TO: WALK-IN COOLER AND FREEZER STANDARDS RULEMAKING, 

DOCKET (EERE-2008-BT-STD-0015)

FROM: MICHAEL KIDO

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL (GC-71)

RE: LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO ATTORNEY 

GENERAL ERIC T. SCHNEIDERMAN (STATE OF NEW YORK) 

REGARDING CERTAIN ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARD 

RULEMAKING ACTIVITIES.

Attached for the administrative record for the above docket is a letter from the 

Department of Energy (DOE) to the State of New York that affirms the agency’s 

schedule for the issuance of appliance standards rulemakings to meet the goals 

established for the program in the President’s Climate Action Plan. The schedule 

described in the attached letter is consistent with DOE’s previously published scheduled 

completion dates for several rulemakings listed in its portion of the government-wide 

Regulatory Agenda (Agenda), from July 5, 2013.

1

 Included among those rulemakings is 

the standards rulemaking for walk-in coolers and freezers (collectively, walk-ins). As 

stated in the Agenda, and repeated in the attached letter, DOE has committed itself to 

complete its rulemaking for walk-ins by April 2014. 

 1 http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaMain
Eric T. Schneiderman 

Attorney General 

Office of the Attorney General 

120 Broadway 

New York, NY 10271 

Dear Mr. Attorney General: 

Department of Energy 

Washington, DC 20585 

August 8, 2013 

We appreciate the State of New York's support for energy conservation standards, which have 

been a major success in reducing energy use and costs and play an impOliant role in addressing 

climate change. Since 2009, the Department of Energy has issued 18 new or updated standards, 

which will help increase annual savings by more than 50 percent over the next decade. In fact, 

as a result of energy conservation standards already issued by the Department, energy users 

saved tens of billions on their utility bills in 20 I O. By 2030, this Administration's already issued 

energy efficiency standards will reduce C02 emissions by over 1.7 billion tons. 

On June 25, 2013, as part of his Climate Action Plan, the President recommitted the 

Administration to move forward with energy efficiency initiatives, including the issuance of 

appliance standards regulations. l Secretary Moniz and I share the President's strong 

commitment and are working actively-together with our pminers throughout the executive 

branch-to meet the President's goals. 

The Department acknowledges the concerns you and other states have expressed about delays in 

the promulgation of certain energy efficiency standards under the Energy Policy and 

Conservation Act. We take seriously your concerns about expediting the Department's pending 

rulemakings to establish new or updated energy conservation standards for metal halide lamp 

fixtures, commercial refrigeration equipment, walk-in coolers and freezers, and electric motors. 

As you know, on July 5, 2013, the Depmiment released schedules for the completion of each of 

those overdue rulemakings as part of its regulatory agenda. 2 The Department is committed to 

issuing notices of proposed rulemakings, as set forth in that schedule and in the chart below, in 

August, 2013 for metal halide lamp fixtures, commercial refrigeration equipment, and walk-in 

coolers and freezers, and in November, 2013 for electric motors. In addition, the Department is 

committed to the issuance of final rules for metal halide lamp fixtures, commercial refrigeration 

I "Establishing a New Goal for Energy Efficiency Standards: In President Obama's first term, the Department of 

Energy established new minimum efficiency standards for dishwashers, refrigerators, and many other products. 

Through 2030, these standards will cut consumers' electricity bills by hundreds of billions of dollars and save 

enough electricity to power more than 85 million homcs for two years. To build on this success, the Administration 

is setting a new goal: Efficiency standards for appliances and federal buildings set in the first and second terms 

combined will reduce carbon pollution by at least 3 billion metric tons cumulatively by 2030 - equivalent to nearly 

one-half of the carbon pollution fi·om the entire u.S. energy sector for one year -while continuing to cut families' 

energy bills." http://www .wh itehouse.gov/sites/defaultlfilcs/image/president27sc 1 imateactionplan.pdf at p. 9 

2 http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaMain 

@ Printed with soy ink on recycled paper 
equipment, walk in coolers and freezers, and electric motors according to the schedule in the 

chart below. 

Appliance Notice of Proposed Final Rule 

Rulemaking 

Metal Halide Lamp Fixtures 812013 0112014 

Commercial Refrigeration 8/20l3 02/2014 

Equipment 

Walk-in Coolers and Freezers 8/2013 04/2014 

Electric Motors 1112013 OS/2014 

I applaud the active engagement of New York and its partners in energy efficiency issues 

generally and very much appreciate the fact that you share our interest in the timely issuance of 

energy efficiency standards. Thank you very much for your support. 

cc: 

Sincerely, 

1!J(j)~ Dr. David Danielson 

Assistant Secretary 

for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 

William H. Sorrell, Attorney General, State of Vermont 

George Jepsen, Attorney General, State of Connecticut 

Peter F. Kilmartin, Attorney General, State of Rhode Island 

Janet T. Mills, Attorney General, State of Maine 

Douglas F. Gansler, Attorney General, State of Maryland 

Martha Coakley, Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts 

Ellen F. Rosenblum, Attorney General, State of Oregon 

Robert W. Ferguson, Attorney General, State of Washington 

Michael Levy, Chief Counsel, California Energy Commission 

Michael A. Cardozo, Corporation Counsel of the City of New York 

Frances Beinecke, President, Natural Resources Defense Council 

Charles Harak, National Consumer Law Center