and convincing evidence 
required by the statute to adopt standards more stringent than the 
levels specified in the industry standard.
    Completed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Reason                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Rule..........................   06/02/23  88 FR 36368
Final Rule Effective................   08/01/23
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Troy Watson, Phone: 240 449-9387, Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7f0b0d100651081e0b0c10113f1a1a511b101a51181009"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f480869b8dda839580879b9ab49191da909b91da939b82">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1904-AF32

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE)

Departmental and Others (ENDEP)

Final Rule Stage

312. Statutory Updates to the Advanced Technology Vehicles 
Manufacturing Incentive Program [1901-AB60]

    Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 17013(d); 42 U.S.C. 17013(e)
    Abstract: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office 
(LPO) intends to issue a direct final rule to amend the regulations 
applicable to the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) 
Loan Program authorized by section 136 of the Energy Independence and 
Security Act of 2007, as amended (42 U.S.C. 17013) to allow parties to 
apply for direct loans in connection with certain categories projects 
made eligible for such loans by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act. Relatedly, LPO is also 
pursuing another rulemaking effort via 1901-AB55 to address additional 
changes for the ATVM Loan Program.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Direct Final Rule...................   12/00/23
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Rebecca Limmer, Chief Counsel, Department of 
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, Phone: 202 
586-1174, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1b697e797e78787a35777276767e695b736a357f747e357c746d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="15677077707676743b797c78787067557d643b717a703b727a63">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1901-AB60

[FR Doc. 2024-00452 Filed 2-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>