[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34730-34731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-13985]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Intent To Announce Financial Assistance for 
Weatherization Enhancement and Innovation

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE), Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE), Weatherization Assistance 
Program (WAP) intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement for 
Weatherization Enhancement and Innovation. Congress has directed DOE 
WAP in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, signed December 27, 
2020, to implement Financial Assistance for Weatherization Enhancement 
and Innovation.

DATES: Written comments and information on this NOI are requested and 
will be accepted on or before July 30, 2021. The tentative release date 
for the funding opportunity announcement is planned for Fall 2021, with 
concept papers to be submitted in October 2021 and Full Applications to 
be submitted in December 2021. This FOA timeline is subject to change.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments by 
email to the following address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4d0f3f2439392c2334631d3f242e280d282863292228632a223b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="317343584545505f481f61435852547154541f555e541f565e47">[email protected]</span></a> with the 
subject line ``Announce Financial Assistance for Weatherization 
Enhancement and Innovation'' included in the message. Submit electronic 
comments in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or ASCII file format, and 
avoid the use of special characters or any form of encryption. No 
telefacsimiles (faxes) will be accepted. For detailed instructions on 
submitting comments, see section III (Submission of Comments) of this 
document.
    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 accepting only 
electronic submissions at this time. If a commenter finds that this 
change poses an undue hardship, please contact the DOE staff person 
listed in this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions may be directed to Brittany 
Price, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy, EE-5W, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20585-0121. Telephone: (240) 306-7252. Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#783a0a110c0c19160156280a111b1d381d1d561c171d561f170e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3577475c4141545b4c1b65475c56507550501b515a501b525a43">[email protected]</span></a>.

[[Page 34731]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE), 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE), 
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) intends to issue a Funding 
Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to implement Financial Assistance for 
Weatherization Enhancement and Innovation, as directed by section 
1011(e) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law 116-
260.
    The purpose of this future FOA is to (1) expand the number of 
dwelling units that are occupied by low-income persons that receive 
weatherization assistance by making such dwelling units weatherization-
ready; (2) promote the deployment of renewable energy in dwelling units 
that are occupied by low-income persons; (3) ensure healthy indoor 
environments by enhancing or expanding health and safety measures and 
resources available to dwellings that are occupied by low-income 
persons; (4) disseminate new methods and best practices among entities 
providing weatherization assistance, including enhanced client 
education; quality control of work performed; program monitoring; labor 
training; planning and administration; (5) encourage entities providing 
weatherization assistance to hire and retain employees who are 
individuals (A) from the community in which the assistance is provided; 
and (B) from communities or groups that are underrepresented in the 
home energy performance workforce, including religious and ethnic 
minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and 
individuals who are socioeconomically disadvantaged; and (6) for such 
other activities as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. In 
2021, WAP has reserved $18.6 million for award through a competitive 
process. WAP is developing the award scope and criteria with the intent 
to release the FOA in the Fall 2021. This notice is not the FOA.
    It is anticipated that financial assistance for Weatherization 
Enhancement and Innovation will be made available each year through 
2025, depending on appropriated funds from Congress. Funding is not to 
exceed 2 percent of WAP's allocation, if such amount is $225,000,000 or 
more but less than $260,000,000; 4 percent if such amount is 
$260,000,000 or more but less than $300,000,000; or 6 percent if such 
amount is $300,000,000 or more. Current WAP Grantees, Subgrantees and 
other nonprofit entities will be eligible to apply for awards, with a 
$2 million maximum award and three-year performance period. Listening 
Sessions were held in March 2021 to solicit input from WAP stakeholders 
regarding areas of interest and award factors to help inform the FOA 
development.
    DOE welcomes written comments from the public on any subject within 
the scope of this NOI.

Public Participation

A. Submission of Comments

    DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this 
notice no later than the date provided in the DATES section at the 
beginning of this notice. Interested parties may submit comments using 
any of the methods described in the ADDRESSES section at the beginning 
of this document.
    Submitting comments via email. Comments and documents submitted via 
email will be posted to https://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 in 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. No telefacsimiles (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. Pursuant 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 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. DOE will make its own determination about the 
confidential status of the information and treat it according to its 
determination.
    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).

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on June 25, 
2021, by Kelly Speakes-Backman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary 
and Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy, pursuant to delegated authority from the 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 June 25, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-13985 Filed 6-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P


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