Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 27, 1996 / Proposed Rules 44001

DATES: Written comments in response to

this notice must be received by

September 9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the data sheets

entitled "Product Data Sheets for

Standards Rulemakings Priority Setting"

may be obtained from: U.S. Department

of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy, Forrestal

Building, EE-43, 1000 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585,

(202) 586-7574. This document may be

read at the DOE Freedom of Information

Reading Room, U.S. DOE, Forrestal

Building, Room IE-190, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-6020,

between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

Federal holidays.

Written comments, 10 copies, are to

be submitted to: U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy, "Product Data

Sheets for Standards Rulemakings

Priority Setting," Forrestal Building,

EE-43, Room lJ-018, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Sandy Beall, Office of Energy

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S.

Department of Energy, Mail Station EE43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-

.7574.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

RIN 1904-AA83

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products

AGENCY : Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

SUMMARY : The Department of Energy

today gives notice that copies of the

draft "Product Data Sheets for Standards

Rulemakings Priority Setting" are

available for comment. The draft data

sheets provide the priority level and

rationale, schedule, and pertinent

information on the products covered by

the Office of Codes and Standards

(OCS). Comments will be used to set the

priority and schedule for the appliance

standards program, which will be

published in the Administration's

Regulatory Agenda. The priorities will

help OCS allocate resources to meet its

mission.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Department of Energy's appliance

standards program is conducted

pursuant to Title III, Part B of the Energy

Policy and Conservation Act, as

amended (EPCA). 42 U.S.C. §§6291-

6309. In 1987, EPCA was amended to

establish by law national efficiency

standards for certain appliances and a

schedule for DOE to conduct

rulemakings to periodically review and

update these standards. National

Appliance Energy Conservation Act,

Pub. L. 100-12 (1987). The products

covered by these standards included

refrigerators and freezers, room air

conditioners, central air conditioners

and heat pumps, water heaters,

furnaces, dishwashers, clothes washers

and dryers, direct heating equipment,

ranges and ovens, and pool heaters. In

1988 , EPCA was amended to include

fluorescent lamp ballasts. National

Appliance Energy Conservation Act

Amendments of 1988, Pub. L. 100-357

(1988). In conducting the rulemakings to

update the standards, the Secretary of

Energy is to set standards at levels that

achieve the maximum improvement in

energy efficiency that is technologically

feasible and economically justified.

EE-PS-96-001 COMMENT 0F

Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 27, 1996 / Proposed Rules 44001 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy 

10 CFR Part 430 

RIN 1904-AA83 

Energy Conservation Program for 

Consumer Products 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy (DOE). ' 

ACTION: Notice of Availability. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy 

today gives notice that copies of the 

draft "Product Data Sheets for Standards 

Rulemakings Priority Setting" are 

available for comment. The draft dat,:! 

sheets provide the priority level and 

rationale, schedule, and pertinent 

information on the products covered by 

the Office of Codes and Standards 

(OCS). Comments will be used to set the 

priority and schedule for the appliance 

standards program, which will be 

published in the Administration's 

Regulatory Agenda. The priorities will 

help OCS allocate resources to meet its 

mission. 

DATES: Written comments in response to 

this notice must be received by 

September 9,1996. 

ADDRESSES: A copy of the data sheets 

entitled "Product Data Sheets for 

Standards Rulemakings Priority Setting" 

may be obtained from: U.S. Department 

of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency 

and Renewable Energy, Forrestal 

Building, EE-43, 1000 Independence 

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, 

(202) 586-7574. This document may be 

read at the DOE Freedom of Information 

Reading Room, U.S. DOE, Forrestal 

Building, Room lE-190, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-6020, 

between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

Written comments, 10 copies, are to 

be submitted to: U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, "Product Data 

Sheets for Standards Rulemakings 

Priority Setting," Forrestal Building, 

EE-43, Room lj-018, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Ms. Sandy Beall, Office of Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Mail Station EE43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-

,7574. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Department of Energy's appliance 

standards program is conducted 

pursuant to Title III,Part B of the Energy 

Policy and Conservation Act, as 

amended (EPCA). 42 U.s.C. §§ 6291-

6309. In 1987, EPCA was amended to 

establish by law national efficiency 

standards for certain appliances and a 

schedule for DOE to conduct 

rule makings to periodically review and 

update these standards. National 

Appliance Energy Conservation Act, 

Pub. L. 100-12 (1987). The products 

covered by these standards included 

refrigerators and freezers, room air 

conditioners, central air conditioners 

and heat pumps, water heaters, 

furnacE'S, dishwashers, clothes washers 

and dryers, direct heating equipment, 

ranges and ovens, and pool heaters. In 

1988, EPCA was amended to include 

fluorescent lamp ballasts. National 

Appliance Energy Conservation Act 

Amendments of 1988, Pub. L. 100-357 

(1988). In conducting the rulemakings to 

update the standards, the Secretary of 

Energy is to set standards at levels that 

achieve the maximum improvement in 

energy efficiency that is technologically 

feasible and economically justified. 
44002 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 27, 1996 / Proposed Rules

The Energy Policy Act of 1992

(EPACT) further amended EPCA to

expand the coverage of the standards

program to include certain commercial

and industrial equipment, including

commercial heating and airconditioning equipment, water heaters,

certain incandescent and fluorescent

lamps, distribution transformers, and

electric motors. Energy Policy Act of

1992, Pub. L. 102-486 (1992). EPACT

also established maximum water flowrate requirements for certain plumbing

products and provided for voluntary

testing and consumer information

programs for office equipment,

luminaires, and windows.

EPCA also provides for DOE to

establish test procedures to be used in

determining compliance with efficiency

standards. These test procedures are

revised periodically to reflect new

product designs or technologies.

As prescribed by EPCA, energy

efficiency standards are established by a

three-phase public process: Advance

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

(ANOPR), Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking (NOPR), and Final Rule.

The process to develop test procedures

is similar, except that an Advance

Notice is not required.

On July 15, 1996, the Department

published a final rule that outlines the

procedures, and policies that will guide

DOE as it works with stakeholders to

establish new or revised energy

efficiency standards for consumer

products. The new process provides for

greater public input, improved

analytical approaches and encourages

consensus-based standards that

streamline the regulatory process and

reduce the time and cost of developing

standards. A key element of the new

process is the involvement of

stakeholders in the priority setting of

the products to increase the

predictability of the rulemaking

timetable.

A workshop was held on June 14,

1996, to discuss the criteria to be used

in planning and prioritizing future

rules, and review of the draft product

data sheets to be used to develop a

priority ranking for the products. To

assist in the development of the

priorities, DOE developed data sheets

for each product. Once DOE has

received input from stakeholders, the

priorities and schedule for the appliance

standards program will be determined.

The schedule will then be published in

the Administration's Regulatory Agenda

in October 1996.

Based on the comments from the

workshop and written comments

received, DOE has revised the draft

product data sheets and is making

available a copy of said sheets for

standards rulemakings priority setting.

DOE will use the revised data sheets to

determine the priority of various

rulemakings in the next year. These

revised sheets provide a priority, .

schedule and, rationale for each product.

The Department would like your further

input on the priorities before preparing

the Administration's Regulatory

Agenda. The Regulatory Agenda will

provide stakeholders with the actions

and a schedule for those actions that

DOE plans to accomplish in the next

year.

The priority levels will provide DOE

with guidance on which products to

focus and allocate resources towards.

For the high priority products, DOE

plans to pursue actively (meetings and

workshops) and publish notices

(Determinations.. Advance Notices of

Proposed Rules, Notices of Proposed

Rules and/or Final Rules) in'the next

year. For the medium priority products,

DOE plans to initiate work in support of

rulemakings in the next year, for

example, conducting a screening

workshop for a standards rule makings.

For the low priority products, DOE does

not plan to actively pursue rulemakings

in the next two years. Work would be

limited to basic technology investigation

and monitoring of voluntary programs.

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 21,

1996.

Joseph Romm,

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy

Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

[FR Doc. 96-21,785 Filed 8-26-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

EE-PS-96-001 COMMENT 0F

44002 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 27, 1996 / Proposed Rules 

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 

(EPACT) further .amended EPCA to 

expand the coverage of the standards 

program to include certain commercial 

and industrial equipment, including 

commercial heating and airconditioning equipment, water heaters, 

certain incandescent and fluorescent 

lamps, distribution transformers, and 

electric motors. Energy Policy Act of 

1992, Pub. L. 102-486 (1992). EPACT 

also established maximum water flowrate reqUirements for certain plumbing 

products. and provided for voluntary 

testing and consumer information 

programs for office equipment, 

luminaires, and Windows. 

EPCA also provides for DOE to 

establish test procedures to be used in 

determining compliance with efficiency 

standards. These test procedures are 

revised periodically to reflect new 

product designs or technologies. 

As prescribed by EPCA, energy 

efficiency standards are established by a 

three-phase public process: Advance 

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(ANOPR), Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking (NOPR), and Final Rule. 

The process to develop test procedures 

is similar, except that an Advance 

Notice is not required. 

On July 15, 1996, the Department 

published a final rule that outlines the 

procedures, and policies that will guide 

DOE as it works with stakeholders to 

establish new or revised energy 

efficiency standards for consumer 

products. The new process provides for 

greater public input, improved 

analytical approaches and encourages 

consensus-based standards that 

streamline the regulatory process and 

reduce the time and cost of developing 

standards. A key element of the new 

process is the involvement of 

stakeholders in the priority setting of 

the products to increase the 

predictability of the rulemaking 

timetable. 

A workshop was held on June 14. 

1996, to discuss the criteria to be used 

in planning and prioritizing future 

rules, and review of the draft product 

data sheets to be used to develop a 

priority ranking for the products. To 

assist in the development of the 

priorities, DOE developed data sheets 

for each product. Once DOE has 

received input from stakeholders, the 

priorities and schedule for the appliance 

standards program will be determined. 

The schedule will then be published in 

the Administration's Regulatory Agenda 

in October 1996. 

Based on the comments from the 

workshop and written comments 

received, DOE has revised the draft 

product data sheets and is making 

available a copy of said sheets for 

standards rulemakings priority setting. 

DOE will use the reVised data sheets to 

determine the priority of various 

rulemakings in the next year. These 

revised sheets provide a priority, . 

schedule and rationale for each product. 

The Department would like your further 

input on the priorities before preparing 

the Administration's Regulatory 

Agenda. The Regulatory Agenda will 

provide stakeholders with the actions 

and a schedule for those actions that 

DOE plans to accomplish in the next 

year. 

The priority levels will provide DOE 

with gUidance on which products to 

focus and allocate resources towards. 

For the high priority products, DOE 

plans to pursue actively (meetings and 

workshops) and publish notices 

(Determinations. Advance Notices of 

Proposed Rules, Notices of Proposed 

Rules and/or Final Rules) in'the next 

year. For the medium priority products, 

DOE plans to initiate work in support of 

rulemakings in the next year, for 

example, conducting a screening 

workshop for a standards rule makings. 

For the low priority products, DOE does 

not plan to actively pursue rule makings 

in the next two years. Work would be 

limited to basic technology investigation 

and monitoring of voluntary programs. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 21. 

1996. 

Joseph Romm. 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 

[FR Doc. 96-21,785 Filed 8-26-96; 8:45 am1 

BILLING CODE 6450-01-1> 

lo., \.