Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/11/15/2010-28646/energy-conservation-program-for-consumer-products-decision-and-order-granting-a-waiver-to-whirlpool
Timestamp: 2018-07-21 16:01:40
Document Index: 706712549

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 430', 'art 430', 'art 430', 'art 430', 'art 430', 'art 430']

Federal Register :: Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Decision and Order Granting a Waiver to Whirlpool From the Department of Energy Residential Clothes Washer Test Procedure
This Decision and Order is effective November 15, 2010.
Case No. CW-015
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2010-28646 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2010-28646
Jennifer Tiedeman, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, Mail Stop GC-71, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0103. Telephone: (202) 287-6111, E-mail: Jennifer.Tiedeman@hq.doe.gov.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 430.27(l)), DOE gives notice of the issuance of its decision and order as set forth below. The decision and order grants Whirlpool a waiver from the applicable clothes washer test procedure in 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix J1 for certain basic models of clothes washers with capacities greater than 3.8 cubic feet, provided that Whirlpool tests and rates such products using the alternate test procedure described in this notice. Today's decision prohibits Whirlpool from making representations concerning the energy efficiency of these products unless the product has been tested consistent with the provisions and restrictions in the alternate test procedure set forth in the decision and order below, and the representations fairly disclose the test results. Distributors, retailers, and private labelers are held to the same standard when making representations regarding the energy efficiency of these products. 42 U.S.C. 6293(c).
In the Matter of: Whirlpool Corporation (Case No. CW-015).
Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) sets forth a variety of provisions concerning energy efficiency. Part A of Title III provides for the “Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles.” 42 U.S.C. 6291-6309. Part A includes definitions, test procedures, labeling provisions, energy conservation standards, and the authority to require information and reports from manufacturers. Further, Part A authorizes the Secretary of Energy to prescribe test procedures that are reasonably designed to produce results that measure energy efficiency, energy use, or estimated operating costs, and that are not unduly burdensome to conduct. 42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3). The test procedure for residential clothes washers, the subject of today's notice, is contained in 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix J1.
On November 21, 2005, Whirlpool filed a petition for waiver from the test procedure applicable to automatic and semi-automatic clothes washers set forth in 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix J1. In particular, Whirlpool requested a waiver to test its clothes washers on the basis of the residential test procedures contained in 10 CFR part 430, Subpart B, Appendix J1, with a revised Table 5.1 extended to larger container volumes. Whirlpool's petition was published in the Federal Register on August 22, 2006. 71 FR 48913. DOE received one comment on the Whirlpool petition, from a private citizen who opined that the purpose of waivers is to evade regulations.
In its petition, Whirlpool pointed out that the required mass of the test load used in DOE's test procedure is based on the basket volume of the test specimen. However, the test procedure does not define required test load masses for the basket sizes of Whirlpool's basic models cited in its Start Printed Page 69654waiver application, which are larger than those contemplated by the test procedure. Specifically, in the DOE test procedure, the relation between basket volume and test load mass is only defined for basket volumes between 0 and 3.8 cubic feet. Whirlpool has designed a series of clothes washers that contain basket volumes of greater than 3.8 cubic feet. On June 22, 2010 and July 20, 2010, General Electric Company (GE) and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (Samsung), respectively, filed very similar petitions for waiver and applications for interim waivers for their clothes washers with basket volumes greater than 3.8 cubic feet. DOE granted GE and Samsung's interim waivers on September 16, 2010. (75 FR 57915; 75 FR 57937).
Table 5.1 of Appendix J1 defines the test load sizes used in the test procedure as linear functions of the basket volume. Whirlpool has submitted a proposed revised table to extend the maximum basket volume from 3.8 cubic feet to 5.1 cubic feet, a table similar to one developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and provided to DOE in comments on a proposed DOE residential clothes washer test procedure rulemaking. The notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) was published September 21, 2010 (75 FR 57556). When the residential clothes washer test procedure rulemaking process is complete, any amended test procedure will supersede the alternate test procedure described in this waiver. AHAM provided calculations to extrapolate Table 5.1 of the DOE test procedure to larger container volumes. DOE believes that this is a reasonable procedure because the DOE test procedure defines test load sizes as linear functions of the basket volume. AHAM's extrapolation was performed on the load weight in pounds, and AHAM appears to have used the conversion ratio of 1/2.2 (or 0.45454545) to convert pounds to kilograms. Whirlpool used the more accurate conversion value of 0.45359237 (which Samsung also used in its similar petition), rounding the results in kilograms to two decimal places. The Table 5.1 in the clothes washer NOPR referenced above has some small differences with the Table 5.1 used by Whirlpool and Samsung. The differences are due to rounding which Samsung and Whirlpool applied too early. The largest difference is 0.5%. The Table 5.1 values here are from DOE's NOPR. As DOE has stated in the past, it is in the public interest to have similar products tested and rated for energy consumption on a comparable basis.
After careful consideration of all the material that was submitted by Whirlpool, the interim waivers granted to GE and Samsung, the clothes washer test procedure rulemaking, and consultation with the FTC staff, it is ordered that:
(1) The petition for waiver submitted by the Whirlpool Corporation (Case No. CW-015) is hereby granted as set forth in the paragraphs below.
(2) Whirlpool shall not be required to test or rate the following Whirlpool models on the basis of the current test procedure contained in 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix J1. Instead, it shall be required to test and rate such products according to the alternate test procedure as set forth in paragraph (3) below:
Amana NFW7600X*
Kenmore 2803*
Kenmore 2804*
Kenmore 2706*
Kenmore 2707*
Kenmore 2708*
Kenmore 2709*
Kenmore 2808*
Kenmore 2806*
Kenmore 2807*
Kenmore 2809*
Maytag MHWE950W*
Maytag MHWE550W*
Maytag MHWE400W*
Maytag MHWE450W*
Maytag MTW6500TQ1
Maytag MTW6600T*1
Maytag MVWB400VW0
Maytag MVWB700VW0
Maytag MVWB800VW0
Maytag MVWB300W*
Maytag MVWB450W*
Maytag MVWB750W*
Maytag MVW7000X*
Maytag MHW6000X*
Maytag MVWB850W*
Whirlpool WFW9750W*
Whirlpool WFW9470W*
Whirlpool WTW9451X*
Whirlpool WTW6200S2
Whirlpool WTW6200V*
Whirlpool WTW6400S2
Whirlpool WTW6600S2
Whirlpool WTW6700T0
Whirlpool WTW6300W*
Whirlpool WTW6340W*
Whirlpool WTW6700T*
Whirlpool WTW7300X*
Whirlpool WTW7340X*
Whirlpool WFW94HEX*
Whirlpool WFW95HEX*
Whirlpool WFW97HEX*
Whirlpool WTW7600X*
Whirlpool WTW7800X*
Whirlpool WTW6500W*
Whirlpool WTW6800W*
Whirlpool WTW7990X*
(3) Whirlpool shall be required to test the products listed in paragraph (2) above according to the test procedures for clothes washers prescribed by DOE at 10 CFR part 430, appendix J1, except that, for the Whirlpool products listed in paragraph (2) only, the expanded Table 5.1 below shall be substituted for Table 5.1 of appendix J1.
(4) Representations. Whirlpool may make representations about the energy use of its clothes washer products for compliance, marketing, or other purposes only to the extent that such products have been tested in accordance with the provisions outlined above and such representations fairly disclose the results of such testing.
[FR Doc. 2010-28646 Filed 11-12-10; 8:45 am]