This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

2566 

Vol. 83, No. 12 

Thursday, January 18, 2018 

1All references to EPCA in this document refer 

to the statute as amended through the Energy 

Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015 (EEIA 2015), 

Public Law 114–11 (April 30, 2015). 

2For editorial reasons, upon codification in the 

U.S. Code, Part B was redesignated Part A. 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

10 CFR Parts 429 and 430 

[EERE–2017–BT–TP–0024] 

Energy Conservation Program: Test 

Procedure for Microwave Ovens 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Request for information (‘‘RFI’’). 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy (‘‘DOE’’) is initiating a data 

collection process through this request 

for information to consider whether to 

amend DOE’s test procedures for 

microwave ovens. To inform interested 

parties and to facilitate this process, 

DOE has gathered data, identifying 

several issues associated with the 

currently applicable test procedures on 

which DOE is interested in receiving 

comment. The issues outlined in this 

document mainly concern the 

measurement of active mode, standby 

mode, and off mode energy use, and an 

integrated annual energy use metric for 

microwave ovens; and any additional 

topics that may inform DOE’s decisions 

in a future test procedure rulemaking, 

including methods to reduce regulatory 

burden while ensuring the procedures’ 

accuracy. DOE welcomes written 

comments from the public on any 

subject within the scope of this 

document (including topics not raised 

in this RFI). 

DATES: Written comments and 

information are requested and will be 

accepted on or before February 20, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

encouraged to submit comments using 

the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

Alternatively, interested persons may 

submit comments, identified by docket 

number EERE–2017–BT–TP–0024, by 

any of the following methods: 

1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

2. Email: to MWO2017TP0024@

ee.doe.gov. Include docket number 

EERE–2017–BT–TP–0024 in the subject 

line of the message. 

3. Postal Mail: Appliance and 

Equipment Standards Program, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Building 

Technologies Office, Mailstop EE–5B, 

1000 Independence Avenue SW, 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. 

Telephone: (202) 287–1445. If possible, 

please submit all items on a compact 

disc (‘‘CD’’), in which case it is not 

necessary to include printed copies. 

4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Appliance 

and Equipment Standards Program, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Building 

Technologies Office, 950 L’Enfant Plaza 

SW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. 

Telephone: (202) 287–1445. If possible, 

please submit all items on a CD, in 

which case it is not necessary to include 

printed copies. 

No telefacsimilies (faxes) will be 

accepted. For detailed instructions on 

submitting comments and additional 

information on this process, see section 

III of this document. 

Docket: The docket for this activity, 

which includes Federal Register 

notices, comments, and other 

supporting documents/materials, is 

available for review at http://

www.regulations.gov. All documents in 

the docket are listed in the http://

www.regulations.gov index. However, 

some documents listed in the index, 

such as those containing information 

that is exempt from public disclosure, 

may not be publicly available. 

The docket web page can be found at 

https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ 

appliance_standards/standards.aspx?

productid=33. The docket web page 

contains simple instructions on how to 

access all documents, including public 

comments, in the docket. See section III 

for information on how to submit 

comments through http://

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Stephanie Johnson, 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– 

1943. Email: 

ApplianceStandardsQuestions@

ee.doe.gov. 

Ms. Celia Sher, U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of the General Counsel, 

GC–33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. 

Telephone: (202) 287–6122. Email: 

Celia.Sher@hq.doe.gov. 

For further information on how to 

submit a comment or review other 

public comments and the docket, 

contact the Appliance and Equipment 

Standards Program staff at (202) 287– 

1445 or by email: 

ApplianceStandardsQuestions@

ee.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents 

I. Introduction 

A. Authority and Background 

B. Rulemaking History 

1. Active Mode Amendments 

2. Standby Mode Amendments 

II. Request for Information 

A. Scope and Definitions 

B. Test Procedure 

1. Consumer Usage 

2. Active Mode Test Methods 

3. Standby Mode and Off Mode Test 

Methods 

4. Integrated Annual Energy Use Metric 

C. Other Test Procedure Topics 

III. Submission of Comments 

I. Introduction 

Microwave ovens are included in the 

list of ‘‘covered products’’ for which 

DOE is authorized to establish and 

amend energy conservation standards 

and test procedures. (42 U.S.C. 

6292(a)(10)) DOE’s test procedures for 

microwave ovens are prescribed at title 

10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 

(‘‘CFR’’) part 430, subpart B, appendix 

I (‘‘Appendix I’’). The following sections 

discuss DOE’s authority to establish and 

amend test procedures for microwave 

ovens, as well as relevant background 

information regarding DOE’s 

consideration of test procedures for this 

product. 

A. Authority and Background 

The Energy Policy and Conservation 

Act of 1975 (‘‘EPCA’’ or ‘‘the Act’’),1

Public Law 94–163 (42 U.S.C. 6291– 

6317, as codified), among other things, 

authorizes DOE to regulate the energy 

efficiency of a number of consumer 

products and industrial equipment. 

Title III, Part B2 of EPCA established the 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Proposed Rules 2567 

Energy Conservation Program for 

Consumer Products Other Than 

Automobiles, which sets forth a variety 

of provisions designed to improve 

energy efficiency. These products 

include microwave ovens, the subject of 

this RFI. (42 U.S.C. 6292(a)(10)) 

Under EPCA, DOE’s energy 

conservation program consists 

essentially of four parts: (1) Testing, (2) 

labeling, (3) Federal energy conservation 

standards, and (4) certification and 

enforcement procedures. Relevant 

provisions of the Act specifically 

include definitions (42 U.S.C. 6291), 

energy conservation standards (42 

U.S.C. 6295), test procedures (42 U.S.C. 

6293), labeling provisions (42 U.S.C. 

6294), and the authority to require 

information and reports from 

manufacturers (42 U.S.C. 6296). 

Federal energy efficiency 

requirements for covered products 

established under EPCA generally 

supersede State laws and regulations 

concerning energy conservation testing, 

labeling, and standards. (42 U.S.C. 6297) 

DOE may, however, grant waivers of 

Federal preemption for particular State 

laws or regulations, in accordance with 

the procedures and other provisions of 

EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6297(d)) 

The Federal testing requirements 

consist of test procedures that 

manufacturers of covered products must 

use as the basis for: (1) Certifying to 

DOE that their products comply with 

the applicable energy conservation 

standards adopted pursuant to EPCA (42 

U.S.C. 6295(s)), and (2) making 

representations about the efficiency of 

those consumer products (42 U.S.C. 

6293(c)). Similarly, DOE must use these 

test procedures to determine whether 

the products comply with relevant 

standards promulgated under EPCA. (42 

U.S.C. 6295(s)) 

Under 42 U.S.C. 6293, EPCA sets forth 

the criteria and procedures DOE must 

follow when prescribing or amending 

test procedures for covered products. 

EPCA requires that any test procedures 

prescribed or amended under this 

section be reasonably designed to 

produce test results which measure 

energy efficiency, energy use or 

estimated annual operating cost of a 

covered product during a representative 

average use cycle or period of use and 

not be unduly burdensome to conduct. 

(42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3)) 

In addition, if DOE determines that a 

test procedure amendment is warranted, 

it must publish proposed test 

procedures and offer the public an 

opportunity to present oral and written 

comments on them. (42 U.S.C. 

6293(b)(2)) 

EPCA also requires that, at least once 

every 7 years, DOE evaluate test 

procedures for each type of covered 

product, including microwave ovens, to 

determine whether amended test 

procedures would more accurately or 

fully comply with the requirements for 

the test procedures to not be unduly 

burdensome to conduct and be 

reasonably designed to produce test 

results that reflect energy efficiency, 

energy use, and estimated operating 

costs during a representative average 

use cycle or period of use. (42 U.S.C. 

6293(b)(1)(A)) If the Secretary 

determines, on his own behalf or in 

response to a petition by any interested 

person, that a test procedure should be 

prescribed or amended, the Secretary 

shall promptly publish in the Federal 

Register proposed test procedures and 

afford interested persons an opportunity 

to present oral and written data, views, 

and arguments with respect to such 

procedures. The comment period on a 

proposed rule to amend a test procedure 

shall be at least 60 days and may not 

exceed 270 days. In prescribing or 

amending a test procedure, the 

Secretary shall take into account such 

information as the Secretary determines 

relevant to such procedure, including 

technological developments relating to 

energy use or energy efficiency of the 

type (or class) of covered products 

involved. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(2)) If DOE 

determines that test procedure revisions 

are not appropriate, DOE must publish 

its determination not to amend the test 

procedures. DOE is publishing this RFI 

to collect data and information to 

inform its decision in satisfaction of the 

7-year review requirement specified in 

EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(1)(A)) 

In addition, EPCA requires that DOE 

amend its test procedures for all covered 

products to integrate measures of 

standby mode and off mode energy 

consumption into the overall energy 

efficiency, energy consumption, or other 

energy descriptor, unless the current 

test procedure already incorporates the 

standby mode and off mode energy 

consumption, or if such integration is 

technically infeasible. (42 U.S.C. 

6295(gg)(2)(A)) If an integrated test 

procedure is technically infeasible, DOE 

must prescribe separate standby mode 

and off mode energy use test procedures 

for the covered product, if a separate 

test is technically feasible. (Id.) 

B. Rulemaking History 

DOE’s current test procedures for 

microwave ovens are codified at 

Appendix I. For reasons discussed in 

the following sections, the current test 

procedures for microwave ovens 

address standby mode and off mode 

energy use only. 

1. Active Mode Amendments 

DOE originally established test 

procedures for microwave ovens in an 

October 3, 1997 final rule that addressed 

active mode energy use only. 62 FR 

51976. Those procedures were based on 

the International Electrotechnical 

Commission (‘‘IEC’’) Standard 705– 

Second Edition 1998 and Amendment 

2–1993, ‘‘Methods for Measuring the 

Performance of Microwave Ovens for 

Households and Similar Purposes’’ 

(‘‘IEC Standard 705’’). On July 22, 2010, 

DOE published in the Federal Register 

a final rule for the microwave oven test 

procedures (the ‘‘July 2010 Repeal Final 

Rule’’), in which it repealed the 

regulatory test procedures for measuring 

the cooking efficiency of microwave 

ovens. 75 FR 42579. In the July 2010 

Repeal Final Rule, DOE determined that 

the existing microwave oven test 

procedure did not produce 

representative and repeatable test 

results. 75 FR 42579, 42580. DOE stated 

at that time that it was unaware of any 

test procedures that had been developed 

that address these concerns. 75 FR 

42579, 42581. 

On October 24, 2011, DOE published 

an RFI to initiate a test procedure 

rulemaking to develop active mode 

testing methodologies for microwave 

ovens (the ‘‘October 2011 RFI’’). 76 FR 

65631. DOE specifically sought 

information, data, and comments 

regarding representative and repeatable 

methods for measuring the energy use of 

microwave ovens in active mode, in 

particular for the microwave-only and 

convection-microwave cooking (i.e., 

microwave plus convection and any 

other means of cooking) modes. 

To inform its consideration of a test 

procedure for the microwave oven 

active mode, DOE conducted testing to 

evaluate potential methods for 

measuring the active mode energy use 

for these products, including the 

microwave-only, convection-only, and 

convection-microwave cooking modes. 

On June 5, 2012, DOE published a 

notice of data availability (‘‘NODA’’) to 

present test results and analytical 

approaches that DOE was considering 

for potential amendments to the 

microwave oven test procedures and to 

request additional comment and 

information on these results (the ‘‘June 

2012 NODA’’). 77 FR 33106. In the June 

2012 NODA, DOE presented test results 

from microwave-only, convection-only, 

and convection-microwave cooking 

mode testing using water loads, food 

simulation mixtures, and real food 

loads. DOE also presented test results 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
2568 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Proposed Rules 

3The DOE conventional oven test procedures in 

Appendix I were later repealed in a final rule 

published on December 16, 2016. 81 FR 91418. DOE 

determined that the conventional oven test 

procedures did not accurately represent consumer 

use as it favors conventional ovens with low 

thermal mass and does not capture cooking 

performance-related benefits due to increased 

thermal mass of the oven cavity. 81 FR 91418, 

91423–91424. 

4 Document No. 31 in Docket No. EERE–2008– 

BT–TP–0011, available for review at https://

www.regulations.gov. 

5Appendix I defines ‘‘combined cooking 

product’’ as a household cooking appliance that 

combines a cooking product with other appliance 

functionality, which may or may not include 

another cooking product. Combined cooking 

products include the following products: 

Conventional range, microwave/conventional 

cooking top, microwave/conventional oven, and 

microwave/conventional range. 

from testing of the convection-only 

cooking mode using the aluminum test 

block specified in the DOE conventional 

oven test procedures then in effect in 

Appendix I.3

On February 4, 2013, DOE published 

a notice of proposed rulemaking 

(‘‘NOPR’’) in which it proposed adding 

provisions to the microwave oven test 

procedures to measure active mode 

energy use for microwave ovens, 

including microwave-only ovens and 

convection microwave ovens (the 

‘‘February 2013 NOPR’’). 78 FR 7940. 

For measuring the energy use in 

microwave-only cooking mode, DOE 

proposed test methods based on the 

November 2011 draft version of IEC 

Standard 60705. DOE also proposed 

provisions for measuring the energy use 

of convection microwave ovens in 

convection-only cooking mode based on 

the test procedures for conventional 

ovens in Appendix I. DOE further 

proposed to calculate the energy use of 

convection-microwave cooking mode 

for convection microwave ovens by 

apportioning the microwave-only mode 

and convection-only mode energy 

consumption measurements based on 

typical consumer use. 78 FR 7940, 7942. 

The IEC issued an update of IEC 

Standard 60705 on June 30, 2014. To 

date, DOE has not issued a final rule to 

re-establish test procedures for 

measuring the active mode of 

microwave ovens. 

2. Standby Mode Amendments 

On March 9, 2011, DOE published an 

interim final rule (the ‘‘March 2011 

Interim Final Rule’’) amending the test 

procedures for microwave ovens. 76 FR 

12825. The March 2011 Interim Final 

Rule incorporated by reference into the 

microwave oven test procedures IEC 

Standard 62301, ‘‘Household electrical 

appliances–Measurement of standby 

power,’’ First Edition 2005–06 (‘‘IEC 

Standard 62301 (First Edition)’’) 

regarding test conditions and testing 

procedures for measuring the average 

standby mode and average off mode 

power consumption. 76 FR 12825, 

12828. As authorized by EPCA, DOE 

also incorporated into the microwave 

oven test procedure definitions of 

‘‘active mode,’’ ‘‘standby mode,’’ and 

‘‘off mode’’ based on the definitions 

provided in the finalized draft version 

of IEC Standard 62301 Edition 2.0 2011– 

01 (‘‘IEC Standard 62301 (Second 

Edition)’’). 76 FR 12825, 12836. In 

addition, DOE adopted language to 

clarify the application of IEC Standard 

62301 (First Edition) to measuring 

standby mode and off mode power. 

Specifically, DOE defined the test 

duration for cases in which the 

measured power is not stable and varies 

in a cyclic manner, because the standby 

mode power consumption of microwave 

oven displays can vary depending on 

the time-of-day displayed on the clock. 

76 FR 12825, 12828. 

The amendments adopted in the 

March 2011 Interim Final Rule became 

effective on April 8, 2011. However, 

DOE noted that in order to ensure that 

the amended test procedures adequately 

address the EPCA requirement to 

consider the most recent version of IEC 

Standard 62301, and recognizing that 

the IEC issued IEC Standard 62301 

(Second Edition) in January of 2011, 

DOE issued the microwave oven test 

procedure as an interim final rule and 

offered an additional 180-day comment 

period to consider whether any changes 

should be made to the interim final rule 

in light of publication of IEC Standard 

62301 (Second Edition). DOE stated that 

it would consider these comments and, 

to the extent necessary, publish a final 

rulemaking incorporating any changes. 

76 FR 12825, 12830–12831. In response 

to the March 2011 Interim Final Rule, 

the Association of Home Appliance 

Manufacturers (‘‘AHAM’’) commented 

that, among other things, DOE should 

incorporate by reference IEC Standard 

62301 (Second Edition), stating that 

such incorporation would provide for 

optimal international harmonization, 

give clarity and consistency to the 

regulated community, and decrease test 

burden. (AHAM, No. 31 at pp. 3–4 4) 

Based in part on public comment, 

DOE further analyzed IEC Standard 

62301 (Second Edition). DOE 

subsequently published a final rule on 

January 18, 2013 (the ‘‘January 2013 

Final Rule’’), amending the test 

procedures for microwave ovens to 

reference certain provisions of IEC 

Standard 62301 (Second Edition), along 

with clarifying language, for the 

measurement of standby mode and off 

mode energy use. 78 FR 4015. In the 

narrow case of microwave ovens with 

power consumption that varies as a 

function of the time displayed, DOE 

maintained the existing use of IEC 

Standard 62301 (First Edition) for 

measuring standby mode power to 

minimize manufacturer burden. 78 FR 

4015, 4021. DOE also determined that 

microwave ovens combined with other 

appliance functionality are covered 

under the definition of ‘‘microwave 

oven’’ at 10 CFR 430.2, but due to a lack 

of data and information, did not adopt 

provisions to measure the standby mode 

and off mode energy use of the 

microwave oven component of a 

combined cooking product.5 78 FR 

4015, 4022. 

II. Request for Information 

In the following sections, DOE has 

identified a variety of issues on which 

it seeks input to aid in the development 

of the technical and economic analyses 

regarding whether amended test 

procedures for microwave ovens may be 

warranted. Specifically, DOE is 

requesting comment on any 

opportunities to streamline and simplify 

testing requirements for microwave 

ovens. 

Additionally, DOE welcomes 

comments on other issues relevant to 

the conduct of this process that may not 

specifically be identified in this 

document. In particular, DOE notes that 

under Executive Order 13771, 

‘‘Reducing Regulation and Controlling 

Regulatory Costs,’’ Executive Branch 

agencies such as DOE are directed to 

manage the costs associated with the 

imposition of expenditures required to 

comply with Federal regulations. See 82 

FR 9339 (Feb. 3, 2017). Pursuant to that 

Executive Order, DOE encourages the 

public to provide input on measures 

DOE could take to lower the cost of its 

regulations applicable to microwave 

ovens consistent with the requirements 

of EPCA. 

A. Scope and Definitions 

This RFI covers those products that 

meet the definition for ‘‘microwave 

oven,’’ as codified at 10 CFR 430.2. 

Specifically, as codified, ‘‘microwave 

oven’’ means a category of cooking 

products which is a household cooking 

appliance consisting of a compartment 

designed to cook or heat food by means 

of microwave energy, including 

microwave ovens with or without 

thermal elements designed for surface 

browning of food and convection 

microwave ovens. This includes any 

microwave oven(s) component of a 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Proposed Rules 2569 

6Alison Williams, Hung-Chia (Dominique) Yang, 

Bereket Beraki, Louis-Benoit Desroches, Scott J. 

Young, Chun Chun Ni, Henry Willem, and Camilla 

Dunham Whitehead: LBNL; Sally M. Donovan, 

Consultant, Melbourne, Australia. (2012) Surveys of 

Microwave Ovens in U.S. Homes. Lawrence 

Berkeley National Laboratory, LBNL–5947E. 

December 4, 2012. 

7Fan-only mode refers to the operation of the fan 

after a cooking cycle for the purposes of cooling 

down the cavity and other components of the 

microwave oven. 

combined cooking product. 10 CFR 

430.2. 

B. Test Procedure 

As discussed in section I.B of this 

document, DOE’s current test 

procedures for microwave ovens are 

codified at Appendix I and address 

standby mode and off mode energy use 

only. 

DOE is requesting information and 

data to update its understanding of 

consumer use of microwave ovens. DOE 

is also requesting comment on whether 

any more recent developments since the 

February 2013 NOPR would allow for 

DOE to develop active mode test 

procedures for microwave ovens, 

including microwave-only ovens and 

convection microwave ovens. As stated 

in the Rulemaking History section of 

this document, in the February 2013 

NOPR, DOE proposed active mode test 

procedures for microwave-only ovens 

and convection microwave ovens, and 

requested comment from interested 

parties on the proposed amendments. 

To date, DOE has not issued a final rule 

establishing test procedures for active 

mode. In this document, DOE discusses 

the current status of IEC Standard 60705 

and requests information to help it 

determine whether it should consider 

test procedures that measure the active 

mode energy use for microwave ovens. 

Additionally, DOE has identified 

potential testing issues related to newlyavailable product features that DOE did 

not consider at the time of the January 

2013 Final Rule, that may relate to 

standby mode and off mode energy use. 

DOE is requesting comment on 

appropriate test procedures to account 

for these features. DOE is also seeking 

comment on the technical feasibility of 

establishing an integrated metric that 

combines active mode, standby mode, 

and off mode energy use. 

Each of these issues is discussed in 

greater detail in the subsections that 

follow. DOE is also requesting 

information on any other issues that 

may need to be addressed in a test 

procedure rulemaking for microwave 

ovens. 

1. Consumer Usage 

As part of the February 2013 NOPR, 

DOE presented results from a consumer 

usage survey conducted by Lawrence 

Berkeley National Laboratories 

(‘‘LBNL’’) to evaluate the consumer 

usage habits for microwave ovens.6 78 

FR 7940, 7943–7944. The survey 

collected data from 2258 households on 

the typical cycle lengths, the annual 

number of cooking cycles, and the 

annual hours of use for microwave-only 

ovens. The survey also collected data 

from 653 households on the typical 

cycle lengths, the annual number of 

cooking cycles, and the annual hours of 

use for each available cooking mode for 

convection microwave ovens. The 

results from the LBNL study are 

presented in Table II.1 and Table II.2. 

TABLE II.1—LBNL CONSUMER USAGE DATA FOR MICROWAVE-ONLY OVENS

Mode Cycle length 

(minutes (min)) 

Number of 

annual cycles 

Annual hours 

(hours) 

Microwave-Only Cooking ....................................................................................................... 2.62 1026 44.9 

TABLE II.2—LBNL CONSUMER USAGE DATA FOR CONVECTION MICROWAVE OVENS

Mode Cycle length 

(min) 

Number of 

annual cycles 

Annual hours 

(hours) 

Microwave-Only Cooking ............................................................................................................. 2.54 842 35.7 

Convection-Only Cooking ............................................................................................................ 18.70 101 31.7 

Convection-Microwave Cooking .................................................................................................. 15.00 69 17.3 

In the February 2013 NOPR, DOE also 

noted that Whirlpool Corporation 

(‘‘Whirlpool’’) provided data from an 

informal poll of their employees that 

suggested that for convection 

microwave oven owners, 90 percent of 

the total number of cooking cycles in 

the field is in the microwave-only 

cooking mode, and the remaining 10 

percent of cooking cycles is a mix of 

convection-microwave cooking mode 

and convection-only cooking mode, 

which is in relative agreement with the 

consumer usage data collected by LBNL. 

78 FR 7940, 7944. 

In the February 2013 NOPR, DOE also 

presented estimates for the annual 

energy use for each operating mode for 

microwave-only and convection 

microwave ovens based on its testing 

and available consumer usage data. 78 

FR 7940, 7950. 

TABLE II.3—FEBRUARY 2013 NOPR ESTIMATE ANNUAL ENERGY USE FOR MICROWAVE-ONLY OVENS

Mode Cycle length 

(min) 

Number of 

annual cycles 

Annual hours 

(hours) 

Average 

power 

(watts (W)) 

Annual energy 

use (kilowatthours (kWh)) 

Microwave-Only Cooking ..................................................... 2.62 1026 44.9 1582.7 71.1 

Microwave-Only Fan-Only Mode 7 ....................................... 0 0 0 0 0 

Standby/Off .......................................................................... ........................ ........................ 8715.1 2.7 23.5 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
2570 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Proposed Rules 

8 Document No. 18 in Docket No. EERE–2010– 

BT–TP–0023, available for review at http://

www.regulations.gov. 9The August 2010 draft version IEC Standard 

60705 used at the time of DOE testing used a 

smaller test container for the 275 g water load (400 

ml capacity) than specified in the November 2011 

draft version IEC Standard 60705 and the published 

IEC Standard 60705–Edition 4.1 (600 ml capacity). 

Because the dimensions of the test containers are 

sufficiently similar and the specific heat of the glass 

containers is relatively low compared to that of 

water, DOE determined that the effect on the 

measured energy use would be small and, in 

particular, the difference in repeatability and 

reproducibility of the two test containers would not 

be significant. 

TABLE II.4—FEBRUARY 2013 NOPR ESTIMATE ANNUAL ENERGY USE FOR CONVECTION MICROWAVE OVENS

Mode Cycle length 

(min) 

Number of 

annual cycles 

Annual hours 

(hours) 

Average 

power 

(W) 

Annual energy 

use 

(kWh) 

Microwave-Only Cooking ..................................................... 2.54 842 35.7 1582.7 56.5 

Convection-Only Cooking .................................................... 18.70 101 31.7 1299.4 41.2 

Convection-Microwave Cooking .......................................... 15.00 69 17.3 1421.3 24.6 

Microwave-Only Fan-Only Mode ......................................... 0 0 0 0 0 

Convection-Only Fan-Only Mode ........................................ 1.10 101 1.9 39.1 0.07 

Convection-Microwave Fan-Only Mode ............................... 0.88 69 1.0 39.1 0.04 

Standby/Off .......................................................................... ........................ ........................ 8672.4 2.7 23.4 

Issue B.1: DOE requests any more 

recent consumer usage data, if available, 

to characterize the consumer usage 

habits for microwave ovens, including 

both microwave-only ovens and 

convection microwave ovens. 

2. Active Mode Test Methods 

As discussed in section I.B.1 of this 

document, in the July 2010 Repeal Final 

Rule, DOE repealed the active mode test 

provisions originally established in 

Appendix I because they did not 

produce representative and repeatable 

measurements of microwave oven 

energy use in active mode. 75 FR 42579. 

DOE proposed in the February 2013 

NOPR to add provisions to the 

microwave oven test procedures in 

Appendix I for measuring energy use in 

microwave-only cooking mode in a 

repeatable and representative manner, 

based on the November 2011 draft 

version of IEC Standard 60705. 78 FR 

7940. AHAM commented on the 

February 2013 NOPR that it ‘‘supports 

harmonization with IEC Standard 

60705. But DOE should not base the 

U.S. test procedure on a draft of that 

standard. Instead, DOE should wait to 

harmonize with the final IEC Standard 

60705.’’ (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 4 8) On 

June 30, 2014, IEC published the 

updated version of IEC Standard 60705– 

Edition 4.1. Therefore in this RFI, DOE 

is seeking additional feedback on active 

model topics from the February 2013 

NOPR given that IEC Standard 60705 is 

now finalized and in response to 

AHAM’s previous comment supporting 

harmonization. DOE is requesting data 

and information on microwave oven 

active mode test methods, including 

data and information that may not have 

been available at the time of the 

previous rulemaking. 

a. Microwave-Only Cooking Mode 

DOE notes that the water-heating test 

method specified in IEC Standard 

60705–Edition 4.1 is the same as the 

November 2011 draft version of IEC 

Standard 60705. The test method in IEC 

Standard 60705–Edition 4.1 involves 

measuring the energy consumption 

required to heat water loads of 275 

grams (‘‘g’’), 350 g, and 1000 g, in 600 

milliliter (‘‘ml’’), 900 ml, and 2000 ml 

borosilicate glass test containers, 

respectively, by 45–50 degrees Celsius 

(‘‘°C’’) and 50–55 °C. The test method 

also requires that the difference in the 

final measured water temperature 

between these two tests must be at least 

2 °C. The results from these two 

different temperature-rise tests at each 

load size are then used to linearly 

interpolate the energy consumption 

required to heat the load by 50 °C. The 

cooking cycle energy consumption for 

each water load size is then weighted 

based on consumer usage to calculate a 

weighted-average per-cycle cooking 

energy consumption. The weighting 

factors specified in IEC Standard 60705– 

Edition 4.1 are: 275 g = 3/11; 350 g = 

6/11; 1000 g = 2/11. 

In the February 2013 NOPR, DOE 

presented results from testing to 

evaluate the repeatability of an August 

2010 draft version of the IEC Standard 

60705 water-heating test method for 

measuring the cooking cycle energy 

consumption.9 78 FR 7940, 7945. The 

results, presented in Table II.5, showed 

minimal test-to-test variation for each 

water load size. 

TABLE II.5—FEBRUARY 2013 NOPR IEC STANDARD 60705 COOKING CYCLE TEST RESULTS

Draft revised IEC standard 60705 cooking cycle test 

275 g water 

load 

350 g water 

load 

1000 g water 

load 

Overall 

weighted 

Energy Consumption (watt-hours (Wh)) ........................... Average ............ 37.99 44.34 114.90 56.11 

Min .................... 32.54 39.14 104.86 50.35 

Max ................... 46.61 54.68 130.87 66.54 

Test-to-Test Variation—Standard Error (%) ..................... Average ............ 1.08 1.06 0.44 0.58 

Min .................... 0.05 0.10 0.09 0.03 

Max ................... 2.31 2.59 0.78 1.25 

DOE also noted in the February 2013 

NOPR that the European Committee for 

Electrotechnical Standardization 

(‘‘CENELEC’’) conducted a round-robin 

testing program to evaluate the 

repeatability and reproducibility of the 

draft version of IEC Standard 60705. 78 

FR 7940, 7945. A total of five 

manufacturer test labs and five 

independent test labs in Europe 

conducted testing on each of four 

microwave oven models. For the 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Proposed Rules 2571 

10 Document No. 27 in Docket No. EERE–2010– 

BT–TP–0023, available for review at http://

www.regulations.gov. 

11 Document No. 15 in Docket No. EERE–2010– 

BT–TP–0023, available for review at http://

www.regulations.gov. 

measured weighted per-cycle cooking 

energy consumption, the results showed 

that the test-to-test variation expressed 

as standard error within each laboratory 

was on average 0.56 percent, and the 

lab-to-lab variation was on average 2.30 

percent. For the measured weighted 

cooling down energy consumption (i.e., 

energy consumption in the fan-only 

mode), the results showed that the testto-test variation expressed as standard 

error within each laboratory was on 

average 0.24 percent and the lab-to-lab 

variation was on average 6.14 percent. 

78 FR 7940, 7945. 

While IEC Standard 60705-Edition 4.1 

was not finalized at the time of the 

February 2013 NOPR, DOE received 

comments stating that the water-heating 

test method in IEC Standard 60705 is 

based on extensive testing and 

considered both repeatable and 

reproducible, and more specifically 

with regard to the CENELEC data, that 

issues related to the test procedures are 

not unique to United States as 

microwave ovens do not vary 

significantly across countries. (AHAM, 

No. 18 at pp. 2–3; AHAM, No. 27 at p. 

4; 10 Whirlpool, No. 15 at p. 1 11) 

Issue B.2: DOE requests comment on 

any developments in microwave oven 

testing methods since the February 2013 

NOPR that would assist DOE in 

determining whether to develop test 

procedures that measure active mode 

energy consumption in microwave-only 

mode. DOE requests comment and data 

on the representativeness, repeatability, 

reproducibility, and testing burdens 

associated with any suggested test 

methods. This request includes 

information on any testing experiences 

with IEC Standard-Edition 4.1 since its 

adoption. 

DOE also notes that the Informative 

Annex F in IEC Standard 60705–Edition 

4.1 includes a test method for measuring 

the fan-only mode energy consumption 

of the microwave oven during the 

cooling down period for a period of 15 

minutes after the completion of a 

cooking cycle that achieves a water-load 

temperature-rise of 50 °C. In the 

February 2013 NOPR, DOE noted that 

for all of the products in its test sample, 

which included countertop and overthe-range microwave-only and 

convection microwave ovens, none 

contained a fan that operated at the end 

of the microwave-only cooking cycle. 

DOE noted that when the door was 

closed after the load was removed at the 

end of the cooking cycle, the microwave 

ovens reverted to standby mode. 

However, DOE recognized that there 

may be microwave ovens on the market 

or future microwave ovens that could 

potentially operate in fan-only mode at 

the end of the microwave-only cooking 

cycle. As a result, DOE proposed in the 

February 2013 NOPR to include 

provisions for measuring the fan-only 

mode cooling down energy 

consumption only for microwave ovens 

equipped with a fan that operates 

automatically at the completion of the 

cooking cycle to cool down the 

microwave oven. 78 FR 7940, 7945– 

7946. AHAM opposed including a 

requirement to measure fan-only mode 

during the cooling down period for the 

following reasons: (1) If DOE pursues an 

active mode test procedure it should 

harmonize with IEC Standard 60705, 

which includes fan-only mode 

measurement only in an informative 

annex and not as a mandatory 

measurement; (2) the fan-only mode test 

procedure is not repeatable and 

reproducible; and (3) the energy 

consumed by the fan is miniscule, 

especially compared to the active mode 

cooking cycle energy use. (AHAM, No. 

27 at pp. 6–7) 

Issue B.3: DOE requests comment on 

whether any microwave ovens currently 

on the market operate in fan-only mode 

during the cooling down period after the 

end of the microwave-only cooking 

cycle. This request includes comments 

about fan-only mode for all types of 

fans, including exhaust fans, convection 

fans, and magnetron fans. DOE also 

requests information on manufacturers’ 

experience with the fan-only mode test 

procedure in IEC Standard 60705- 

Edition 4.1, specifically with regard to 

the repeatability and reproducibility of 

the test method. 

b. Convection Microwave Ovens 

In the February 2013 NOPR, DOE 

proposed test methods for measuring 

the active mode energy consumption of 

convection microwave ovens. DOE 

proposed to measure the energy 

consumption of the microwave-only 

cooking mode for convection microwave 

ovens using the test procedures 

described in section II.B.2.a of this 

document. DOE also proposed to 

measure the energy consumption of the 

convection-only cooking mode based on 

the aluminum test block test method 

specified at the time of the February 

2013 NOPR in the DOE conventional 

oven test procedures in Appendix I. 

Finally, DOE proposed to calculate the 

energy consumption of the convectionmicrowave cooking cycle by 

apportioning the microwave-only mode 

and convection-only mode energy 

consumption measurements based on 

typical consumer use. 78 FR 7940, 7947. 

AHAM and Whirlpool stated that 

DOE should not develop test procedures 

for convection microwave ovens 

because: (1) They represent only 4 

percent of microwave oven shipments, 

(2) the potential for energy savings is 

trivial compared to the added test 

burden, and (3) there are currently no 

international test standards for 

measuring the convection function of 

the microwave oven. (AHAM, No. 18 at 

p. 3; AHAM, No. 27 at p. 3; Whirlpool, 

No. 15 at pp. 4–6) 

Issue B.4. DOE requests any updated 

shipments data, since the February 2013 

NOPR, for convection microwave ovens. 

DOE also requests comment on any 

development of industry standards that 

measure the convection function of a 

convection microwave oven. 

In the February 2013 NOPR, DOE 

initially determined that testing using 

actual or simulated food loads does not 

produce repeatable or reproducible 

results. DOE also understood that using 

thermocouples during a convectionmicrowave cooking cycle would not be 

appropriate due to safety concerns. As 

a result, DOE did not propose test 

methods using actual or simulated food 

loads, or thermocouples, for measuring 

the energy consumption of convection 

microwave ovens. 78 FR 7940, 7949. In 

lieu of testing using actual or simulated 

food loads, DOE presented test results 

showing that the proposed aluminum 

block test method for testing in 

convection-only cooking mode 

produced repeatable results. 78 FR 

7940, 7948. 

DOE proposed to add the calculated 

convection-only cooking cycle energy 

consumption and the measured fan-only 

mode energy consumption to calculate 

the total convection-only mode energy 

consumption. 78 FR 7940, 7949. DOE 

further proposed to apply a field use 

factor to the calculation of the 

convection-only mode energy 

consumption to account for the typical 

consumer use of this cooking mode. Id. 

AHAM commented that with regard 

to the proposed aluminum block test 

method that: (1) It would be impossible 

to get a consistent thermocouple reading 

because the aluminum test block would 

be rotating on the turntable, and (2) the 

proposed aluminum test block test load 

was not representative of actual 

consumer food loads in a convection 

microwave oven. (AHAM, No. 27 at pp. 

8–10) AHAM also stated, for the same 

reasons discussed in section II.B.2.a of 

this document, that it opposed a fanonly mode energy use measurement. 

(AHAM, No. 27 at p. 9) AHAM 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
2572 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Proposed Rules 

12Manufacturer’s installation instructions 

include procedures for reconfiguring the vent fan, 

which typically involve removing an external vent 

fan cover plate, rotating the blower assembly, and 

replacing the cover plate. 

commented that if DOE were to 

establish an active mode test procedure 

for microwave ovens and convection 

microwave ovens, DOE should follow 

the approach taken in IEC Standard 

60705 and require measurement of only 

the primary cooking function of 

convection microwave ovens. AHAM 

added that this approach: (1) Would 

allow consumers to compare products 

according to how they view them—as 

microwave ovens; (2) would harmonize 

with the international approach, 

reducing burden on manufacturers; and 

(3) would not result in a significant loss 

in energy savings because there was not 

significant technology available to 

reduce energy use in active mode in 

either the microwave or convection 

functions. (AHAM, No. 27 at pp. 7–8) 

Issue B.5: DOE requests information 

on any developments since the February 

2013 NOPR that DOE should consider in 

determining whether to develop test 

procedures that measure active mode 

energy consumption for convection 

microwave ovens. Such information 

could include potential test methods for 

measuring energy use in microwaveonly, convection-only, and convectionmicrowave cooking modes 

c. Installation Configurations for Overthe-Range Microwave Ovens 

As discussed in the February 2013 

NOPR, for over-the-range microwave 

ovens, products equipped with a fan 

designed to vent air out of the 

microwave oven cooking cavity both 

during the cooking cycle and during the 

fan-only mode cooling down period 

offer two installation configurations: (1) 

Such that the vent fan exhausts air from 

the cooking cavity to the outdoors and 

(2) such that the vent fan recirculates air 

from the cooking cavity back into the 

room (‘‘recirculation configuration’’).12

For the majority of products in DOE’s 

test sample, the default installation 

configuration for the venting fan was for 

air recirculation back into the room. In 

the February 2013 NOPR, DOE proposed 

to require that over-the-range 

microwave ovens be installed with the 

exhaust vent/recirculation fan installed 

in the recirculation configuration in 

accordance with manufacturer’s 

instructions. 78 FR 7940, 7946. 

AHAM commented in response to the 

February 2013 NOPR that, to its 

knowledge, for safety reasons 

manufacturers do not recommend that 

anyone other than trained service 

technicians disassemble a microwave 

oven. AHAM stated that DOE should 

require that over-the-range microwave 

ovens be installed in the as-shipped 

configuration in accordance with the 

manufacturer’s instructions. AHAM 

added that its members stated that this 

would not add test burden to them as 

their laboratories are already capable of 

testing in both configurations. In 

addition, AHAM stated that it does not 

expect that the configuration will affect 

the measured energy, and thus, different 

installation configurations should 

provide consistent measurements across 

products. (AHAM, No. 27 at p. 5) 

Issue B.6: As DOE considers 

developing test procedures to measure 

the active mode energy consumption for 

microwave ovens, DOE seeks 

information on appropriate installation 

conditions for over-the-range microwave 

ovens. In particular, DOE seeks 

information on the installation 

requirements for these products, 

including: (1) Whether any products are 

shipped with the venting fan installed 

in the outdoor venting configuration 

and (2) whether instructions advise that 

only trained service technicians install 

these products. In addition, if interested 

parties believe that products should be 

tested in the as-shipped configuration, 

DOE welcomes comment on specific 

vent requirements for products shipped 

in the outdoor venting configuration 

(e.g., duct dimensions, materials, etc.). 

3. Standby Mode and Off Mode Test 

Methods 

a. Displays and Clocks 

The current standby mode and off 

mode test procedures for microwave 

ovens in Appendix I specify that the 

microwave oven must be set up in 

accordance with section 5.2 

‘‘Preparation of product’’ of IEC 62301 

(Second Edition). This provision 

requires preparing and setting up the 

microwave oven in accordance with the 

manufacturer’s instructions, and if no 

manufacturer instructions are available, 

using the factory or ‘‘default’’ settings, 

or where there are no indications for 

such settings, testing the microwave 

oven as supplied. For the microwave 

oven standby mode and off mode power 

measurement, if a microwave oven 

drops from a higher power state to a 

lower power state, section 3.1.3.1 in 

Appendix I requires allowing sufficient 

time for the microwave oven to reach 

the lower power state before measuring 

power consumption. 

Microwave Ovens With the Option To 

Turn On/Off the Clock Display 

DOE notes that most manufacturer 

instructions provide procedures for 

setting the clock display as part of the 

initial setup of the product. DOE is also 

aware that some microwave ovens 

available on the market may provide the 

user with the option to turn the clock 

display on or off. DOE notes that in both 

of these cases, based on the provisions 

in the test procedures, if the 

manufacturer’s instructions for the 

initial setup of the product include 

instructions to set the clock display, 

then the microwave oven would be 

tested with the clock display powered 

on, as described above. 

Issue B.7: DOE requests information 

to help it determine whether the 

standby mode and off mode test 

procedures for microwave ovens should 

be amended, in particular for 

microwave ovens with an option to turn 

the display on or off. DOE seeks data on 

the standby power consumption with 

the display turned on and off. DOE also 

seeks information on the control logic of 

this function implemented in different 

models. For example, does the display 

automatically turn on and remain on 

indefinitely after the door is opened or 

if the microwave cooking cycle is 

operated? DOE requests consumer usage 

data on how frequently consumers 

power off the clock display when this 

option is available, and on how much 

consumers value a microwave oven 

clock display that is capable of 

remaining powered on at all times. 

Issue B.8: DOE seeks additional 

information regarding how 

manufacturer instructions for the initial 

setup of the microwave oven differ from 

the default as-shipped settings of the 

microwave oven, and the merits of 

requiring initial setup in accordance 

with manufacturer instructions versus 

only requiring testing using the default 

settings. 

Microwave Ovens That Automatically 

Power Down the Clock Display 

DOE is aware that some microwave 

ovens available on the market 

automatically power down the display 

after a period of user inactivity, which 

reduces the standby power consumption 

of the product. As discussed previously, 

Appendix I requires testing such 

products after the display powers down 

and reaches a stable state. However, 

DOE recognizes that some manufacturer 

instructions provide instructions, not in 

the initial setup section, for disabling 

this feature so that the clock/display 

remains on at all times; others do not 

provide instructions for disabling this 

feature. 

Issue B.9: DOE seeks information to 

help it consider whether to amend the 

standby mode and off mode test 

procedures for microwave ovens to 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Proposed Rules 2573 

address microwave ovens with an 

automatic power-down function. DOE 

seeks information on the control logic of 

this function implemented in different 

models. In addition, DOE requests 

consumer usage data on how frequently 

consumers disable the automatic powerdown function when this feature is 

available. 

Issue B.10: DOE also requests 

comment on whether there are any other 

options or features that the current test 

procedures may not clearly delineate 

how to test, and how to test such 

options/features. 

b. Connected Functions 

DOE is aware of a manufacturer that 

currently offers one over-the-range 

microwave oven model that uses 

Bluetooth® technology to connect 

certain control functions to a 

corresponding Bluetooth-equipped 

conventional range. The Bluetooth 

connection allows the microwave oven 

to synchronize its clock time to that of 

the range, and to coordinate the 

operation of the microwave ovens vent 

fan and/or cooking top surface lights 

with the functional state of the range. 

For example, with this feature enabled, 

the vent fan or cooking top surface 

lights on the microwave oven can be 

programmed to automatically turn on 

whenever the cooking top component of 

the conventional range is in use. The 

products’ controls may consume 

different amounts of energy depending 

on whether the Bluetooth function is 

enabled or disabled. 

Issue B.11: DOE requests information 

to help it determine whether to amend 

the standby mode and off mode test 

procedures to address microwave ovens 

that use Bluetooth technology, 

including information as to suitable test 

methods. DOE seeks information (such 

as survey data) on whether consumers 

typically use this Bluetooth connection, 

when available. 

DOE understands that certain 

consumer cooking products include 

internet connections to allow for 

additional control functions. In these 

cases, the product controls may 

consume different amounts of energy 

depending on whether the internet 

connection is enabled or disabled, and 

if enabled, whether it is connected to a 

network. DOE is not aware of any 

microwave ovens currently on the 

market that include this feature. 

Issue B.12: DOE requests comment on 

whether any microwave ovens currently 

available on the market incorporate this 

feature. If such products exist or 

manufacturers have plans to introduce 

such products, DOE seeks comment on: 

(1) Details about why this feature is 

useful, (2) the potential energy impacts 

of microwave ovens equipped with a 

connected configuration, and (3) 

appropriate energy-related settings to 

use for testing. 

4. Integrated Annual Energy Use Metric 

The current DOE energy conservation 

standards for microwave ovens are 

based on standby power consumption, 

in watts. 10 CFR 430.32(j)(3). EPCA 

requires that, if DOE develops active 

mode test procedures for microwave 

ovens, it must also incorporate active 

mode, standby mode, and off mode 

energy use into a single energy use 

metric, unless it is technically infeasible 

to do so. (42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(2)(A)) 

Issue B.13: DOE welcomes input that 

would help it consider methods for 

calculating integrated annual energy 

use. DOE requests comment on the 

technical feasibility of establishing an 

integrated annual energy use metric for 

microwave ovens that incorporates 

active mode, standby mode, and off 

mode energy use. DOE also seeks data 

on the consumer usage habits for each 

available operating mode for both 

microwave-only ovens and convection 

microwave ovens. 

C. Other Test Procedure Topics 

In addition to the issues identified 

earlier in this document, DOE welcomes 

comment on any other aspect of the 

existing test procedures for microwave 

ovens not already addressed in this 

document. DOE particularly seeks 

information that would improve the 

repeatability, and reproducibility, as 

well as the ability of the test procedures 

to provide results that are representative 

of actual use. DOE also requests 

information that would help DOE create 

a procedure that would limit 

manufacturer test burden through 

streamlining or simplifying testing 

requirements. Comments regarding the 

repeatability and reproducibility are 

also welcome. 

DOE also requests feedback on any 

potential amendments to the existing 

test procedure(s) that could be 

considered to address impacts on 

manufacturers, including small 

businesses. Regarding the Federal test 

method, DOE seeks comment on the 

degree to which the DOE test procedure 

should consider and be harmonized 

with the most recent relevant industry 

standards for microwave ovens and 

whether there are any changes to the 

Federal test method that would provide 

additional benefits to the public. DOE 

also requests comment on the benefits 

and burdens of adopting any industry/ 

voluntary consensus-based or other 

appropriate test procedure, without 

modification. As discussed in sections 

II.B.2.a and II.B.3 of this document, DOE 

is aware of the IEC test procedure, IEC 

Standard 60705, which includes tests 

for measuring energy use in microwaveonly cooking mode for microwave 

ovens, and IEC Standard 62301, which 

includes tests for measuring the power 

consumption in standby mode and off 

mode. IEC Standard 60705 also includes 

an informative annex, which specifies a 

test method for measuring the fan-only 

mode energy consumption of 

microwave ovens during a cooling down 

period after the completion of a cooking 

cycle. 

Additionally, DOE requests comment 

on whether the existing test procedures 

limit a manufacturer’s ability to provide 

additional features to consumers on 

microwave ovens. DOE particularly 

seeks information on how the test 

procedures could be amended to reduce 

the cost of new or additional features 

and make it more likely that such 

features are included on microwave 

ovens. 

III. Submission of Comments 

DOE invites all interested parties to 

submit in writing by February 20, 2018, 

comments and information on matters 

addressed in this notice and on other 

matters relevant to DOE’s consideration 

of amended test procedures for 

microwave ovens. These comments and 

information will aid in the development 

of a test procedure NOPR for microwave 

ovens if DOE determines that amended 

test procedures may be appropriate for 

these products. 

Submitting comments via http://

www.regulations.gov. The http://

www.regulations.gov web page will 

require you to provide your name and 

contact information. Your contact 

information will be viewable to DOE 

Building Technologies staff only. Your 

contact information will not be publicly 

viewable except for your first and last 

names, organization name (if any), and 

submitter representative name (if any). 

If your comment is not processed 

properly because of technical 

difficulties, DOE will use this 

information to contact you. If DOE 

cannot read your comment due to 

technical difficulties and cannot contact 

you for clarification, DOE may not be 

able to consider your comment. 

However, your contact information 

will be publicly viewable if you include 

it in the comment or in any documents 

attached to your comment. Any 

information that you do not want to be 

publicly viewable should not be 

included in your comment, nor in any 

document attached to your comment. 

Persons viewing comments will see only 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
2574 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Proposed Rules 

first and last names, organization 

names, correspondence containing 

comments, and any documents 

submitted with the comments. 

Do not submit to http://

www.regulations.gov information for 

which disclosure is restricted by statute, 

such as trade secrets and commercial or 

financial information (hereinafter 

referred to as Confidential Business 

Information (‘‘CBI’’)). Comments 

submitted through http://

www.regulations.gov cannot be claimed 

as CBI. Comments received through the 

website will waive any CBI claims for 

the information submitted. For 

information on submitting CBI, see the 

Confidential Business Information 

section. 

DOE processes submissions made 

through http://www.regulations.gov 

before posting. Normally, comments 

will be posted within a few days of 

being submitted. However, if large 

volumes of comments are being 

processed simultaneously, your 

comment may not be viewable for up to 

several weeks. Please keep the comment 

tracking number that http://

www.regulations.gov provides after you 

have successfully uploaded your 

comment. 

Submitting comments via email, hand 

delivery, or mail. Comments and 

documents submitted via email, hand 

delivery, or mail also will be posted to 

http://www.regulations.gov. If you do 

not want your personal contact 

information to be publicly viewable, do 

not include it in your comment or any 

accompanying documents. Instead, 

provide your contact information on a 

cover letter. Include your first and last 

names, email address, telephone 

number, and optional mailing address. 

The cover letter will not be publicly 

viewable as long as it does not include 

any comments. 

Include contact information each time 

you submit comments, data, documents, 

and other information to DOE. If you 

submit via mail or hand delivery, please 

provide all items on a CD, if feasible. It 

is not necessary to submit printed 

copies. No facsimiles (faxes) will be 

accepted. 

Comments, data, and other 

information submitted to DOE 

electronically should be provided in 

PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or 

Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file 

format. Provide documents that are not 

secured, written in English and free of 

any defects or viruses. Documents 

should not contain special characters or 

any form of encryption and, if possible, 

they should carry the electronic 

signature of the author. 

Campaign form letters. Please submit 

campaign form letters by the originating 

organization in batches of between 50 to 

500 form letters per PDF or as one form 

letter with a list of supporters’ names 

compiled into one or more PDFs. This 

reduces comment processing and 

posting time. 

Confidential Business Information. 

According to 10 CFR 1004.11, any 

person submitting information that he 

or she believes to be confidential and 

exempt by law from public disclosure 

should submit via email, postal mail, or 

hand delivery two well-marked copies: 

one copy of the document marked 

confidential including all the 

information believed to be confidential, 

and one copy of the document marked 

‘‘non-confidential’’ with the information 

believed to be confidential deleted. 

Submit these documents via email or on 

a CD, if feasible. DOE will make its own 

determination about the confidential 

status of the information and treat it 

according to its determination. 

Factors of interest to DOE when 

evaluating requests to treat submitted 

information as confidential include (1) a 

description of the items, (2) whether 

and why such items are customarily 

treated as confidential within the 

industry, (3) whether the information is 

generally known by or available from 

other sources, (4) whether the 

information has previously been made 

available to others without obligation 

concerning its confidentiality, (5) an 

explanation of the competitive injury to 

the submitting person which would 

result from public disclosure, (6) when 

such information might lose its 

confidential character due to the 

passage of time, and (7) why disclosure 

of the information would be contrary to 

the public interest. 

It is DOE’s policy that all comments 

may be included in the public docket, 

without change and as received, 

including any personal information 

provided in the comments (except 

information deemed to be exempt from 

public disclosure). 

DOE considers public participation to 

be a very important part of the process 

for developing test procedures and 

energy conservation standards. DOE 

actively encourages the participation 

and interaction of the public during the 

comment period in each stage of this 

process. Interactions with and between 

members of the public provide a 

balanced discussion of the issues and 

assist DOE in the process. Anyone who 

wishes to be added to the DOE mailing 

list to receive future notices and 

information about this process, the 

subject of this notice, or any other 

questions with regards to the Federal 

test procedures for microwaves should 

contact Appliance and Equipment 

Standards Program staff at (202) 287– 

1445 or via email at 

ApplianceStandardsQuestions@

ee.doe.gov. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 

14, 2017. 

Kathleen B. Hogan, 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy 

Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and Renewable 

Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2018–00776 Filed 1–17–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2017–1092; Airspace 

Docket No. 17–AWP–27] 

Proposed Amendment of Class E 

Airspace; Merced, CA 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

amend Class E airspace extending 

upward from 700 feet above the surface 

at Merced Regional/MacReady Field 

(formerly Merced Municipal/MacReady 

Field), Merced, CA, to accommodate 

airspace redesign due to the 

decommissioning of the El Nido VHF 

Omnidirectional Range/Distance 

Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) as 

the FAA transitions from ground-based 

to satellite-based navigation. Also, this 

action would remove Class E airspace 

upward from 1,200 feet above the 

surface and would update the airport 

name to match the FAA’s aeronautical 

database. An editorial change would 

also be made to the Class E surface area 

airspace legal description replacing 

‘‘Airport/Facility Directory’’ with the 

term ‘‘Chart Supplement’’. These 

actions are necessary for the safety and 

management of instrument flight rules 

(IFR) operations at the airport. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before March 5, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590; telephone: 

1(800) 647–5527, or (202) 366–9826. 

You must identify FAA Docket No. 

FAA–2017–1092; Airspace Docket No. 

17–AWP–27, at the beginning of your 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS