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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 5, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 9001]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-02234]

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Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 23 / Wednesday, February 5, 2025 / 
Rules and Regulations

[[Page 9001]]

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Parts 429 and 430

[EERE-2022-BT-TP-0028]
RIN 1904-AF49

Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Central Air 
Conditioners and Heat Pumps

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

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: This document delays the effective date of a recently 
published final rule amending the test procedures for central air 
conditioners and heat pumps. DOE also seeks comment on any further 
delay of the effective date, including the impacts of such delay, as 
well as comment on the legal, factual, or policy issues raised by the 
rule.

DATES: The effective date of the rule amending 10 CFR parts 429 and 430 
published at 90 FR 1224 on January 7, 2025, are delayed until March 21, 
2025. Written comments and information will be accepted on or before 
March 7, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Dr. Pradeep Prathibha, 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: 
(240) 255-0630. Email: [email protected].
    Mr. Pete Cochran, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General 
Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. 
Telephone: (202) 586-4798. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  On January 20, 2025, the Assistant to the 
President and Chief of Staff (``Chief of Staff'') issued a memorandum 
outlining the President's plan for managing the Federal regulatory 
process at the outset of the new Administration. In implementation of 
one of the measures directed by that memorandum, the United States 
Department of Energy (``DOE'') hereby temporarily postpones the 
effective date of its final rule amending the test procedures for 
central air conditioners and heat pumps published in the Federal 
Register on January 7, 2025 (90 FR 1224). The January 7, 2025, rule 
amends the test procedures for measuring the energy efficiency of 
central air conditioners and heat pumps by incorporating the latest 
version of the applicable industry standards and adopting a new 
industry standard that would apply to future energy conservation 
standards based on two new energy efficiency metrics. Consistent with 
the Chief of Staff's memorandum of January 20, 2025, DOE is temporarily 
postponing the effective date of the final rule to March 21, 2025. The 
temporary delay in effective date is necessary to give DOE officials 
the opportunity for further review and consideration of new 
regulations, consistent with the President's memorandum of January 20, 
2025.
    To the extent that 5 U.S.C. 553 applies to this action, it is 
exempt from notice and comment because it constitutes a rule of 
procedure under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A) and for which no notice of hearing 
is required by statute. The delay of the effective date to March 21, 
2025, does not affect the compliance date for this rule, which remains 
July 7, 2025. DOE is, however, seeking comment on any further delay of 
the effective date, including the impacts of such delay, as well as 
comment on the legal, factual, or policy issues raised by the rule.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on January 30, 
2025, by Jocelyn Richards, Acting General Counsel, Office of the 
General Counsel, pursuant to delegated authority from the Acting 
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 January 31, 2025.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2025-02234 Filed 2-4-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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