Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Clothes Dryers and Room Air Conditioners, 52852-52854 [2011-21639]
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52852
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 164 / Wednesday, August 24, 2011 / Rules and Regulations
§ 2.21 Under Secretary for Research,
Education, and Economics.
(a) * * *
(1) * * *
(cci) Administer the Biomass
Research and Development Initiative (7
U.S.C. 8108(e)); consult and coordinate,
as appropriate, with the Under Secretary
for RD and other mission areas of the
Department as deemed necessary in
carrying the authorities delegated
herein; serve as the designated point of
contact referenced in 7 U.S.C. 8108 for
the Department for purposes of
administering the Biomass Research and
Development Initiative.
*
*
*
*
*
Subpart K—Delegations of Authority
by the Under Secretary for Research,
Education, and Economics
4. Amend § 2.66 by revising paragraph
(a)(156) to read as follows:
■
§ 2.66 Director, National Institute of Food
and Agriculture.
(a) * * *
(156) Administer the Biomass
Research and Development Initiative (7
U.S.C. 8108(e)); consult and coordinate,
as appropriate, with the Under Secretary
for Rural Development and other
mission areas of the Department as
deemed necessary in carrying out the
authorities delegated herein.
*
*
*
*
*
Signed in Washington, DC, on August 18,
2011.
Pearlie S. Reed,
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011–21597 Filed 8–23–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket Number EERE–2007–BT–STD–
0010]
RIN 1904–AA89
Energy Conservation Program: Energy
Conservation Standards for
Residential Clothes Dryers and Room
Air Conditioners
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Final rule.
wreier-aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with RULES
AGENCY:
In a direct final rule
published on April 21, 2011, the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) adopted
amended energy conservation standards
for residential clothes dryers and room
SUMMARY:
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15:25 Aug 23, 2011
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air conditioners. As required by the
Energy Policy and Conservation Act
(EPCA), DOE also published
simultaneously a notice of proposed
rulemaking (NOPR) that proposed
identical energy efficiency standards.
The standards set forth in the direct
final rule and NOPR were identical to
the standards provided in the consensus
agreement that served as the basis for
those rulemaking actions. The
consensus agreement also provided
specific compliance dates for both
products. In the direct final rule and
NOPR, however, DOE provided for a
compliance date 3 years after the date of
publication in the Federal Register, or
April 21, 2014. As such, the compliance
date of the direct final rule and NOPR
did not correspond with the consensus
agreement. DOE now amends the
compliance dates set forth in the direct
final rule and corresponding NOPR to
be consistent with the compliance dates
set out in the consensus agreement.
Elsewhere in today’s Federal Register,
DOE also published a document
confirming adoption of the standards set
forth in the direct final rule and
confirming the effective date of the
direct final rule.
DATES: Effective Date: This rule is
effective on August 24, 2011.
Compliance dates: Compliance with the
standards for room air conditioners is
required on June 1, 2014. Compliance
with the standards for residential
clothes dryers is required on January 1,
2015.
ADDRESSES: The docket is available for
review at regulations.gov, including
Federal Register notices, framework
documents, public meeting attendee
lists and transcripts, comments, and
other supporting documents/materials.
All documents in the docket are listed
in the regulations.gov index. Not all
documents listed in the index may be
publicly available, such as information
that is exempt from public disclosure.
A link to the docket Web page can be
found at: https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephen L. Witkowski, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Program, EE–2J, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121, (202) 586–
7463, e-mail: stephen.witkowski@
ee.doe.gov.
Ms. Elizabeth Kohl, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of General Counsel,
GC–71, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121, (202)
586–7796, e-mail: Elizabeth.Kohl@
hq.doe.gov.
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
For further information on how to
submit or review public comments or
view hard copies of the docket, contact
Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586–2945
or e-mail: Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE
published a direct final rule to establish
amended energy conservation standards
for residential clothes dryers and room
air conditioners on April 21, 2011. 76
FR 22454 (April 21, 2011).
EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6291 et seq.), as
amended, grants DOE authority to issue
a final rule (hereinafter referred to as a
‘‘direct final rule’’) establishing an
energy conservation standard on receipt
of a statement submitted jointly by
interested persons that are fairly
representative of relevant points of view
(including representatives of
manufacturers of covered products,
States, and efficiency advocates) as
determined by the Secretary, that
contains recommendations with respect
to an energy conservation standard that
are in accordance with the provisions of
42 U.S.C. 6295(o). EPCA also requires a
NOPR that proposes an identical energy
conservation standard to be published
simultaneously with the final rule. A
public comment period of at least 110
days must be provided. 42 U.S.C.
6295(p)(4). Not later than 120 days after
issuance of the direct final rule, if one
or more adverse comments or an
alternative joint recommendation are
received relating to the direct final rule,
the Secretary must determine whether
the comments or alternative
recommendation may provide a
reasonable basis for withdrawal under
42 U.S.C. 6295(o) or other applicable
law. If the Secretary makes such a
determination, DOE must withdraw the
direct final rule and proceed with the
simultaneously published notice of
proposed rulemaking. DOE must
publish in the Federal Register the
reason why the direct final rule was
withdrawn. Id.
During the rulemaking proceeding to
develop amended standards for
residential clothes dryers and room air
conditioners, DOE received the
‘‘Agreement on Minimum Federal
Efficiency Standards, Smart Appliances,
Federal Incentives and Related Matters
for Specified Appliances’’ (the ‘‘Joint
Petition’’), a comment submitted by
groups representing manufacturers (the
Association of Home Appliance
Manufacturers (AHAM), Whirlpool
Corporation (Whirlpool), General
Electric Company (GE), Electrolux, LG
Electronics, Inc. (LG), BSH Home
Appliances (BSH), Alliance Laundry
Systems (ALS), Viking Range, Sub-Zero
Wolf, Friedrich A/C, U-Line, Samsung,
E:\FR\FM\24AUR1.SGM
24AUR1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 164 / Wednesday, August 24, 2011 / Rules and Regulations
Sharp Electronics, Miele, Heat
Controller, AGA Marvel, Brown Stove,
Haier, Fagor America, Airwell Group,
Arcelik, Fisher & Paykel, Scotsman Ice,
Indesit, Kuppersbusch, Kelon, and
DeLonghi); energy and environmental
advocates (American Council for an
Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE),
Appliance Standards Awareness Project
(ASAP), Natural Resources Defense
Council (NRDC), Alliance to Save
Energy (ASE), Alliance for Water
Efficiency (AWE), Northwest Power and
Conservation Council (NPCC), and
Northeast Energy Efficiency
Partnerships (NEEP)); and consumer
groups (Consumer Federation of
America (CFA) and the National
Consumer Law Center (NCLC))
(collectively, the ‘‘Joint Petitioners’’).
This collective set of comments, which
DOE refers to in this notice as the ‘‘Joint
Petition’’ 1 or ‘‘Consensus Agreement’’
recommends specific energy
conservation standards for residential
clothes dryers and room air conditioners
that, in the commenters’ view, would
satisfy the EPCA requirements in 42
U.S.C. 6295(o). The Joint Petition also
sets forth compliance dates for these
recommended standards. The
compliance dates are June 1, 2014 for
room air conditioners and January 1,
2015 for clothes dryers.
As discussed in the direct final rule,
DOE determined that the relevant
criteria under 42 U.S.C. 6295(p)(4) were
satisfied and that it was appropriate to
adopt amended energy conservation
standards for clothes dryers and room
air conditioners through the direct final
rule. In publishing the direct final rule,
however, DOE inadvertently specified a
compliance date 3 years after
publication of the direct final rule in the
Federal Register, rather than specifying
the compliance dates set forth in the
Joint Petition. DOE proposed to amend
the compliance dates in a proposed rule
published in the Federal Register on
May 9, 2011. 76 FR 26656. DOE
received two comments in support of
the amended compliance dates, and no
commenters objected to those dates. In
today’s rule, DOE adopts those
compliance dates. Specifically, for room
air conditioners, DOE adopts a
compliance date of June 1, 2014, and for
clothes dryers, DOE adopts a
compliance date of January 1, 2015. In
addition, elsewhere in today’s Federal
Register, DOE published a document
confirming adoption of the standards set
forth in the direct final rule and
announcing the effective date of the
direct final rule.
Procedural Issues and Regulatory
Review
DOE finds good cause to waive the
30-day delay in effective date under the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.
553(d)). A 30-day delay is unnecessary
because the compliance dates
established in today’s final rule are
intended merely to ensure that the
compliance dates for the energy
conservation standards set forth in
DOE’s direct final rule published on
April 21, 2011 are the same as those
recommended in the Joint Petition.
Further, as DOE also published a
document elsewhere in today’s Federal
Register confirming adoption of the
standards set forth in the direct final
rule and announcing the effective date
of the direct final rule, any delay in the
effective date of this rule could cause
confusion among interested parties.
The regulatory reviews conducted for
this final rule remain unchanged from
those conducted for the direct final rule
establishing the amended energy
conservation standards. DOE does not
believe that the changes in the
compliance dates—approximately one
and a half months for room air
conditioners and eight and a half
months for clothes dryers—would result
in changes to those analyses. Please see
the direct final rule for further details.
List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 430
Administrative practice and
procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation,
Household appliances, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Small
businesses.
Issued in Washington, DC, on August 18,
2011.
Timothy Unruh,
Program Manager, Federal Energy
Management Program, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
For the reasons set forth in the
preamble, DOE amends chapter II,
subchapter D, of title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations, as set forth below:
PART 430—ENERGY CONSERVATION
PROGRAM FOR CONSUMER
PRODUCTS
1. The authority citation for part 430
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291–6309; 28 U.S.C.
2461 note.
2. In § 430.32, revise paragraphs (b)
and (h) to read as follows:
■
§ 430.32 Energy and water conservation
standards and their effective dates.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) Room air conditioners.
wreier-aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with RULES
Product class
Energy efficiency
ratio, effective from
Oct. 1, 2000 to
May 31, 2014
1. Without reverse cycle, with louvered sides, and less than 6,000 Btu/h .........................................
2. Without reverse cycle, with louvered sides, and 6,000 to 7,999 Btu/h ..........................................
3. Without reverse cycle, with louvered sides, and 8,000 to 13,999 Btu/h ........................................
4. Without reverse cycle, with louvered sides, and 14,000 to 19,999 Btu/h ......................................
5a. Without reverse cycle, with louvered sides, and 20,000 to 24,999 Btu/h ....................................
5b. Without reverse cycle, with louvered sides, and 25,000 Btu/h or more .......................................
6. Without reverse cycle, without louvered sides, and less than 6,000 Btu/h ....................................
7. Without reverse cycle, without louvered sides, and 6,000 to 7,999 Btu/h .....................................
8a. Without reverse cycle, without louvered sides, and 8,000 to 10,999 Btu/h .................................
8b. Without reverse cycle, without louvered sides, and 11,000 to 13,999 Btu/h ...............................
9. Without reverse cycle, without louvered sides, and 14,000 to 19,999 Btu/h .................................
10. Without reverse cycle, without louvered sides, and 20,000 Btu/h or more ..................................
11. With reverse cycle, with louvered sides, and less than 20,000 Btu/h ..........................................
12. With reverse cycle, without louvered sides, and less than 14,000 Btu/h .....................................
13. With reverse cycle, with louvered sides, and 20,000 Btu/h or more ............................................
14. With reverse cycle, without louvered sides, and 14,000 Btu/h or more .......................................
15. Casement-Only ..............................................................................................................................
9.7
9.7
9.8
9.7
8.5
..................................
9.0
9.0
8.5
..................................
8.5
8.5
9.0
8.5
8.5
8.0
8.7
1 DOE Docket No. EERE–2007–BT–STD–0010,
Comment 35.
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52853
E:\FR\FM\24AUR1.SGM
24AUR1
Combined energy efficiency ratio,
effective as of
June 1, 2014
11.0
11.0
10.9
10.7
9.4
9.0
10.0
10.0
9.6
9.5
9.3
9.4
9.8
9.3
9.3
8.7
9.5
52854
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 164 / Wednesday, August 24, 2011 / Rules and Regulations
Energy efficiency
ratio, effective from
Oct. 1, 2000 to
May 31, 2014
Product class
16. Casement-Slider ............................................................................................................................
*
*
*
*
*
(h) Clothes dryers. (1) Gas clothes
dryers manufactured after January 1,
1988 shall not be equipped with a
constant burning pilot.
(2) Clothes dryers manufactured on or
after May 14, 1994 and before January
1, 2015, shall have an energy factor no
less than:
Energy
factor
(lbs/kWh)
Product class
i. Electric, Standard (4.4 ft3 or
greater capacity) ...................
ii. Electric, Compact (120V)
(less than 4.4 ft3 capacity) ....
iii. Electric, Compact (240V)
(less than 4.4 ft3 capacity) ....
iv. Gas ......................................
3.01
3.13
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket Number EERE–2007–BT–STD–
0010]
RIN 1904–AA89
Energy Conservation Program: Energy
Conservation Standards for
Residential Clothes Dryers and Room
Air Conditioners
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of effective date and
compliance dates for direct final rule.
AGENCY:
DOE published a direct final
rule to establish amended energy
conservation standards for residential
clothes dryers and room air conditioners
(3) Clothes dryers manufactured on or in the Federal Register on April 21,
2011. DOE has determined that the
after January 1, 2015, shall have a
adverse comments received in response
combined energy factor no less than:
to the direct final rule do not provide a
reasonable basis for withdrawing the
Combined
direct final rule. Therefore, DOE
energy
Product class
factor
provides this document confirming
(lbs/kWh)
adoption of the energy conservation
standards established in the direct final
i. Vented Electric, Standard
3 or greater capacity) ...
(4.4 ft
3.73 rule and announcing the effective date
of those standards. DOE also published
ii. Vented Electric, Compact
a proposed rule to amend the
(120V) (less than 4.4 ft3 capacity) ....................................
3.61 compliance dates set forth in the direct
final rule on May 9, 2011. Elsewhere in
iii. Vented Electric, Compact
today’s Federal Register, DOE publishes
(240V) (less than 4.4 ft3 capacity) ....................................
3.27 a final rule which adopts the
iv. Vented Gas ..........................
3.30 compliance dates set forth in its
v. Ventless Electric, Compact
proposed rule published on May 9,
(240V) (less than 4.4 ft3 ca2011.
SUMMARY:
2.90
2.67
pacity) ....................................
vi. Ventless Electric, Combination Washer-Dryer .................
*
*
*
*
2.55
2.08
*
[FR Doc. 2011–21639 Filed 8–23–11; 8:45 am]
wreier-aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with RULES
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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Jkt 223001
The direct final rule published
on April 21, 2011 (76 FR 22454) was
effective on August 19, 2011. Pursuant
to the document published elsewhere in
today’s Federal Register, compliance
with the standards in the direct final
rule will be required on June 1, 2014 for
room air conditioners and on January 1,
2015 for clothes dryers.
ADDRESSES: The docket is available for
review at regulations.gov, including
Federal Register notices, framework
documents, public meeting attendee
lists and transcripts, comments, and
other supporting documents/materials.
All documents in the docket are listed
in the regulations.gov index. Not all
documents listed in the index may be
publicly available, such as information
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
9.5
Combined energy efficiency ratio,
effective as of
June 1, 2014
10.4
that is exempt from public disclosure. A
link to the docket Web page can be
found at https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Stephen L. Witkowski, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Program, EE–2J, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121; telephone:
(202) 586–7463; e-mail:
Stephen.Witkowski@ee.doe.gov.
Ms. Elizabeth Kohl, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of the General Counsel,
GC–71, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121;
telephone: (202) 586–7796; e-mail:
Elizabeth.Kohl@hq.doe.gov.
For further information on how to
submit or review public comments or
view hard copies of the docket, contact
Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586–2945
or e-mail: Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Authority and Rulemaking
Background
As amended by Energy Independence
and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007;
Pub. L. 110–140), the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act authorizes DOE to
issue a direct final rule establishing an
energy conservation standard on receipt
of a statement submitted jointly by
interested persons that are fairly
representative of relevant points of view
(including representatives of
manufacturers of covered products,
States, and efficiency advocates) as
determined by the Secretary of Energy
(Secretary), that contains
recommendations with respect to an
energy conservation standard that are in
accordance with the provisions of 42
U.S.C. 6295(o). A notice of proposed
rulemaking (NOPR) that proposes an
identical energy conservation standard
must be published simultaneously with
the final rule, and DOE must provide a
public comment period of at least 110
days on the direct final rule. 42 U.S.C.
6295(p)(4). Not later than 120 days after
issuance of the direct final rule, if one
or more adverse comments or an
alternative joint recommendation are
received relating to the direct final rule,
the Secretary must determine whether
the comments or alternative
recommendation may provide a
reasonable basis for withdrawal under
42 U.S.C. 6295(o) or other applicable
E:\FR\FM\24AUR1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 24, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52852-52854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21639]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket Number EERE-2007-BT-STD-0010]
RIN 1904-AA89
Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for
Residential Clothes Dryers and Room Air Conditioners
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In a direct final rule published on April 21, 2011, the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) adopted amended energy conservation
standards for residential clothes dryers and room air conditioners. As
required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), DOE also
published simultaneously a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) that
proposed identical energy efficiency standards. The standards set forth
in the direct final rule and NOPR were identical to the standards
provided in the consensus agreement that served as the basis for those
rulemaking actions. The consensus agreement also provided specific
compliance dates for both products. In the direct final rule and NOPR,
however, DOE provided for a compliance date 3 years after the date of
publication in the Federal Register, or April 21, 2014. As such, the
compliance date of the direct final rule and NOPR did not correspond
with the consensus agreement. DOE now amends the compliance dates set
forth in the direct final rule and corresponding NOPR to be consistent
with the compliance dates set out in the consensus agreement. Elsewhere
in today's Federal Register, DOE also published a document confirming
adoption of the standards set forth in the direct final rule and
confirming the effective date of the direct final rule.
DATES: Effective Date: This rule is effective on August 24, 2011.
Compliance dates: Compliance with the standards for room air
conditioners is required on June 1, 2014. Compliance with the standards
for residential clothes dryers is required on January 1, 2015.
ADDRESSES: The docket is available for review at regulations.gov,
including Federal Register notices, framework documents, public meeting
attendee lists and transcripts, comments, and other supporting
documents/materials. All documents in the docket are listed in the
regulations.gov index. Not all documents listed in the index may be
publicly available, such as information that is exempt from public
disclosure.
A link to the docket Web page can be found at: https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen L. Witkowski, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Program, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,
DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-7463, e-mail: stephen.witkowski@ee.doe.gov.
Ms. Elizabeth Kohl, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General
Counsel, GC-71, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-
0121, (202) 586-7796, e-mail: Elizabeth.Kohl@hq.doe.gov.
For further information on how to submit or review public comments
or view hard copies of the docket, contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202)
586-2945 or e-mail: Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE published a direct final rule to
establish amended energy conservation standards for residential clothes
dryers and room air conditioners on April 21, 2011. 76 FR 22454 (April
21, 2011).
EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6291 et seq.), as amended, grants DOE authority to
issue a final rule (hereinafter referred to as a ``direct final rule'')
establishing an energy conservation standard on receipt of a statement
submitted jointly by interested persons that are fairly representative
of relevant points of view (including representatives of manufacturers
of covered products, States, and efficiency advocates) as determined by
the Secretary, that contains recommendations with respect to an energy
conservation standard that are in accordance with the provisions of 42
U.S.C. 6295(o). EPCA also requires a NOPR that proposes an identical
energy conservation standard to be published simultaneously with the
final rule. A public comment period of at least 110 days must be
provided. 42 U.S.C. 6295(p)(4). Not later than 120 days after issuance
of the direct final rule, if one or more adverse comments or an
alternative joint recommendation are received relating to the direct
final rule, the Secretary must determine whether the comments or
alternative recommendation may provide a reasonable basis for
withdrawal under 42 U.S.C. 6295(o) or other applicable law. If the
Secretary makes such a determination, DOE must withdraw the direct
final rule and proceed with the simultaneously published notice of
proposed rulemaking. DOE must publish in the Federal Register the
reason why the direct final rule was withdrawn. Id.
During the rulemaking proceeding to develop amended standards for
residential clothes dryers and room air conditioners, DOE received the
``Agreement on Minimum Federal Efficiency Standards, Smart Appliances,
Federal Incentives and Related Matters for Specified Appliances'' (the
``Joint Petition''), a comment submitted by groups representing
manufacturers (the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM),
Whirlpool Corporation (Whirlpool), General Electric Company (GE),
Electrolux, LG Electronics, Inc. (LG), BSH Home Appliances (BSH),
Alliance Laundry Systems (ALS), Viking Range, Sub-Zero Wolf, Friedrich
A/C, U-Line, Samsung,
[[Page 52853]]
Sharp Electronics, Miele, Heat Controller, AGA Marvel, Brown Stove,
Haier, Fagor America, Airwell Group, Arcelik, Fisher & Paykel, Scotsman
Ice, Indesit, Kuppersbusch, Kelon, and DeLonghi); energy and
environmental advocates (American Council for an Energy Efficient
Economy (ACEEE), Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Alliance to Save Energy (ASE),
Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE), Northwest Power and Conservation
Council (NPCC), and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP));
and consumer groups (Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and the
National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)) (collectively, the ``Joint
Petitioners''). This collective set of comments, which DOE refers to in
this notice as the ``Joint Petition'' \1\ or ``Consensus Agreement''
recommends specific energy conservation standards for residential
clothes dryers and room air conditioners that, in the commenters' view,
would satisfy the EPCA requirements in 42 U.S.C. 6295(o). The Joint
Petition also sets forth compliance dates for these recommended
standards. The compliance dates are June 1, 2014 for room air
conditioners and January 1, 2015 for clothes dryers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ DOE Docket No. EERE-2007-BT-STD-0010, Comment 35.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As discussed in the direct final rule, DOE determined that the
relevant criteria under 42 U.S.C. 6295(p)(4) were satisfied and that it
was appropriate to adopt amended energy conservation standards for
clothes dryers and room air conditioners through the direct final rule.
In publishing the direct final rule, however, DOE inadvertently
specified a compliance date 3 years after publication of the direct
final rule in the Federal Register, rather than specifying the
compliance dates set forth in the Joint Petition. DOE proposed to amend
the compliance dates in a proposed rule published in the Federal
Register on May 9, 2011. 76 FR 26656. DOE received two comments in
support of the amended compliance dates, and no commenters objected to
those dates. In today's rule, DOE adopts those compliance dates.
Specifically, for room air conditioners, DOE adopts a compliance date
of June 1, 2014, and for clothes dryers, DOE adopts a compliance date
of January 1, 2015. In addition, elsewhere in today's Federal Register,
DOE published a document confirming adoption of the standards set forth
in the direct final rule and announcing the effective date of the
direct final rule.
Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
DOE finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effective date
under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(d)). A 30-day
delay is unnecessary because the compliance dates established in
today's final rule are intended merely to ensure that the compliance
dates for the energy conservation standards set forth in DOE's direct
final rule published on April 21, 2011 are the same as those
recommended in the Joint Petition. Further, as DOE also published a
document elsewhere in today's Federal Register confirming adoption of
the standards set forth in the direct final rule and announcing the
effective date of the direct final rule, any delay in the effective
date of this rule could cause confusion among interested parties.
The regulatory reviews conducted for this final rule remain
unchanged from those conducted for the direct final rule establishing
the amended energy conservation standards. DOE does not believe that
the changes in the compliance dates--approximately one and a half
months for room air conditioners and eight and a half months for
clothes dryers--would result in changes to those analyses. Please see
the direct final rule for further details.
List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 430
Administrative practice and procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation, Household appliances, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Small businesses.
Issued in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2011.
Timothy Unruh,
Program Manager, Federal Energy Management Program, Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, DOE amends chapter II,
subchapter D, of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as set
forth below:
PART 430--ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS
0
1. The authority citation for part 430 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291-6309; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note.
0
2. In Sec. 430.32, revise paragraphs (b) and (h) to read as follows:
Sec. 430.32 Energy and water conservation standards and their
effective dates.
* * * * *
(b) Room air conditioners.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Energy efficiency Combined energy
ratio, effective efficiency ratio,
Product class from Oct. 1, 2000 effective as of
to May 31, 2014 June 1, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Without reverse cycle, with 9.7 11.0
louvered sides, and less than
6,000 Btu/h..................
2. Without reverse cycle, with 9.7 11.0
louvered sides, and 6,000 to
7,999 Btu/h..................
3. Without reverse cycle, with 9.8 10.9
louvered sides, and 8,000 to
13,999 Btu/h.................
4. Without reverse cycle, with 9.7 10.7
louvered sides, and 14,000 to
19,999 Btu/h.................
5a. Without reverse cycle, 8.5 9.4
with louvered sides, and
20,000 to 24,999 Btu/h.......
5b. Without reverse cycle, ................... 9.0
with louvered sides, and
25,000 Btu/h or more.........
6. Without reverse cycle, 9.0 10.0
without louvered sides, and
less than 6,000 Btu/h........
7. Without reverse cycle, 9.0 10.0
without louvered sides, and
6,000 to 7,999 Btu/h.........
8a. Without reverse cycle, 8.5 9.6
without louvered sides, and
8,000 to 10,999 Btu/h........
8b. Without reverse cycle, ................... 9.5
without louvered sides, and
11,000 to 13,999 Btu/h.......
9. Without reverse cycle, 8.5 9.3
without louvered sides, and
14,000 to 19,999 Btu/h.......
10. Without reverse cycle, 8.5 9.4
without louvered sides, and
20,000 Btu/h or more.........
11. With reverse cycle, with 9.0 9.8
louvered sides, and less than
20,000 Btu/h.................
12. With reverse cycle, 8.5 9.3
without louvered sides, and
less than 14,000 Btu/h.......
13. With reverse cycle, with 8.5 9.3
louvered sides, and 20,000
Btu/h or more................
14. With reverse cycle, 8.0 8.7
without louvered sides, and
14,000 Btu/h or more.........
15. Casement-Only............. 8.7 9.5
[[Page 52854]]
16. Casement-Slider........... 9.5 10.4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * *
(h) Clothes dryers. (1) Gas clothes dryers manufactured after
January 1, 1988 shall not be equipped with a constant burning pilot.
(2) Clothes dryers manufactured on or after May 14, 1994 and before
January 1, 2015, shall have an energy factor no less than:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Energy
Product class factor
(lbs/kWh)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
i. Electric, Standard (4.4 ft\3\ or greater capacity)...... 3.01
ii. Electric, Compact (120V) (less than 4.4 ft\3\ capacity) 3.13
iii. Electric, Compact (240V) (less than 4.4 ft\3\ 2.90
capacity).................................................
iv. Gas.................................................... 2.67
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Clothes dryers manufactured on or after January 1, 2015, shall
have a combined energy factor no less than:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Combined
energy
Product class factor (lbs/
kWh)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
i. Vented Electric, Standard (4.4 ft\3\ or greater 3.73
capacity).................................................
ii. Vented Electric, Compact (120V) (less than 4.4 ft\3\ 3.61
capacity).................................................
iii. Vented Electric, Compact (240V) (less than 4.4 ft\3\ 3.27
capacity).................................................
iv. Vented Gas............................................. 3.30
v. Ventless Electric, Compact (240V) (less than 4.4 ft\3\ 2.55
capacity).................................................
vi. Ventless Electric, Combination Washer-Dryer............ 2.08
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2011-21639 Filed 8-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P