Proposed Rule2023-09019
Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Clothes Washers; Extension of Public Comment Period
Primary source
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Published
May 1, 2023
Effective
March 3, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
On March 3, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") published a notice of proposed rulemaking ("NOPR") and announcement of public meeting proposing amended energy conservation standards for residential clothes washers ("RCWs") and announcing a public meeting to receive comment on the proposed standards and associated analyses and results. ("March 2023 NOPR") The notice provided an opportunity for submitting written comments, data, and information by May 2, 2023. On April 15, 2023, DOE received a request from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers ("AHAM") to extend the written comment period. DOE has reviewed this request and is granting a 15-day extension of the public comment period to allow comments to be submitted until May 17, 2023.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 83 (Monday, May 1, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 83 (Monday, May 1, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 26511-26512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09019]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 83 / Monday, May 1, 2023 / Proposed
Rules
[[Page 26511]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014]
RIN 1904-AD98
Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for
Residential Clothes Washers; Extension of Public Comment Period
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of public comment
period.
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SUMMARY: On March 3, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'')
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') and announcement
of public meeting proposing amended energy conservation standards for
residential clothes washers (``RCWs'') and announcing a public meeting
to receive comment on the proposed standards and associated analyses
and results. (``March 2023 NOPR'') The notice provided an opportunity
for submitting written comments, data, and information by May 2, 2023.
On April 15, 2023, DOE received a request from the Association of Home
Appliance Manufacturers (``AHAM'') to extend the written comment
period. DOE has reviewed this request and is granting a 15-day
extension of the public comment period to allow comments to be
submitted until May 17, 2023.
DATES: The comment period for the NOPR published on March 3, 2023 (88
FR 13520) is extended. Written comments and information regarding the
NOPR will be accepted on or before May 17, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> under docket
number EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014. Follow the instructions for submitting
comments. Alternatively, interested persons may submit comments,
identified by docket number EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014, by any of the
following methods:
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d794b8b9a4a2bab2a594bbb8a3bfb2a480b6a4bfb2a5e5e7e6e0848393e7e7e6e397b2b2f9b3b8b2f9b0b8a1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0f3dfdec3c5ddd5c2f3dcdfc4d8d5c3e7d1c3d8d5c282808187e3e4f480808184f0d5d59ed4dfd59ed7dfc6">[email protected]</span></a>. Include the
docket number EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014 in the subject line of the message.
Postal Mail: Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, U.S.
Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-5B,
1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. If possible,
please submit all items on a compact disc (``CD''), in which case it is
not necessary to include printed copies.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Appliance and Equipment Standards Program,
U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 950 L'Enfant
Plaza SW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 287-1445.
If possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case it is not
necessary to include printed copies.
No telefacsimiles (``faxes'') will be accepted.
Docket: The docket for this activity, which includes Federal
Register notices, public meeting attendee lists and transcripts (if a
public meeting is held), comments, and other supporting documents/
materials, is available for review at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>. All
documents in the docket are listed in the <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> 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 <a href="http://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014">www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014</a>. The docket web page contains instructions on how
to access all documents, including public comments, in the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Carl Shapiro, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop
EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121.
Telephone: (202) 287-5649. Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#34754444585d555a57516740555a505546504765415147405d5b5a477451511a505b511a535b42"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a8e9d8d8c4c1c9c6cbcdfbdcc9c6ccc9daccdbf9ddcddbdcc1c7c6dbe8cdcd86ccc7cd86cfc7de">[email protected]</span></a>.
Ms. Melanie Lampton, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the
General Counsel, Mail Stop GC-33, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0103. Telephone: (240) 751-5157. Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1f527a737e71767a31537e726f6b70715f776e317b707a31787069"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a5e8c0c9c4cbccc08be9c4c8d5d1cacbe5cdd48bc1cac08bc2cad3">[email protected]</span></a>.
For further information on how to submit a comment, review other
public comments and the docket, or participate in the public meeting,
contact the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program staff at (202)
287-1445 or by email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#93d2e3e3fffaf2fdf0f6c0e7f2fdf7f2e1f7e0c2e6f6e0e7fafcfde0d3f6f6bdf7fcf6bdf4fce5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="39784949555058575a5c6a4d58575d584b5d4a684c5c4a4d5056574a795c5c175d565c175e564f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 29, 2021, DOE published a
notification of the availability of a preliminary technical support
document for RCWs (``September 2021 Preliminary Analysis''). 86 FR
53886. In that notification, DOE sought comment on the analytical
framework, models, and tools that DOE used to evaluate potential
standards for RCWs. Id. On October 29, 2021, DOE extended the comment
period for the September 2021 Preliminary Analysis by an additional 45
days. 86 FR 59889. DOE subsequently published a notification of data
availability (``NODA'') on April 13, 2022, presenting the results of
additional testing conducted in furtherance of the development of the
translations between the current test procedure and the proposed new
test procedure. 87 FR 21816 (``April 2022 NODA''). On May 19, 2022, DOE
reopened the comment period for the April 2022 NODA and provided
additional information in response to stakeholder questions. 87 FR
30433. On March 3, 2023, the DOE published a NOPR proposing amended
energy conservation standards for residential clothes washers. 88 FR
13520. The March 2023 NOPR announced a public meeting to receive
comment on the proposed standards and provided for the written
submission of comments by May 2, 2023. Id.
On April 15, 2023, DOE received a request from AHAM to extend the
written comment period on the March 2023 NOPR by 20 days. AHAM stated
that it was reviewing DOE's responses to other stakeholders' comments,
including comments requesting that DOE consider an equation-based
approach for energy conservation standards. AHAM noted that while DOE
did not propose such an approach, DOE indicated a willingness to
consider it, and AHAM requires additional time to review and analyze
how such an approach could work and provide DOE
[[Page 26512]]
with substantive feedback. (AHAM, No. 89).
In response to the September 2021 Preliminary Analysis, the
California investor-owned utilities (``CA IOUs'') stated that they were
supportive of an equation-based metric that can account for the
efficiency differences related to capacity. (CA IOUs, No. 43 at pp. 3-
4). In the March 2023 NOPR, DOE did not propose equation-based
standards, but noted that given the close relationship between
efficiency and capacity, DOE continues to consider whether to specify
an equation-based standard for the top-loading standard-size product
class. 88 FR 13540.
DOE has reviewed the request and considered the benefit of allowing
interested parties additional time to submit comments regarding the
March 2023 NOPR, including feedback on an equation-based approach for
energy conservation standards, for DOE's consideration. Accordingly,
DOE has determined that an extension of the public comment period is
appropriate, and is hereby extending the comment period by 15 days,
until May 17, 2023.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on April 25,
2023, by Francisco Alejandro Moreno, 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 April 25, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-09019 Filed 4-28-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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