[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 203 (Monday, October 21, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 84076-84077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24158]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 430

[EERE-2014-BT-STD-0005]
RIN 1904-AF57


Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for 
Consumer Conventional Cooking Products

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Publication of determination.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as 
amended, requires that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) make a 
determination on the impact, if any, of any lessening of competition 
likely to result from an energy conservation standard and that the U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE) publish such determination in the Federal 
Register. DOE published a direct final rule and accompanying notice of 
proposed rulemaking for consumer conventional cooking products on 
February 14, 2024. In accordance with EPCA, DOE is publishing DOJ's 
determination of the impact, if any, the energy conservation standards 
for consumer conventional cooking products will have on competition.

DATES: The DOJ determination is dated April 9, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Dr. Carl Shapiro, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, EE-5B, 
1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: 
(202) 287-5649. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9fdeefeff3f6fef1fcfaccebfef1fbfeedfbecceeafaecebf6f0f1ecdffafab1fbf0fab1f8f0e9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e7a697978b8e86898482b49386898386958394b6928294938e888994a78282c9838882c9808891">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Mr. Pete Cochran, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General 
Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. 
Telephone: (240) 961-1189. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b5e5d0c1d0c79bf6dad6ddc7d4dbf5ddc49bd1dad09bd2dac3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b8e8ddccddca96fbd7dbd0cad9d6f8d0c996dcd7dd96dfd7ce">[email protected]</span></a>.

[[Page 84077]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 14, 2024, DOE published a direct 
final rule (89 FR 11434) and accompanying notice of proposed rulemaking 
(89 FR 11548) for consumer conventional cooking products. The Energy 
Conservation and Policy Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6291, et seq.; 
``EPCA''), as amended, requires that DOJ make a determination of the 
impact, if any, of any lessening of competition likely to result from 
an energy conservation standard. (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(ii)) EPCA 
also requires that DOE publish the determination in the Federal 
Register. Id.
    On April 9, 2024, DOJ sent DOE a determination that the energy 
conservation standards for consumer conventional cooking products are 
unlikely to have a significant adverse impact on competition. DOE is 
publishing DOJ's determination at the end of this document.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on October 10, 
2024, by Jeffrey Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, pursuant to delegated authority 
from the Secretary of Energy. That document with the original signature 
and date is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in 
compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the 
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to 
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as 
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative 
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon 
publication in the Federal Register.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on October 15, 2024.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.

    Note:  The following appendix will not appear in the Code of 
Federal Regulations.

Appendix A

April 9, 2024

Ami Grace-Tardy
Assistant General Counsel for
Legislation, Regulation and Energy Efficiency
U.S. Department of Energy
Washington, DC 20585
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cb8aa6a2e58cb9aaa8aee69faab9afb28ba3bae5afa4aee5aca4bd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c786aaaee980b5a6a4a2ea93a6b5a3be87afb6e9a3a8a2e9a0a8b1">[email protected]</span></a>

Re: Consumer Conventional Cooking Products Energy Conservation 
Standards
DOE Docket No. EERE-2014-BT-STD-0005

Dear Assistant General Counsel Grace-Tardy:

    I am responding to your February 16, 2024, letter seeking the 
views of the Attorney General about the potential impact on 
competition of proposed energy conservation standards for consumer 
conventional cooking products.
    Your request was submitted under Section 325(o)(2)(B)(i)(V) of 
the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (ECPA), 42 U.S.C. 
6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(V), which requires the Attorney General to 
determine the impact of any lessening of competition that is likely 
to result from the imposition of proposed energy conservation 
standards. The Attorney General's responsibility for responding to 
requests from other departments about the effect of a program on 
competition has been delegated to the Assistant Attorney General for 
the Antitrust Division in 28 CFR 0.40(g). The Assistant Attorney 
General for the Antitrust Division has authorized me, as the Policy 
Director for the Antitrust Division, to provide the Antitrust 
Division's views regarding the potential impact on competition of 
proposed energy conservation standards on his behalf.
    In conducting its analysis, the Antitrust Division examines 
whether a proposed standard may lessen competition, for example, by 
substantially limiting consumer choice, by placing certain 
manufacturers at an unjustified competitive disadvantage, or by 
inducing avoidable inefficiencies in production or distribution of 
particular products. A lessening of competition could result in 
higher prices to manufacturers and consumers.
    We have reviewed the proposed standards contained in the direct 
final rulemaking, the notice of proposed rulemaking (89 FR 11548, 
February 14, 2024) and the related Technical Support Documents. We 
have also reviewed public comments and information provided by 
industry participants.
    Based on this review, our conclusion is that the proposed energy 
conservation standards for consumer conventional cooking products 
are unlikely to have a significant adverse impact on competition.

Sincerely,
/s/
David G.B. Lawrence,
Policy Director.

[FR Doc. 2024-24158 Filed 10-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P


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