Department of Energy September 9, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend for three years, an information collection request (ICR) with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) concerning the Occupational Radiation Protection Program, OMB Control Number 1910-5105. The Office of Worker Safety and Health Policy ensures that adequate policies are in place for the protection of workers at DOE sites and operations. The Office of Worker Safety and Health Policy uses the information collected from the contractors to evaluate the adequacy of DOE policies for the protection of workers from exposure to ionizing radiation. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the extended collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to this Notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) previously published a notice of proposed rulemaking to adopt test procedures for measuring the energy consumption of walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers, pursuant to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended. DOE is continuing to consider those proposals, but is now soliciting comments on several alternative proposed options. Once any final test procedure is effective, any representation as to the energy use of walk-in equipment must reflect the results of testing that equipment using the test procedure. Concurrently, DOE is undertaking an energy conservation standards rulemaking for this equipment. If DOE receives data in this test procedure rulemaking that are pertinent to the development of standards, it will use that data in evaluating potential standards for this equipment. Once these standards are promulgated, the adopted test procedures will be used to determine compliance with the standards.