Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Electric and Gas Ranges and Microwave Ovens, Dishwashers, Dehumidifiers, and Commercial Clothes Washers: Public Meeting and Availability of the Framework Document, 15059-15061 [E6-4390]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 58 / Monday, March 27, 2006 / Proposed Rules
PART 94—RINDERPEST, FOOT-ANDMOUTH DISEASE, FOWL PEST (FOWL
PLAGUE), EXOTIC NEWCASTLE
DISEASE, AFRICAN SWINE FEVER,
CLASSICAL SWINE FEVER, AND
BOVINE SPONGIFORM
ENCEPHALOPATHY: PROHIBITED
AND RESTRICTED IMPORTATIONS
10. The authority citation for part 94
would continue to read as follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701–7772, 7781–
7786, and 8301–8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and
136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and
371.4.
§ 94.6
[Amended]
11. In § 94.6, paragraph (b)(1) would
be removed and reserved.
Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of
March 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 06–2864 Filed 3–24–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy
10 CFR Part 430 and 431
[Docket No. EE–2006–STD–0127]
RIN 1904–AB49
Energy Conservation Standards for
Residential Electric and Gas Ranges
and Microwave Ovens, Dishwashers,
Dehumidifiers, and Commercial
Clothes Washers: Public Meeting and
Availability of the Framework
Document
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and
availability of the Framework
Document.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with PROPOSALS
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Department of Energy
(DOE or Department) will hold an
informal public meeting to discuss and
receive comments on issues it will
address in this rulemaking proceeding.
The Department is also initiating the
data collection process for establishing
energy conservation standards for
residential electric and gas ranges and
ovens and microwave ovens,
dishwashers, dehumidifiers, and
commercial clothes washers. The
Department also encourages written
comments on these subjects. In
addition, this effort is the result of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005)
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:46 Mar 24, 2006
Jkt 208001
directive to publish a final rule to
determine whether the standards
established by EPACT 2005 should be
amended no later than October 1, 2009,
for dehumidifiers, and no later than
January 1, 2010, for commercial clothes
washers. To inform stakeholders and
facilitate this process, DOE has prepared
a Framework Document, a draft of
which is available at: https://
www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/.
DATES: The Department will hold a
public meeting on Thursday, April 27,
2006, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in
Washington, DC. Any person requesting
to speak at the public meeting should
submit a request to speak before 4 p.m,
Thursday, April 13, 2006. The
Department must receive a signed
original and an electronic copy of
statements to be given at the public
meeting before 4 p.m., Thursday, April
13, 2006. Written comments are
welcome, especially following the
public meeting, and should be
submitted by Thursday, May 11, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be
held at the U.S. Department of Energy,
Forrestal Building, Room GE–086 (Large
Auditorium), 1000 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585–
0121. (Please note that foreign nationals
participating in the public meeting are
subject to advance security screening
procedures. If a foreign national wishes
to participate in the workshop, please
inform DOE of this fact as soon as
possible by contacting Ms. Brenda
Edwards-Jones at (202) 586–2945 so that
the necessary procedures can be
completed.)
Stakeholders may submit comments,
identified by docket number EE–2006–
STD–0127 and/or RIN number 1904–
AB49, by any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• E-mail: home_appliance.
rulemaking@ee.doe.gov. Include EE–
2006–STD–0127 and/or RIN 1904–AB49
in the subject line of the message.
• Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones,
U.S. Department of Energy, Building
Technologies Program, Mailstop EE–2J,
Framework Document for Home
Appliance Products, EE–2006–STD–
0127 and/or RIN 1904–AB49, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Telephone: (202) 586–2945. Please
submit one signed paper original.
• Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda
Edwards-Jones, U.S. Department of
Energy, Building Technologies Program,
Room 1J–018, 1000 Independence
PO 00000
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15059
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585–
0121.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name and
docket number or Regulatory
Information Number (RIN) for this
rulemaking.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents, a copy of
the transcript of the public meeting, or
comments received, go to the U.S.
Department of Energy, Forrestal
Building, Room 1J–018 (Resource Room
of the Building Technologies Program),
1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121, (202) 586–
9127, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. Please call Ms. Brenda
Edwards-Jones at the above telephone
number for additional information
regarding visiting the Resource Room.
Please note that the Department’s
Freedom of Information Reading Room
(formerly Room 1E–190 at the Forrestal
Building) is no longer housing
rulemaking materials.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies, EE–2J, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121, (202) 586–
0371. E-mail:
bryan.berringer@ee.doe.gov. Thomas
DePriest, U.S. Department of Energy,
Office of General Counsel, GC–72, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121, (202) 586–
9507. E-mail:
Thomas.DePriest@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Part B of
Title III of the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), 42
U.S.C. 6291 et seq., established an
energy conservation program for major
household appliances, which includes
residential electric and gas ranges and
ovens and microwave ovens, and
dishwashers. This program authorizes
the Department to establish
technologically feasible, economically
justified energy-efficiency regulations
for certain consumer products for which
such regulations would incur
substantial national energy saving, and
for which both natural market forces
and voluntary labeling programs have
been and/or are expected to be
ineffective in promoting energy
efficiency. The National Energy
Conservation Policy Act of 1978
(NECPA) amended EPCA to add Part C
of Title III, 42 U.S.C. 6311 et seq., which
established an energy-conservation
program for certain industrial
equipment. Amendments to EPCA in
E:\FR\FM\27MRP1.SGM
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sroberts on PROD1PC70 with PROPOSALS
15060
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 58 / Monday, March 27, 2006 / Proposed Rules
the Energy Conservation Act of 1987
(NAECA) established prescriptive
energy conservation standards for
dishwashers and cooking products, as
well as requirements for determining
whether these standards should be
amended. (42 U.S.C. 6295(g) and (h))
The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT
1992), Public Law 102–486, included
amendments to EPCA that expanded
Title III to include certain commercial
equipment. The recent Energy Policy
Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005), Public Law
109–58, updated several existing
standards and test procedures,
prescribed definitions, standards, and
test procedures for certain new
consumer products and commercial
equipment, and mandated that the
Secretary of Energy (the Secretary)
commence rulemakings to develop test
procedures and standards for certain
other new consumer products and
commercial equipment, including
dehumidifiers and commercial clothes
washers.
The prescriptive standards for
dishwashers in EPCA, as amended,
require that they be equipped with an
option to dry without heat, and EPCA
further requires that DOE conduct two
cycles of rulemakings to determine if
more stringent standards are justified.
(42 U.S.C. 6295(g)(1), (4)) On May 14,
1991, DOE issued a final rule
establishing the first set of performance
standards for dishwashers; the new
standards became effective on May 14,
1994. 56 FR 22250. The Department
initiated a second standards rulemaking
for dishwashers by issuing an advance
notice of proposed rulemaking (ANOPR)
on November 14, 1994. 59 FR 56423. As
a result of the priority-setting process
outlined in the July 15, 1996,
Procedures for Consideration of New or
Revised Energy Conservation Standards
for Consumer Products (the ‘‘Process
Rule’’), 61 FR 36974, 10 CFR part 430,
Subpart C, Appendix A, DOE suspended
the standards rulemaking for
dishwashers.
The prescriptive standards for gas
cooking products in EPCA, as amended,
require units with an electrical supply
cord not to be equipped with constant
burning pilots. EPCA, as amended, also
directs DOE to conduct two cycles of
rulemakings to determine if more
stringent standards are justified. (42
U.S.C. 6295(h)) The Department initially
analyzed standards for cooking products
as part of an eight-product standards
rulemaking. It issued a notice of
proposed rulemaking (NOPR) on March
4, 1994, proposing performance
standards for gas and electric residential
cooking products, including microwave
ovens. 59 FR 10464. In accordance with
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:28 Mar 24, 2006
Jkt 208001
the 1996 Process Rule, DOE refined its
standards analysis of cooking products.
With regard to gas cooking products,
DOE focused on the economic
justification for eliminating standing
pilots. Partially due to the difficulty of
conclusively demonstrating that
elimination of standing pilots was
economically justified, DOE issued a
final rule on September 8, 1998, that
covered only electric cooking products,
including microwave ovens. 63 FR
48038. The final rule found that no
standards were feasible for electric
cooking products. The Department
never completed its standards
rulemaking for gas cooking products.
Commercial clothes washers and
dehumidifiers are new products covered
by the EPACT 2005 legislation.
Commercial clothes washers are defined
in EPACT 2005 as soft-mount, frontloading or soft-mount, top-loading
washers that have a clothes container
compartment that is not more than 3.5
cubic feet for horizontal-axis clothes
washers and not more than 4.0 cubic
feet for vertical-axis clothes washers.
(EPACT 2005, section 136(a)(4)) EPACT
2005 also defines commercial clothes
washers as products designed for
applications in which the occupants of
more than one household will be using
the clothes washer, such as multi-family
housing common areas, coin laundries,
or other commercial applications. (Id.)
EPACT 2005 established standards for
commercial clothes washers, which will
become effective on January 1, 2007.
(EPACT 2005, section 136(e)) EPACT
2005 also requires that DOE issue a final
rule by January 1, 2010, to determine
whether these standards should be
amended. (Id.)
In EPACT 2005, dehumidifiers are
defined as self-contained, electrically
operated, and mechanically encased
assemblies consisting of: (1) A
refrigerated surface (evaporator) that
condenses moisture from the
atmosphere; (2) a refrigerating system,
including an electric motor; (3) an aircirculating fan; and (4) a means for
collecting or disposing of the
condensate. (EPACT 2005, section
135(a)(3)) EPACT 2005 established
standards for dehumidifiers that will
become effective on October 1, 2007.
(Section 135(c)(4)) EPACT 2005 also
requires that DOE issue a final rule by
October 1, 2009, to determine whether
these standards should be amended.
(Id.) If amended standards are justified,
EPACT 2005 requires them to become
effective by October 1, 2012. (Id.) In the
event that DOE fails to publish a final
rule, EPACT 2005 specifies a new set of
amended standards with an effective
date of October 1, 2012. (Id.)
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Sfmt 4702
To begin the required rulemaking
process, the Department prepared the
Framework Document to explain the
issues, analyses, and process it is
considering for the development of
energy efficiency standards for
residential electric and gas ranges and
ovens and microwave ovens,
dishwashers, dehumidifiers, and
commercial clothes washers. The focus
of the public meeting will be to discuss
the analyses and issues contained in
various sections of the Framework
Document. For each item listed, the
Department will make a presentation
with discussion to follow. In addition,
the Department will also make a brief
presentation on the rulemaking process
for these products. The Department
encourages those who wish to
participate in the public meeting to
obtain the Framework Document and be
prepared to discuss its contents. A copy
of the draft Framework Document is
available at: https://
www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/. However, public
meeting participants need not limit their
discussions to the topics in the
Framework Document. The Department
is also interested in receiving views
concerning other relevant issues that
participants believe would affect energy
conservation standards for these
products. The Department also
welcomes all interested parties, whether
or not they participate in the public
meeting, to submit in writing by
Thursday, May 11, 2006, comments and
information on the matters addressed in
the Framework Document and on other
matters relevant to consideration of
standards for residential electric and gas
ranges and ovens and microwave ovens,
dishwashers, dehumidifiers, and
commercial clothes washers.
The public meeting will be conducted
in an informal, conference style. A court
reporter will be present to record the
minutes of the meeting. There shall be
no discussion of proprietary
information, costs or prices, market
shares, or other commercial matters
regulated by the U.S. antitrust laws.
After the public meeting and the
expiration of the period for submitting
written statements, the Department will
begin collecting data, conducting the
analyses as discussed at the public
meeting, and reviewing the comments
received.
Anyone who would like to participate
in the public meeting, receive meeting
materials, or be added to the DOE
mailing list to receive future notices and
information regarding residential
electric and gas ranges and ovens and
microwave ovens, dishwashers,
dehumidifiers, and commercial clothes
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 58 / Monday, March 27, 2006 / Proposed Rules
washers, should contact Ms. Brenda
Edwards-Jones at (202) 586–2945.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 21,
2006.
Douglas L. Faulkner,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. E6–4390 Filed 3–24–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2006–24018; Directorate
Identifier 2006–CE–15–AD]
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Pacific
Aerospace Corporation Ltd. Model
750XL Airplanes
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM).
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with PROPOSALS
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new
airworthiness directive (AD) for certain
Pacific Aerospace Corporation Ltd.
Model 750XL airplanes. This proposed
AD would require you to inspect the
condition of the insulation of the wiring
adjacent to the electrical plugs mounted
in the left-hand (LH) and right-hand
(RH) sides of the forward end of the
cockpit center console for signs of
abrasion and arcing. If you find
evidence of abrasion or arcing, this
proposed AD would require you to
replace the affected wire(s) and secure
the wires away from the back shells of
the electrical plugs. This proposed AD
results from mandatory continuing
airworthiness information (MCAI)
issued by the airworthiness authority for
New Zealand. We are proposing this AD
to detect and correct damaged wires on
the LH and RH sides of the forward end
of the cockpit center console, which
could result in short-circuiting of the
related wiring. This could lead to
electrical failure of affected systems and
potential fire in the cockpit.
DATES: We must receive comments on
this proposed AD by April 24, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Use one of the following
addresses to comment on this proposed
AD:
• DOT Docket Web site: Go to https://
dms.dot.gov and follow the instructions
for sending your comments
electronically.
• Government-wide rulemaking Web
site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:46 Mar 24, 2006
Jkt 208001
and follow the instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility;
U.S. Department of Transportation, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building,
Room PL–401, Washington, DC 20590–
0001.
• Fax: (202) 493–2251.
• Hand Delivery: Room PL–401 on
the plaza level of the Nassif Building,
400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,
DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in
this proposed AD, contact Pacific
Aerospace Corporation Ltd., Hamilton
Airport, Private Bag HN 3027, Hamilton,
New Zealand; telephone: 011 (64) 7–
843–6144; fax: 011 (64) 7–843–6134.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karl
Schletzbaum, Aerospace Engineer, FAA,
Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust,
Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106;
telephone: (816) 329–4146; facsimile:
(816) 329–4090.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to send any written
relevant data, views, or arguments
regarding this proposed airworthiness
directive (AD). Send your comments to
an address listed under the ADDRESSES
section. Include the docket number,
‘‘FAA–2006–24018; Directorate
Identifier 2006–CE–15–AD’’ at the
beginning of your comments. We
specifically invite comments on the
overall regulatory, economic,
environmental, and energy aspects of
the proposed AD. We will consider all
comments received by the closing date
and may amend the proposed AD in
light of those comments.
We will post all comments we
receive, without change, to https://
dms.dot.gov, including any personal
information you provide. We will also
post a report summarizing each
substantive verbal contact we receive
concerning this proposed AD.
Discussion
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),
which is the airworthiness authority for
New Zealand, notified the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) that an
unsafe condition may exist on certain
Pacific Aerospace Corporation Ltd.
(Pacific Aerospace) Model 750XL
airplanes. The CAA reports an incident
in which short-circuiting of the wiring
in the cockpit center console occurred.
Abrasion of the wiring insulation
caused by the fasteners of the electrical
plug back-shells located in the cockpit
center console resulted in the shortcircuit.
PO 00000
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15061
This condition, if not corrected, could
result in short-circuiting of the related
wiring in the forward end of the cockpit
center console. This could lead to
electrical failure of affected systems and
potential fire in the cockpit.
Relevant Service Information
We have reviewed Pacific Aerospace
Corporation Mandatory Service Bulletin
No. PACSB/XL/016, Issue 1, Date
Issued: September 23, 2005.
The service information describes
procedures for:
• Inspecting the condition of the
insulation of the wiring adjacent to the
electrical plugs mounted in the lefthand (LH) and (RH) right-hand sides of
the forward end of the cockpit center
console for signs of abrasion and arcing;
• Replacing the affected wire(s) if any
evidence of abrasion or arcing is found;
and
• Securing the wires away from the
back shells of the electrical plugs.
Foreign Airworthiness Authority
Information
The CAA classified this service
bulletin as mandatory and issued New
Zealand AD Number DCA/750XL/6,
Effective Date: December 1, 2005, to
ensure the continued airworthiness of
these airplanes in New Zealand.
These Pacific Aerospace Model 750XL
airplanes are manufactured in New
Zealand and are type-certificated for
operation in the United States under the
provisions of section 21.29 of the
Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR
21.29) and the applicable bilateral
airworthiness agreement.
Under this bilateral airworthiness
agreement, the CAA has kept us
informed of the situation described
above.
FAA’s Determination and Requirements
of the Proposed AD
We are proposing this AD because we
have examined the CAA’s findings,
evaluated all information and
determined the unsafe condition
described previously is likely to exist or
develop on other products of the same
type design that are certificated for
operation in the United States.
This proposed AD would require you
to inspect the condition of the
insulation of the wiring adjacent to the
electrical plugs mounted in the LH and
RH sides of the forward end of the
cockpit center console for signs of
abrasion and arcing. If any evidence of
abrasion or arcing is found, this
proposed AD would require you to
replace the affected wire(s) and secure
the wires away from the back shells of
the electrical plugs.
E:\FR\FM\27MRP1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 58 (Monday, March 27, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 15059-15061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4390]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
10 CFR Part 430 and 431
[Docket No. EE-2006-STD-0127]
RIN 1904-AB49
Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Electric and Gas
Ranges and Microwave Ovens, Dishwashers, Dehumidifiers, and Commercial
Clothes Washers: Public Meeting and Availability of the Framework
Document
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and availability of the Framework
Document.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE or Department) will hold an
informal public meeting to discuss and receive comments on issues it
will address in this rulemaking proceeding. The Department is also
initiating the data collection process for establishing energy
conservation standards for residential electric and gas ranges and
ovens and microwave ovens, dishwashers, dehumidifiers, and commercial
clothes washers. The Department also encourages written comments on
these subjects. In addition, this effort is the result of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) directive to publish a final rule to
determine whether the standards established by EPACT 2005 should be
amended no later than October 1, 2009, for dehumidifiers, and no later
than January 1, 2010, for commercial clothes washers. To inform
stakeholders and facilitate this process, DOE has prepared a Framework
Document, a draft of which is available at: https://www.eere.energy.
gov/buildings/appliance_ standards/.
DATES: The Department will hold a public meeting on Thursday, April 27,
2006, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Washington, DC. Any person requesting to
speak at the public meeting should submit a request to speak before 4
p.m, Thursday, April 13, 2006. The Department must receive a signed
original and an electronic copy of statements to be given at the public
meeting before 4 p.m., Thursday, April 13, 2006. Written comments are
welcome, especially following the public meeting, and should be
submitted by Thursday, May 11, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room GE-086 (Large Auditorium), 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. (Please note that
foreign nationals participating in the public meeting are subject to
advance security screening procedures. If a foreign national wishes to
participate in the workshop, please inform DOE of this fact as soon as
possible by contacting Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at (202) 586-2945 so
that the necessary procedures can be completed.)
Stakeholders may submit comments, identified by docket number EE-
2006-STD-0127 and/or RIN number 1904-AB49, by any of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: home--appliance. rulemaking@ee.doe.gov. Include
EE-2006-STD-0127 and/or RIN 1904-AB49 in the subject line of the
message.
Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, U.S. Department of Energy,
Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, Framework Document for
Home Appliance Products, EE-2006-STD-0127 and/or RIN 1904-AB49, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202)
586-2945. Please submit one signed paper original.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, U.S.
Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Room 1J-018, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and docket number or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this
rulemaking.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents, a
copy of the transcript of the public meeting, or comments received, go
to the U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 1J-018
(Resource Room of the Building Technologies Program), 1000 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-9127, between 9 a.m.
and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Please call
Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at the above telephone number for additional
information regarding visiting the Resource Room. Please note that the
Department's Freedom of Information Reading Room (formerly Room 1E-190
at the Forrestal Building) is no longer housing rulemaking materials.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20585-0121, (202) 586-0371. E-mail: bryan.berringer@ee.doe.gov. Thomas
DePriest, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General Counsel, GC-72,
1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-
9507. E-mail: Thomas.DePriest@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Part B of Title III of the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), 42 U.S.C. 6291 et seq., established an
energy conservation program for major household appliances, which
includes residential electric and gas ranges and ovens and microwave
ovens, and dishwashers. This program authorizes the Department to
establish technologically feasible, economically justified energy-
efficiency regulations for certain consumer products for which such
regulations would incur substantial national energy saving, and for
which both natural market forces and voluntary labeling programs have
been and/or are expected to be ineffective in promoting energy
efficiency. The National Energy Conservation Policy Act of 1978 (NECPA)
amended EPCA to add Part C of Title III, 42 U.S.C. 6311 et seq., which
established an energy-conservation program for certain industrial
equipment. Amendments to EPCA in
[[Page 15060]]
the Energy Conservation Act of 1987 (NAECA) established prescriptive
energy conservation standards for dishwashers and cooking products, as
well as requirements for determining whether these standards should be
amended. (42 U.S.C. 6295(g) and (h)) The Energy Policy Act of 1992
(EPACT 1992), Public Law 102-486, included amendments to EPCA that
expanded Title III to include certain commercial equipment. The recent
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005), Public Law 109-58, updated
several existing standards and test procedures, prescribed definitions,
standards, and test procedures for certain new consumer products and
commercial equipment, and mandated that the Secretary of Energy (the
Secretary) commence rulemakings to develop test procedures and
standards for certain other new consumer products and commercial
equipment, including dehumidifiers and commercial clothes washers.
The prescriptive standards for dishwashers in EPCA, as amended,
require that they be equipped with an option to dry without heat, and
EPCA further requires that DOE conduct two cycles of rulemakings to
determine if more stringent standards are justified. (42 U.S.C.
6295(g)(1), (4)) On May 14, 1991, DOE issued a final rule establishing
the first set of performance standards for dishwashers; the new
standards became effective on May 14, 1994. 56 FR 22250. The Department
initiated a second standards rulemaking for dishwashers by issuing an
advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANOPR) on November 14, 1994. 59
FR 56423. As a result of the priority-setting process outlined in the
July 15, 1996, Procedures for Consideration of New or Revised Energy
Conservation Standards for Consumer Products (the ``Process Rule''), 61
FR 36974, 10 CFR part 430, Subpart C, Appendix A, DOE suspended the
standards rulemaking for dishwashers.
The prescriptive standards for gas cooking products in EPCA, as
amended, require units with an electrical supply cord not to be
equipped with constant burning pilots. EPCA, as amended, also directs
DOE to conduct two cycles of rulemakings to determine if more stringent
standards are justified. (42 U.S.C. 6295(h)) The Department initially
analyzed standards for cooking products as part of an eight-product
standards rulemaking. It issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR)
on March 4, 1994, proposing performance standards for gas and electric
residential cooking products, including microwave ovens. 59 FR 10464.
In accordance with the 1996 Process Rule, DOE refined its standards
analysis of cooking products. With regard to gas cooking products, DOE
focused on the economic justification for eliminating standing pilots.
Partially due to the difficulty of conclusively demonstrating that
elimination of standing pilots was economically justified, DOE issued a
final rule on September 8, 1998, that covered only electric cooking
products, including microwave ovens. 63 FR 48038. The final rule found
that no standards were feasible for electric cooking products. The
Department never completed its standards rulemaking for gas cooking
products.
Commercial clothes washers and dehumidifiers are new products
covered by the EPACT 2005 legislation. Commercial clothes washers are
defined in EPACT 2005 as soft-mount, front-loading or soft-mount, top-
loading washers that have a clothes container compartment that is not
more than 3.5 cubic feet for horizontal-axis clothes washers and not
more than 4.0 cubic feet for vertical-axis clothes washers. (EPACT
2005, section 136(a)(4)) EPACT 2005 also defines commercial clothes
washers as products designed for applications in which the occupants of
more than one household will be using the clothes washer, such as
multi-family housing common areas, coin laundries, or other commercial
applications. (Id.) EPACT 2005 established standards for commercial
clothes washers, which will become effective on January 1, 2007. (EPACT
2005, section 136(e)) EPACT 2005 also requires that DOE issue a final
rule by January 1, 2010, to determine whether these standards should be
amended. (Id.)
In EPACT 2005, dehumidifiers are defined as self-contained,
electrically operated, and mechanically encased assemblies consisting
of: (1) A refrigerated surface (evaporator) that condenses moisture
from the atmosphere; (2) a refrigerating system, including an electric
motor; (3) an air-circulating fan; and (4) a means for collecting or
disposing of the condensate. (EPACT 2005, section 135(a)(3)) EPACT 2005
established standards for dehumidifiers that will become effective on
October 1, 2007. (Section 135(c)(4)) EPACT 2005 also requires that DOE
issue a final rule by October 1, 2009, to determine whether these
standards should be amended. (Id.) If amended standards are justified,
EPACT 2005 requires them to become effective by October 1, 2012. (Id.)
In the event that DOE fails to publish a final rule, EPACT 2005
specifies a new set of amended standards with an effective date of
October 1, 2012. (Id.)
To begin the required rulemaking process, the Department prepared
the Framework Document to explain the issues, analyses, and process it
is considering for the development of energy efficiency standards for
residential electric and gas ranges and ovens and microwave ovens,
dishwashers, dehumidifiers, and commercial clothes washers. The focus
of the public meeting will be to discuss the analyses and issues
contained in various sections of the Framework Document. For each item
listed, the Department will make a presentation with discussion to
follow. In addition, the Department will also make a brief presentation
on the rulemaking process for these products. The Department encourages
those who wish to participate in the public meeting to obtain the
Framework Document and be prepared to discuss its contents. A copy of
the draft Framework Document is available at: https://
www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/. However, public
meeting participants need not limit their discussions to the topics in
the Framework Document. The Department is also interested in receiving
views concerning other relevant issues that participants believe would
affect energy conservation standards for these products. The Department
also welcomes all interested parties, whether or not they participate
in the public meeting, to submit in writing by Thursday, May 11, 2006,
comments and information on the matters addressed in the Framework
Document and on other matters relevant to consideration of standards
for residential electric and gas ranges and ovens and microwave ovens,
dishwashers, dehumidifiers, and commercial clothes washers.
The public meeting will be conducted in an informal, conference
style. A court reporter will be present to record the minutes of the
meeting. There shall be no discussion of proprietary information, costs
or prices, market shares, or other commercial matters regulated by the
U.S. antitrust laws.
After the public meeting and the expiration of the period for
submitting written statements, the Department will begin collecting
data, conducting the analyses as discussed at the public meeting, and
reviewing the comments received.
Anyone who would like to participate in the public meeting, receive
meeting materials, or be added to the DOE mailing list to receive
future notices and information regarding residential electric and gas
ranges and ovens and microwave ovens, dishwashers, dehumidifiers, and
commercial clothes
[[Page 15061]]
washers, should contact Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at (202) 586-2945.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 21, 2006.
Douglas L. Faulkner,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. E6-4390 Filed 3-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
