9002 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 23 / Wednesday, February 5, 2025 / Rules and Regulations 

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 

clarifying the test procedures for general 

service lamps published in the Federal 

Register on January 16, 2025 (90 FR 

4589). The January 16, 2025, rule 

adopted clarifications to the test 

procedures for general service lamps 

(‘‘GSLs’’) located in appendix W, 

appendix BB and appendix DD. 

Specifically, DOE clarified instructions 

that GSLs must not be tested as colored 

lamps and that lamps with additional 

components that do not affect light 

output must be turned off during 

testing. The clarifications also specified 

that non-integrated lamps be tested with 

a fluorescent lamp ballast, high 

intensity discharge (‘‘HID’’) lamp ballast 

or external light-emitting diode (‘‘LED’’) 

driver selected based on compatibility 

lists and availability; and provided 

specifications regarding the starting 

method, ballast factor, and number of 

lamps. 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 Chief of 

Staff’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 or 

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 15, 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. 2025–02235 Filed 2–4–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

10 CFR Part 430 

[EERE–2024–BT–TP–0009] 

RIN 1904–AF68 

Energy Conservation Program: Test 

Procedures for Residential and 

Commercial Clothes Washers and 

Consumer Clothes Dryers 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective 

date. 

SUMMARY: This document delays the 

effective date of a recently published 

final rule amending the test procedures 

for residential and commercial clothes 

washers and consumer clothes dryers. 

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 part 430 published at 

90 FR 5519 on January 17, 2025, is 

delayed until March 21, 2025. Written 

comments and information will be 

accepted on or before March 7, 2025. 

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: 

ApplianceStandardsQuestions@

ee.doe.gov. 

Mr. Uchechukwu ‘‘Emeka’’ Eze, 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: uchechukwu.eze@

hq.doe.gov. 

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 

residential and commercial clothes 

washers and consumer clothes dryers 

published in the Federal Register on 

January 17, 2025 (90 FR 5519). The 

January 17, 2025, rule amended the test 

procedures for residential and 

commercial clothes washers and 

consumer clothes dryers to: (1) update 

the test cloth specifications and allow 

for an alternate test cloth; and (2) 

reorganize the test procedures for 

improved readability. 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 Chief of 

Staff’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 or 

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 16, 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 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 23 / Wednesday, February 5, 2025 / Rules and Regulations 9003 

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. 2025–02237 Filed 2–4–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2024–2570; Special 

Conditions No. 25–875–SC] 

Special Conditions: Airbus Model 

A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR Series 

Airplanes; Dynamic Test Requirements 

for Single Occupant Oblique Seats at 

an Installation Angle of 49 Degrees 

With Airbags and 3-Point Restraint or 

Pretensioner Restraint Systems 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for the Airbus Model A321neo 

ACF and A321neo XLR airplanes. These 

airplanes will have a novel or unusual 

design feature when compared to the 

state of technology envisioned in the 

airworthiness standards for transport 

category airplanes. This design feature 

is a single-occupant oblique seat with an 

airbag and 3-point or pretensioner 

restraint system positioned at a 49- 

degree angle from the cabin centerline. 

The applicable airworthiness 

regulations do not contain adequate or 

appropriate safety standards for this 

design feature. These special conditions 

contain the additional safety standards 

that the Administrator considers 

necessary to establish a level of safety 

equivalent to that established by the 

existing airworthiness standards. 

DATES: Effective February 5, 2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shannon Lennon, Cabin Safety Section, 

AIR–624, Technical Policy Branch, 

Policy and Standards Division, Aircraft 

Certification Service, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 2200 South 216th 

Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone (206) 231–3209; email 

Shannon.Lennon@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On April 6, 2022, Airbus SAS applied 

for an amendment to Type Certificate 

(TC) No. A28NM for the installation of 

a single-occupant oblique seat with an 

airbag and 3-point or pretensioner 

restraint system, positioned at a 49- 

degree angle from the cabin centerline 

in new Airbus Model A321neo ACF and 

A321neo XLR airplanes. Airbus Model 

A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR 

airplanes, which are derivatives of the 

Model A321 currently approved under 

TC No. A28NM, are twin-engine, 

transport category airplanes with a 

maximum passenger capacity of 244. 

The maximum takeoff weight of the 

Airbus Model A321neo ACF is 

approximately 213,848 pounds, while 

the Airbus Model A321neo XLR has a 

maximum takeoff weight of 

approximately 222,667 pounds. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions of 14 CFR 

21.101, Airbus SAS must show that the 

Model A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR 

airplanes, as changed, continue to meet 

the applicable provisions of the 

regulations listed in TC No. A28NM or 

the applicable regulations in effect on 

the date of application for the change, 

except for earlier amendments as agreed 

upon by the FAA. 

If the Administrator finds that the 

applicable airworthiness regulations 

(e.g., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain 

adequate or appropriate safety standards 

for Airbus Model A321neo ACF and 

A321neo XLR airplanes because of a 

novel or unusual design feature, special 

conditions are prescribed under the 

provisions of § 21.16. 

Special conditions are initially 

applicable to the model for which they 

are issued. Should the type certificate 

for that model be amended later to 

include any other model that 

incorporates the same novel or unusual 

design feature, or should any other 

model already included on the same 

type certificate be modified to 

incorporate the same novel or unusual 

design feature, these special conditions 

would also apply to the other model 

under § 21.101. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and special 

conditions, Airbus Model A321neo ACF 

and A321neo XLR airplanes must 

comply with the exhaust-emission 

requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and the 

noise-certification requirements of 14 

CFR part 36. 

The FAA issues special conditions, as 

defined in 14 CFR 11.19, in accordance 

with § 11.38, and they become part of 

the type certification basis under 

§ 21.101. 

Novel or Unusual Design Features 

Airbus Model A321neo ACF and 

A321neo XLR airplanes will incorporate 

the following novel or unusual design 

feature: single-occupant oblique seats 

with airbag devices and 3-point 

restraints or a pretensioner restraint 

system installed at 49 degrees relative to 

the aircraft cabin centerline. 

Discussion 

Title 14 of the CFR, § 25.785(d), 

requires that each occupant of a seat 

installed at an angle of more than 18 

degrees relative to airplane cabin 

centerline, must be protected from head 

injury using a seatbelt and an energyabsorbing rest that supports the arms, 

shoulders, head, and spine, or using a 

seatbelt and shoulder harness designed 

to prevent the head from contacting any 

injurious object. 

The Airbus Model A321neo ACF and 

A321neo XLR airplane’s single occupant 

oblique seat installation with airbag 

devices and 3-point restraint or 

pretensioner restraint system is novel 

such that the current requirements do 

not adequately address airbag or 

pretensioner devices and protection of 

the occupant’s neck, spine, torso, and 

legs for seating configurations that are 

positioned at an angle of 49 degrees 

from the airplane centerline. The seating 

configuration installation angle is 

beyond the installation-design limits of 

current special conditions issued for 

seat positions at angles between 18 

degrees and 45 degrees. At angles 

greater than 45 degrees, lateral neck 

bending and other injury mechanisms 

prevalent from a fully side-facing 

installation become a concern, given the 

addition of oblique seat properties. To 

address these potential injury 

mechanisms, these special conditions 

are based on FAA Policy Statement PS– 

AIR–25–27, ‘‘Technical Criteria for 

Approving Obliques Seats’’ as well as 

Policy Statement PS–ANM–25–03–R1, 

‘‘Technical Criteria for Approving SideFacing Seats.’’ 

To provide a level of safety equivalent 

to that afforded to the occupants of 

forward and aft-facing seats, new special 

conditions containing additional 

airworthiness standards for dynamic 

testing requirements, including both the 

injury criteria limits from the obliqueseat policy and the fully side-facing seat 

policy, are necessary. 

FAA-sponsored research found that 

an un-restrained flailing of the upper 

torso, even when the pelvis and torso 

are nearly aligned, can produce serious 

spinal and torso injuries. At lower 

impact severities, even with significant 

misalignment between the torso and 


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