Department of Energy – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of availability of the preliminary list of potential National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs). This issuance initiates Phase 2 of the NIETC designation process outlined in the guidance DOE released on December 19, 2023. NIETC designation focuses public and policymaker attention on the areas of greatest transmission need and unlocks valuable Federal financing and permitting tools to advance transmission development. Additional information on one of those toolsTransmission Facility Financingis also included with the preliminary list.

The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration is providing notice of an update to the advance consent list of countries or destinations eligible to receive retransfers from the Republic of Korea (ROK) of unirradiated low enriched uranium, unirradiated source material, equipment, and components subject to paragraph 2 of Article 10 of the Agreement for Cooperation between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Korea Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, done at Washington June 15, 2015, entered into force November 25, 2015 ("U.S.- ROK 123 Agreement").

The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration is providing notice of an update to the advance consent list of countries or destinations eligible to receive retransfers from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of byproduct material, non-nuclear material, unirradiated low enriched uranium, unirradiated source material, and equipment subject to Article 6 of the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, done at Washington May 4, 2018, entered into force December 31, 2020 ("U.S.-UK 123 Agreement").

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended ("EPCA"), prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including miscellaneous refrigeration products ("MREFs"). In this notice of proposed rulemaking ("NOPR"), DOE proposes new energy conservation standards for MREFs identical to those set forth in a direct final rule published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. If DOE receives adverse comment and determines that such comment may provide a reasonable basis for withdrawal of the direct final rule, DOE will publish a notice of withdrawal and will proceed with this proposed rule.

This notice announces a meeting of the Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.

As required by the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars A-108 and A-130, the Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) is publishing notice of a modification to an existing Privacy Act System of Records. DOE proposes to amend System of Records DOE-8 Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA). This System of Records Notice (SORN) is being modified to align with new formatting requirements, published by OMB, and to ensure appropriate Privacy Act coverage of business processes and Privacy Act information. While there are no substantive changes to the "Categories of Individuals" or "Categories of Records" sections covered by this SORN, substantive changes have been made to the "System Locations," "Routine Uses," and "Administrative, Technical and Physical Safeguards" sections to provide greater transparency. Changes to "Routine Uses" include new provisions related to responding to breaches of information held under a Privacy Act SORN as required by OMB's Memorandum M-17-12, "Preparing for and Responding to a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information" (January 3, 2017). Language throughout the SORN has been updated to align with applicable Federal privacy laws, policies, procedures, and best practices.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended ("EPCA"), prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including consumer water heaters. EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE" or "the Department") to periodically determine whether more stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in significant energy savings. In this final rule, DOE is adopting amended energy conservation standards for consumer water heaters. It has determined that the new and amended energy conservation standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified.