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

34637 

Vol. 86, No. 123 

Wednesday, June 30, 2021 

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL 

MANAGEMENT 

5 CFR Part 843 

RIN 3206–AO13 

Federal Employees’ Retirement 

System; Present Value Conversion 

Factors for Spouses of Deceased 

Separated Employees 

AGENCY: Office of Personnel 

Management. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel 

Management (OPM) is issuing a 

proposed rule to revise the table of 

reduction factors for early commencing 

dates of survivor annuities for spouses 

of separated employees who die before 

the date on which they would be 

eligible for unreduced deferred 

annuities, and to revise the annuity 

factor for spouses of deceased 

employees who die in service when 

those spouses elect to receive the basic 

employee death benefit in 36 

installments under the Federal 

Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) 

Act of 1986. These rules are necessary 

to ensure that the tables conform to the 

economic and demographic 

assumptions adopted by the Board of 

Actuaries and published in the Federal 

Register on March 29, 2021, as required 

by law. 

DATES: Send comments on or before 

August 30, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by docket number and/or 

Regulatory Information Number (RIN) 

and title, by the following method: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

All submissions received must 

include the agency name and docket 

number or RIN for this document. The 

general policy for comments and other 

submissions from members of the public 

is to make these submissions available 

for public viewing at http://

www.regulations.gov as they are 

received without change, including any 

personal identifiers or contact 

information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Karla Yeakle, (202) 606–0299. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 

29, 2021, OPM published a notice at 86 

FR 16401 in the Federal Register to 

revise the normal cost percentages 

under the Federal Employees’ 

Retirement System (FERS) Act of 1986, 

Public Law 99–335, 100 Stat. 514, as 

amended, based on economic 

assumptions and demographic factors 

adopted by the Board of Actuaries of the 

Civil Service Retirement System. By 

statute under 5 U.S.C. 8461(i), the 

revisions to the actuarial assumptions 

require corresponding changes in factors 

used to produce actuarially equivalent 

benefits when required by the FERS Act. 

Section 843.309 of title 5, Code of 

Federal Regulations, regulates the 

payment of the basic employee death 

benefit. Under 5 U.S.C. 8442(b), the 

basic employee death benefit may be 

paid to a surviving spouse as a lump 

sum or as an equivalent benefit in 36 

installments. These rules amend 5 CFR 

843.309(b)(2) to conform the factor used 

to convert the lump sum to 36- 

installment payments with the revised 

economic assumptions. 

Section 843.311 of title 5, Code of 

Federal Regulations, regulates the 

benefits for the survivors of separated 

employees under 5 U.S.C. 8442(c). This 

section provides a choice of benefits for 

eligible current and former spouses. If 

the current or former spouse is the 

person entitled to the unexpended 

balance under the order of precedence 

under 5 U.S.C. 8424, he or she may elect 

to receive the unexpended balance 

instead of an annuity. If the separated 

employee died before having attained 

the minimum retirement age, the 

annuity commences on the day the 

deceased separated employee would 

have been eligible for an unreduced 

annuity as specified under this section. 

If the current or former spouse instead 

elects to receive an adjusted annuity 

beginning on the day after the death of 

the separated employee, the annuity is 

reduced using the factors in appendix A 

to subpart C of part 843 to make the 

annuity actuarially equivalent to the 

present value of the annuity that the 

spouse or former spouse otherwise 

would have received. These rules 

amend appendix A to subpart C of part 

843 to conform the factors to the revised 

actuarial assumptions. 

Regulatory Impact Analysis 

OPM has examined the impact of this 

rule as required by Executive Order 

12866 and Executive Order 13563, 

which directs agencies to assess all costs 

and benefits of available regulatory 

alternatives and, if regulation is 

necessary, to select regulatory 

approaches that maximize net benefits 

(including potential economic, 

environmental, public, health, and 

safety effects, distributive impacts, and 

equity). A regulatory impact analysis 

must be prepared for major rules with 

economically significant effects of $100 

million or more in any one year. This 

rule was not designated as a ‘‘significant 

regulatory action,’’ under Executive 

Order 12866. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

The Office of Personnel Management 

certifies that this rule will not have a 

significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities. 

Federalism 

We have examined this rule in 

accordance with Executive Order 13132, 

Federalism, and have determined that 

this rule will not have any negative 

impact on the rights, roles and 

responsibilities of State, local, or tribal 

governments. 

Civil Justice Reform 

This regulation meets the applicable 

standard set forth in Executive Order 

12988. 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 

1995 

This rule will not result in the 

expenditure by state, local, and tribal 

governments, in the aggregate, or by the 

private sector, of $100 million or more 

in any year and it will not significantly 

or uniquely affect small governments. 

Therefore, no actions were deemed 

necessary under the provisions of the 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 

1995. 

Congressional Review Act 

The Congressional Review Act (5 

U.S.C. 801 et seq.) requires rules (as 

defined in 5 U.S.C. 804) to be submitted 

to Congress before taking effect. OPM 

will submit to Congress and the 

Comptroller General of the United 


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34638 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 123 / Wednesday, June 30, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

States a report regarding the issuance of 

this action before its effective date, as 

required by 5 U.S.C. 801. OMB’s Office 

of Information and Regulatory Affairs 

has determined that this is not a ‘‘major 

rule’’ as defined by the Congressional 

Review Act (5 U.S.C. 804(2)). 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

Notwithstanding any other provision 

of law, no person is required to respond 

to, nor shall any person be subject to a 

penalty for failure to comply with a 

collection of information subject to the 

requirements of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 

et seq.) (PRA), unless that collection of 

information displays a currently valid 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) Control Number. 

This rule involves an OMB approved 

collection of information subject to the 

PRA Application for Death Benefits 

(FERS)/Documentation and Elections in 

Support of Application for Death 

Benefits when Deceased was an 

Employee at the Time of Death (FERS), 

3206–0172. The public reporting burden 

for this collection is estimated to 

average 60 minutes per response, 

including time for reviewing 

instructions, searching existing data 

sources, gathering and maintaining the 

data needed, and completing and 

reviewing the collection of information. 

The total burden hour estimate for this 

form is 16,751 hours. The systems of 

record notice for this collection is: OPM 

SORN CENTRAL–1-Civil Service 

Retirement and Insurance Records. 

List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 843 

Air traffic controllers, Disability 

benefits, Firefighters, Government 

employees, Law enforcement officers, 

Pensions, Retirement. 

Office of Personnel Management. 

Alexys Stanley, 

Regulatory Affairs Analyst. 

For the reasons stated in the 

preamble, the Office of Personnel 

Management proposes to amend 5 CFR 

part 843 as follows: 

PART 843—FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 

RETIREMENT SYSTEM—DEATH 

BENEFITS AND EMPLOYEE REFUNDS 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 843 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 8461; 843.205, 

843.208, and 843.209 also issued under 5 

U.S.C. 8424; 843.309 also issued under 5 

U.S.C. 8442; 843.406 also issued under 5 

U.S.C. 8441. 

Subpart C—Current and Former 

Spouse Benefits 

■ 2. In § 843.309, revise paragraph (b)(2) 

to read as follows: 

§ 843.309 Basic employee death benefit. 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(2) For deaths occurring on or after 

October 1, 2021, 36 equal monthly 

installments of 2.94259 percent of the 

amount of the basic employee death 

benefit. 

* * * * * 

■ 3. Revise appendix A to subpart C of 

part 843 to read as follows: 

Appendix A to Subpart C of Part 843— 

Present Value Conversion Factors for 

Earlier Commencing Date of Annuities 

of Current and Former Spouses of 

Deceased Separated Employees 

With at least 10 but less than 20 years of 

creditable service— 

Age of separated employee at 

birthday before death Multiplier 

26 .............................................. .1096 

27 .............................................. .1162 

28 .............................................. .1232 

29 .............................................. .1305 

30 .............................................. .1382 

31 .............................................. .1464 

32 .............................................. .1550 

33 .............................................. .1643 

34 .............................................. .1742 

35 .............................................. .1845 

36 .............................................. .1958 

37 .............................................. .2074 

38 .............................................. .2198 

39 .............................................. .2327 

40 .............................................. .2459 

Age of separated employee at 

birthday before death Multiplier 

41 .............................................. .2609 

42 .............................................. .2770 

43 .............................................. .2936 

44 .............................................. .3119 

45 .............................................. .3308 

46 .............................................. .3518 

47 .............................................. .3735 

48 .............................................. .3969 

49 .............................................. .4220 

50 .............................................. .4490 

51 .............................................. .4781 

52 .............................................. .5094 

53 .............................................. .5430 

54 .............................................. .5792 

55 .............................................. .6178 

56 .............................................. .6601 

57 .............................................. .7059 

58 .............................................. .7555 

59 .............................................. .8092 

60 .............................................. .8674 

61 .............................................. .9308 

With at least 20, but less than 30 years of 

creditable service— 

Age of separated employee at 

birthday before death Multiplier 

36 .............................................. .2254 

37 .............................................. .2389 

38 .............................................. .2532 

39 .............................................. .2682 

40 .............................................. .2836 

41 .............................................. .3010 

42 .............................................. .3195 

43 .............................................. .3388 

44 .............................................. .3599 

45 .............................................. .3818 

46 .............................................. .4059 

47 .............................................. .4311 

48 .............................................. .4581 

49 .............................................. .4871 

50 .............................................. .5182 

51 .............................................. .5518 

52 .............................................. .5878 

53 .............................................. .6265 

54 .............................................. .6682 

55 .............................................. .7128 

56 .............................................. .7615 

57 .............................................. .8142 

58 .............................................. .8712 

59 .............................................. .9329 

With at least 30 years of creditable 

service— 

Age of separated employee at birthday before death 

Multiplier by separated employee’s year of birth 

After 1966 From 1950 

through 1966 

46 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .4988 .5332 

47 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .5298 .5664 

48 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .5631 .6019 

49 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .5987 .6401 

50 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .6370 .6810 

51 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .6781 .7249 

52 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .7224 .7722 

53 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .7698 .8229 

54 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .8209 .8775 

55 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .8759 .9363 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 123 / Wednesday, June 30, 2021 / Proposed Rules 34639 

1AHAM submitted the request to DOE via email. 

Age of separated employee at birthday before death 

Multiplier by separated employee’s year of birth 

After 1966 From 1950 

through 1966 

56 ............................................................................................................................................................................. .9355 1.0000 

[FR Doc. 2021–13774 Filed 6–29–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6325–38–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

10 CFR Part 430 

[EERE–2019–BT–STD–0043] 

RIN 1904–AE61 

Energy Conservation Program: Energy 

Conservation Standards for 

Dehumidifiers 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Extension of public comment 

period. 

SUMMARY: On June 4, 2021, the U.S. 

Department of Energy (‘‘DOE’’) 

published a request for information 

(‘‘RFI’’) pertaining to the energy 

conservation standards for 

dehumidifiers. The notice provided an 

opportunity for submitting written 

comments, data, and information by 

July 6, 2021. On June 18, 2021, DOE 

received a request from the Association 

of Home Appliance Manufacturers 

(‘‘AHAM’’) to extend the public 

comment period by 30 days. DOE has 

reviewed this request and is granting a 

15-day extension of the public comment 

period to allow public comments to be 

submitted until July 21, 2021. 

DATES: The comment period for the RFI 

published on June 4, 2021 (86 FR 

29964), is extended. DOE will accept 

comments, data, and information 

regarding this RFI on or before July 21, 

2021. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

encouraged to submit comments using 

the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

Alternatively, interested persons may 

submit comments, identified by docket 

number EERE–2019–BT–STD–0043 by 

any of the following methods: 

1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

2. Email: To 

Dehumidifiers2019STD0043@

ee.doe.gov. Include docket number 

EERE–2019–BT–STD–0043 in the 

subject line of the message. 

No telefacsimilies (‘‘faxes’’) will be 

accepted. 

Although DOE has routinely accepted 

public comment submissions through a 

variety of mechanisms, including postal 

mail and hand delivery/courier, the 

Department has found it necessary to 

make temporary modifications to the 

comment submission process in light of 

the ongoing COVID–19 pandemic. DOE 

is currently suspending receipt of public 

comments via postal mail and hand 

delivery/courier. If a commenter finds 

that this change poses an undue 

hardship, please contact Appliance 

Standards Program staff at (202) 586– 

1445 to discuss the need for alternative 

arrangements. Once the COVID–19 

pandemic health emergency is resolved, 

DOE anticipates resuming all of its 

regular options for public comment 

submission, including postal mail and 

hand delivery/courier. 

Docket: The docket for this activity, 

which includes Federal Register 

notices, comments, and other 

supporting documents/materials, is 

available for review at 

www.regulations.gov. All documents in 

the docket are listed in the 

www.regulations.gov index. However, 

not all documents listed in the index 

may be publicly available, such as 

information that is exempt from public 

disclosure. 

The docket web page can be found at: 

www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE2019-BT-STD-0043. The docket web 

page contains instructions on how to 

access all documents, including public 

comments, in the docket. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Bryan Berringer, 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) 586– 

0371. Email: 

ApplianceStandardsQuestions@

ee.doe.gov. 

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) 586–9496. Email: 

Peter.Cochran@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: On June 4, 

2021, DOE published an RFI seeking 

data and information that could enable 

the agency to determine whether DOE 

should propose a ‘‘no-new-standard’’ 

determination because a more stringent 

standard: Would not result in a 

significant savings of energy; is not 

technologically feasible; is not 

economically justified; or any 

combination of the foregoing. 86 FR 

29964. On June 18, 2021, an interested 

party in the matter, AHAM, requested a 

30-day extension of the public comment 

period for the RFI.1 AHAM asked for 

this additional time given that 

comments on DOE’s preliminary 

technical support document for clothes 

dryers are also due on July 6, 2021. In 

addition, AHAM commented that the 

industry is spending a considerable 

amount of time responding to proposals 

from Natural Resources Canada related 

to five categories of home appliances, as 

well as DOE’s proposed test procedure 

for direct heating equipment. AHAM 

stated that it understands and 

appreciates that DOE is working to 

move quickly on a number of 

rulemakings to satisfy the President’s 

climate objectives as well as advance 

rulemakings that have missed statutory 

deadlines. AHAM noted that the 

statutory deadline for dehumidifiers is a 

year away and, thus, asserted that a brief 

delay in the comment period should not 

negatively impact DOE’s ability to meet 

this deadline, nor should it detract from 

DOE’s ability to catch up on other 

rulemakings, but it would significantly 

assist AHAM and its members in 

providing quality input on DOE’s RFI. 

DOE has reviewed the request and is 

extending the comment period to allow 

additional time for interested parties to 

submit comments. As noted, the RFI 

was issued as part of the preliminary 

stage of a rulemaking to consider 

amendments to the energy conservation 

standards for dehumidifiers. If DOE 

determines that amended energy 

conservation standards may be 

appropriate, additional notices will be 


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