ORS Chapter 469 — Energy; Conservation

ORS 469.261. Department to review standards; rules; postponement of operative dates of standards; application for waiver of federal preemption. (1) The State Department of Energy shall periodically review the minimum energy efficiency standards specified in ORS 469.233. (2)(a) After the review pursuant to subsection (1) of this section and notwithstanding ORS 469.233, the Director of the State Department of Energy may adopt rules to update the minimum energy efficiency standards specified in ORS 469.233 if the director determines that the standards need to be updated: (A) To promote energy conservation in the state; (B) To achieve cost-effectiveness for consumers; or (C) Due to federal action or to the outcome of collaborative consultations with manufacturers and the energy departments of other states. (b)(A) In addition to the rules adopted under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the director may postpone by rule the operative date of any of the minimum energy efficiency standards specified in ORS 469.233 if the director determines that: (i) Adjoining states with similar minimum energy efficiency standards have postponed the operative date of their corresponding minimum energy efficiency standards; or (ii) Failure to modify the operative date of any of the minimum energy efficiency standards would impose a substantial hardship on manufacturers, retailers or the public. (B)(i) The director may not postpone the operative date of a minimum energy efficiency standard under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for more than one year. (ii) If at the end of the first postponement period the director determines that adjoining states have further postponed the operative date of minimum energy efficiency standards and the requirements of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph continue to be met, the director may postpone the operative date for not more than one additional year. (c) After the review pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the director may adopt rules to establish new minimum energy efficiency standards if the director determines that new standards are needed: (A) To promote energy conservation in the state; (B) To achieve cost-effectiveness for consumers; or (C) Due to federal action or to the outcome of collaborative consultations with manufacturers and the energy departments of other states. (d) If the director adopts rules under paragraph (a) of this subsection to update the minimum energy efficiency standards specified in ORS 469.233 or under paragraph (c) of this subsection to establish new minimum energy efficiency standards: (A) The rules may not take effect until one year following their adoption by the director; and (B) The Governor shall cause to be introduced at the next Legislative Assembly a bill to conform the statutory minimum energy efficiency standards to the minimum energy efficiency standards adopted by the director by rule. (3) Notwithstanding ORS 469.229 and 469.233 and the requirements of subsection (2) of this section, and after consultation with the appropriate advisory boards to the Department of Consumer and Business Services, the director may adopt rules to update the minimum energy efficiency standards or test methods specified in ORS 469.233 to a more recent version, including any product definitions associated with the standard or test method, if the director determines that the standard or test method needs to be updated to maintain or improve consistency with other comparable standards in other states. Rules adopted under this subsection shall take effect on or after the effective date of a similar standard or test method adopted by another state. (4) If the director determines that implementation of a state minimum energy efficiency standard requires a waiver of federal preemption, the director shall apply for a waiver of federal preemption pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6297(d). [2005 c.437 8; 2007 c.375 7; 2007 c.649 6a; 2021 c.108 6] Note: See note under