Energy Conservation Standards for Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products: Public Meeting and Availability of the Preliminary Technical Support Document, 71705-71709 [2014-28460]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 232 / Wednesday, December 3, 2014 / Proposed Rules
between 15 and 25 percent. While many
of the entities that may be affected by
the final rule, such as importers of
orchids for the potted plant market, are
small by Small Business Administration
standards, we expect any impact to be
minimal, given Oncidium spp.’s small
share of the U.S. orchid market and
their small share of total orchid imports
from Taiwan. Allowing importation of
Oncidium spp. from Taiwan in growing
media could also lead to an expanded
market for this genus, but any increase
is likely to be limited given the flower’s
unusual appearance.
Under these circumstances, the
Administrator of the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service has
determined that this action would not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Executive Order 12988
This proposed rule has been reviewed
under Executive Order 12988, Civil
Justice Reform. If this proposed rule is
adopted: (1) All State and local laws and
regulations that are inconsistent with
this rule will be preempted; (2) no
retroactive effect will be given to this
rule; and (3) administrative proceedings
will not be required before parties may
file suit in court challenging this rule.
National Environmental Policy Act
To provide the public with
documentation of APHIS’ review and
analysis of any potential environmental
impacts associated with the proposed
importation of Oncidium spp. from
Taiwan, we have prepared an
environmental assessment. The
environmental assessment was prepared
in accordance with: (1) The National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.), (2) regulations of the Council on
Environmental Quality for
implementing the procedural provisions
of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), (3)
USDA regulations implementing NEPA
(7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part
372).
The environmental assessment may
be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web
site or in our reading room. (A link to
Regulations.gov and information on the
location and hours of the reading room
are provided under the heading
ADDRESSES at the beginning of this
proposed rule.) In addition, copies may
be obtained by calling or writing to the
individual listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This proposed rule contains no new
information collection or recordkeeping
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requirements under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.).
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 319
Coffee, Cotton, Fruits, Imports, Logs,
Nursery stock, Plant diseases and pests,
Quarantine, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Rice,
Vegetables.
Accordingly, we propose to amend 7
CFR part 319 as follows:
PART 319—FOREIGN QUARANTINE
NOTICES
1. The authority citation for part 319
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701–7772, and
7781–7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 7 CFR
2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
2. Section 319.37–8 (e) introductory
text is amended as follows:
■ a. By adding a new entry in
alphabetical order.
■ b. In footnotes 9 and 10, by removing
the words ‘‘footnote 9’’ and adding the
words ‘‘footnote 8’’ in their place.
The addition reads as follows:
■
§ 319.37–8
Growing media.
*
*
*
*
*
(e) * * *
Oncidium spp. from Taiwan
*
*
*
*
*
Done in Washington, DC, this 1st day of
December 2014.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–28487 Filed 12–2–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket No. EERE–2011–BT–STD–0043]
RIN 1904–AC51
Energy Conservation Standards for
Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products:
Public Meeting and Availability of the
Preliminary Technical Support
Document
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and
availability of preliminary technical
support document.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) will hold a public meeting
to discuss and receive comments on the
preliminary analysis it has conducted
SUMMARY:
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71705
for purposes of establishing energy
conservation standards for
miscellaneous refrigeration products.
The meeting will cover the analytical
framework, models, and tools that DOE
is using to evaluate whether to set
standards for these products; the results
of preliminary analyses performed by
DOE for the products; the potential
energy conservation standard levels
derived from these analyses that DOE
could consider for these products; and
any other issues relevant to the
development of energy conservation
standards for miscellaneous
refrigeration products. In addition, DOE
encourages written comments on these
subjects. To inform interested parties
and to facilitate this process, DOE has
prepared an agenda, a preliminary
technical support document (TSD), and
briefing materials, which are available
on the DOE Web site at: https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/
ruleid/71.
DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting
on Friday January 9, 2015, from 9 a.m.
to 4 p.m., in Washington, DC.
Additionally, DOE plans to allow for
participation in the public meeting via
Webinar. DOE will accept comments,
data, and other information regarding
this rulemaking before or after the
public meeting, but no later than
February 2, 2015. See section IV,
‘‘Public Participation,’’ of this notice for
details.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be
held at the U.S. Department of Energy,
Forrestal Building, Room 8E–089, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Interested persons may submit
comments, identified by docket number
EERE–2011–BT–STD–0043 and/or
Regulation Identification Number (RIN)
1904–AC51, by any of the following
methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Email: WineChillers-2011–STD–
0043@ee.doe.gov. Include the docket
number EERE–2011–BT–STD–0043
and/or RIN 1904–AC51 in the subject
line of the message.
• Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S.
Department of Energy, Building
Technologies Program, 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.
Please note that comments and CDs sent
by mail are often delayed and may be
damaged by mail screening processes.
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• Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda
Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy,
Building Technologies Program, 950
L’Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600,
Washington, DC 20024. Telephone (202)
586–2945. If possible, please submit all
items on CD, in which case it is not
necessary to include printed copies.
Docket: The docket is available for
review at www.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
www.regulations.gov index. However,
not all documents listed in the index
may be publicly available, such as
information that is exempt from public
disclosure.
The rulemaking Web page can be
found at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/
buildings/appliance_standards/
rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/71. This Web
page contains a link to the docket for
this notice on the regulation.gov site.
The regulations.gov Web page contains
instructions on how to access all
documents in the docket, including
public comments.
For detailed instructions on attending
the meeting and submitting comments,
and for additional information on the
rulemaking process, see section IV,
‘‘Public Participation,’’ of this
document. For further information on
how to submit a comment, review other
public comments and the docket, or
participate in the public meeting,
contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202)
586–2945 or by email:
Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Ashley Armstrong, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies, EE–5B, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Telephone: (202) 586–6590. Email:
Ashley.Armstrong@ee.doe.gov.
In the Office of the General Counsel,
contact Mr. Michael Kido, U.S.
Department of Energy, Office of the
General Counsel, GC–33, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Telephone: (202) 586–8145. Email:
Michael.Kido@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
III. Summary of the Analyses Performed by
DOE
A. Engineering Analysis
B. Markups To Determine Prices
C. Energy Use Analysis
D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period
Analyses
E. National Impact Analysis
IV. Public Participation
A. Attendance at Public Meeting
B. Procedure for Submitting Requests To
Speak
C. Conduct of Public Meeting
D. Submission of Comments
V. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
Table of Contents
I. Authority
Title III, Part B 1 of the Energy Policy
and Conservation Act of 1975, as
amended, (EPCA or the Act), Pub. L. 94–
163 (42 U.S.C. 6291–6309, as codified)
sets forth a variety of provisions
designed to improve energy efficiency
and established the Energy Conservation
Program for Consumer Products Other
Than Automobiles, a program covering
most major household appliances.2 As
part of these statutory provisions, EPCA
permits DOE to establish energy
conservation standards for those
consumer products that are not already
explicitly addressed by EPCA provided
they meet certain threshold criteria for
coverage and specific additional
standards-related criteria. See 42 U.S.C.
6292(b) (laying out predicate
requirements prior to treating a product
as a newly covered product). See also 42
U.S.C. 6295(l)(1) (detailing the criteria
that a newly covered product must meet
in order to permit DOE to establish
energy conservation standards for that
product). This notice addresses a variety
of consumer refrigeration products that
DOE is evaluating whether to regulate.
The consumer products addressed by
this notice are hybrid (or combination)
refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and
freezers (i.e., products that include
warm compartments such as wine
storage compartments in products that
otherwise perform the functions of
refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, or
freezers), cooled cabinets (including
wine chillers), refrigeration products
that do not use vapor-compression
refrigeration systems (i.e., products that
do not include a compressor and
condenser unit as an integral part of the
cabinet assembly), and ice makers.
Although cooled cabinets (including
wine chillers) that use a conventional
compressor/condenser system already
fall into the covered products category
I. Authority
II. History of Energy Conservation Standards
Rulemaking for Miscellaneous
Refrigeration Products
A. Background
B. Current Rulemaking Process
1 For editorial reasons, upon codification in the
U.S. Code, Part B was re-designated Part A.
2 All references to EPCA in this document refer
to the statute as amended through the American
Energy Manufacturing Technical Corrections Act
(AEMTCA), Pub. L. 112–210 (Dec. 18, 2012).
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described in 42 U.S.C. 6292(a)(1), they
are not covered by energy conservation
standards for refrigerators, refrigeratorfreezers, and freezers, largely because
they are not designed to be capable of
achieving compartment temperatures
colder than the 39 degrees Fahrenheit
(°F) limit specified in DOE’s current
regulatory definition for ‘‘refrigerator.’’
(10 CFR 430.2)
The other remaining products listed
in the previous paragraph, however, do
not fall into the category described in 42
U.S.C. 6292(a)(1) for coverage of
consumer refrigerators, refrigeratorfreezers, and freezers. In cases such as
these, where a given product is not
explicitly covered by EPCA, DOE may
classify that product as a covered
product if doing so would satisfy the
requirements of 42 U.S.C. 6292(b)(1).
That provision states that the Secretary
of Energy may classify a type of
consumer product as a covered product
if: (1) Coverage of the product is
necessary or appropriate for carrying out
the purposes of EPCA and (2) the
average annual per-household energy
use by products of such type is likely to
exceed 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per
year. DOE preliminarily determined in
an October 31, 2013 notice (hereafter
referred to as the October 2013 Coverage
Proposal) that, in aggregate, the
products listed above satisfy the
coverage prerequisites of 42 U.S.C.
6292(b)(1). Consequently, DOE
proposed to treat these products as a
single new product coverage category
under EPCA. 78 FR 65223. Should DOE
issue a final determination that such
products are covered and meet the
EPCA requirements in 42 U.S.C.
6295(l)(A), DOE would have the
authority to develop energy
conservation standards for these
products.
In a NOPR for a parallel rulemaking
(hereafter referred to as the Test
Procedure NOPR), DOE has proposed
new test procedures for all the products
in this new coverage category. The Test
Procedure NOPR proposes that all the
products covered in this rulemaking
would be collectively defined as
‘‘miscellaneous refrigeration products,’’
which is the term that will be used to
refer to these products in this document.
DOE is required to consider standards
that: (1) Achieve the maximum
improvement in energy efficiency that is
technologically feasible and
economically justified; and (2) result in
significant conservation of energy. (42
U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(A) and (o)(3)(B)) To
determine whether a proposed standard
is economically justified, DOE will, after
receiving comments on the proposed
standard, determine whether the
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benefits of the standard exceed its
burdens to the greatest extent
practicable, using the following seven
factors:
1. The economic impact of the
standard on manufacturers and
consumers of products subject to the
standard;
2. The savings in operating costs
throughout the estimated average life of
the covered products in the type (or
class) compared to any increase in the
price, initial charges, or maintenance
expenses for the covered products
which are likely to result from the
standard;
3. The total projected amount of
energy savings likely to result directly
from the standard;
4. Any lessening of the utility or the
performance of the covered products
likely to result from the standard;
5. The impact of any lessening of
competition, as determined in writing
by the Attorney General, that is likely to
result from the standard;
6. The need for national energy
conservation; and
7. Other factors the Secretary of
Energy considers relevant.
(42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i))
Before proposing a standard, DOE
typically seeks public input on the
analytical framework, models, and tools
that DOE will use to evaluate standards
for the product at issue and the results
of preliminary analyses DOE performed
for the product. This notice announces
the availability of the preliminary TSD,
which details the preliminary analyses,
discusses the comments DOE received
from interested parties on the
Framework Document, and summarizes
the preliminary results of DOE’s
analyses. In addition, DOE is
announcing a public meeting to solicit
feedback from interested parties on its
analytical framework, models, and
preliminary results.
II. History of Energy Conservation
Standards Rulemaking for
Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products
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A. Background
DOE does not have energy
conservation standards for
miscellaneous refrigeration products but
recognizes the increasing popularity of
these particular products. Given the
projections of continued sales growth of
these products, DOE is examining
whether regulating their energy
efficiency would satisfy the necessary
statutory prerequisities as newly
covered products and would help
reduce the risk of creating any
regulatory gaps that might result in
manufacturer or consumer confusion
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regarding the energy usage of these
products.
B. Current Rulemaking Process
In initiating this rulemaking, DOE
prepared a Framework Document,
‘‘Energy Conservation Standards
Rulemaking Framework Document for
Wine Chillers and Miscellaneous
Refrigeration Products,’’ which
describes the procedural and analytical
approaches DOE anticipates using to
evaluate energy conservation standards
for miscellaneous refrigeration products.
This document is available at: https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/
ruleid/71.
DOE held a public meeting on
February 20, 2012, at which it described
the various analyses DOE would
conduct as part of the rulemaking, such
as the engineering analysis, the lifecycle cost (LCC) and payback period
(PBP) analyses, and the national impact
analysis (NIA). Representatives for
manufacturers, trade associations,
environmental and energy efficiency
advocates, and other interested parties
attended the meeting.
Comments received since publication
of the Framework Document have
helped DOE identify and resolve issues
related to the preliminary analyses.
Chapter 2 of the preliminary TSD
summarizes and addresses the
comments received.
III. Summary of the Analyses
Performed by DOE
For the products covered in this
rulemaking, DOE conducted in-depth
technical analyses in the following
areas: (1) Engineering; (2) markups to
determine product price; (3) energy use;
(4) life-cycle cost and payback period;
and (5) national impacts. The
preliminary TSD that presents the
methodology and results of each of
these analyses is available at: https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/
ruleid/71.
DOE also conducted, and has
included in the preliminary TSD,
several other analyses that support the
major analyses that DOE anticipates will
likely be expanded upon for a notice of
proposed rulemaking (NOPR) if DOE
determines that new energy
conservation standards are
technologically feasible, economically
justified, and would save a significant
amount of energy, based on the
information presented to or obtained by
the Department. These analyses include:
(1) The market and technology
assessment; (2) the screening analysis,
which contributes to the engineering
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analysis; and (3) the shipments analysis,
which contributes to the LCC and PBP
analysis and NIA. In addition to these
analyses, DOE has begun preliminary
work on the manufacturer impact
analysis and has identified the methods
to be used for the consumer subgroup
analysis, the emissions analysis, the
employment impact analysis, the
regulatory impact analysis, and the
utility impact analysis. DOE will
expand on these analyses if it decides to
issue a NOPR to propose energy
conservation standards for the products
at this time.
A. Engineering Analysis
The engineering analysis establishes
the relationship between the cost and
efficiency levels of the product that DOE
is considering regulating by evaluating
the impacts flowing from potential
energy conservation standards for that
product. This relationship serves as the
basis for cost-benefit calculations for
individual consumers, manufacturers,
and the Nation. The engineering
analysis identifies representative
baseline products, which is the starting
point for analyzing technologies that
provide energy efficiency
improvements. ‘‘Baseline products’’
refers to a model or models having
features and technologies typically
found in minimally-efficient products
currently available on the market and,
for products already subject to energy
conservation standards, a model that
just meets the current standard. After
identifying the baseline models, DOE
estimated manufacturer selling prices by
using a consistent methodology and
pricing scheme that includes material
costs and manufacturer markups.
Chapter 5 of the preliminary TSD
discusses the engineering analysis.
B. Markups To Determine Prices
DOE derives customer prices based on
manufacturer markups, retailer
markups, distributor markups,
contractor markups (where appropriate),
and sales taxes. In deriving these
markups, DOE determines the major
distribution channels for product sales,
the markup associated with each party
in each distribution channel, and the
existence and magnitude of differences
between markups for baseline products
(baseline markups) and higherefficiency products (incremental
markups). DOE calculates both overall
baseline and overall incremental
markups based on the markups at each
step in each distribution channel.
Chapter 6 of the preliminary TSD
addresses the markups analysis.
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C. Energy Use Analysis
The energy use analysis provides
estimates of the annual energy
consumption of miscellaneous
refrigeration products. The energy use
analysis estimates the range of energy
consumption of the products that meet
each of the efficiency levels considered
in a given rulemaking as they are used
in the field. DOE uses these values in
the LCC and PBP analyses and in the
NIA. Chapter 7 of the preliminary TSD
addresses the energy use analysis.
D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period
Analyses
The LCC and PBP analyses determine
the economic impact of potential
standards on individual consumers. The
LCC is the total cost of purchasing,
installing and operating a considered
product over the course of its lifetime.
The LCC analysis compares the LCCs of
products designed to meet possible
energy conservation standards with the
LCC of the product likely to be installed
in the absence of standards. DOE
determines LCCs by considering: (1)
Total installed cost to the purchaser
(which consists of manufacturer selling
price, distribution chain markups, sales
taxes, and installation cost); (2) the
operating cost of the product (energy
cost, water and wastewater cost in some
cases, and maintenance and repair cost);
(3) product lifetime; and (4) a discount
rate that reflects the real consumer cost
of capital and puts the LCC in presentvalue terms. The PBP represents the
number of years needed to recover the
increase in purchase price (including
installation cost) of higher-efficiency
products through savings in the
operating cost of the product. PBP is
calculated by dividing the incremental
increase in installed cost of the higher
efficiency product, compared to the
baseline product, by the annual savings
in operating costs. Chapter 8 of the
preliminary TSD addresses the LCC and
PBP analyses.
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E. National Impact Analysis
The NIA estimates the national energy
savings (NES) and the net present value
(NPV) of total consumer costs and
savings expected to result from new
standards at specific efficiency levels
(referred to as candidate standard
levels). DOE calculated NES and NPV
for each candidate standard level for
miscellaneous refrigeration products as
the difference between a base-case
forecast (without new standards) and
the standards-case forecast (with
standards). Cumulative energy savings
are the sum of the annual NES
determined for the lifetime of the
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products shipped from 2021 to 2050.
The NPV is the sum over time of the
discounted net savings each year, which
consists of the difference between total
operating cost savings and increases in
total installed costs. Critical inputs to
this analysis include shipments
projections, estimated product lifetimes,
product installed costs and operating
costs, product annual energy
consumption, the base case efficiency
projection, and discount rates. Chapter
10 of the preliminary TSD addresses the
NIA.
IV. Public Participation
DOE invites input from the public on
all the topics described above. The
preliminary analytical results are
subject to revision following further
review and input from the public. A
complete and revised TSD will be made
available upon issuance of a NOPR. Any
final rule that DOE may issue
establishing new energy conservation
standards will contain the final
analytical results and will be
accompanied by a final rule TSD.
DOE encourages those who wish to
participate in the public meeting to
obtain the preliminary TSD from DOE’s
Web site and to be prepared to discuss
its contents. Once again, a copy of the
preliminary TSD is available at: https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/
ruleid/71. However, public meeting
participants need not limit their
comments to the topics identified in the
preliminary TSD; DOE is also interested
in receiving views concerning other
relevant issues that participants believe
would affect energy conservation
standards for these products or that DOE
should address in the NOPR.
Furthermore, DOE welcomes all
interested parties, regardless of whether
they participate in the public meeting,
to submit in writing by February 2, 2015
comments, data, and information on
matters addressed in the preliminary
TSD and on other matters relevant to
consideration of energy conservation
standards for miscellaneous
refrigeration products.
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 United States antitrust
laws.
After the public meeting and the
closing of the comment period, DOE
will consider all timely-submitted
comments and additional information
obtained from interested parties, as well
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as information obtained through further
analyses. Afterwards, the Department
will publish either a determination that
it is declining to set standards for
miscellaneous refrigeration products or
a NOPR proposing to establish
standards for them. The NOPR will
include proposed energy conservation
standards for the products covered by
the rulemaking, and members of the
public will be given an opportunity to
submit written and oral comments on
the proposed standards.
A. Attendance at Public Meeting
The time and date of the public
meeting are listed in the DATES and
ADDRESSES sections at the beginning of
this notice. The public meeting will be
held at the U.S. Department of Energy,
Forrestal Building, Room 8E–089, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121. To attend
the public meeting, please notify Ms.
Brenda Edwards at (202) 586–2945.
Please note that foreign nationals
participating in the public meeting are
subject to advance security screening
procedures which require advance
notice prior to attendance at the public
meeting. If a foreign national wishes to
participate in the public meeting, please
inform DOE of this fact as soon as
possible by contacting Ms. Regina
Washington at (202) 586–1214 or by
email: regina.washington@ee.doe.gov so
that the necessary procedures can be
completed.
DOE requires visitors to with laptop
computers and other devices, such as
tablets, to be checked upon entry into
the building. Any person wishing to
bring these devices into the Forrestal
Building will be required to obtain a
property pass. Visitors should avoid
bringing these devices, or allow an extra
45 minutes to check in. Please report to
the visitor’s desk to have devices
checked before proceeding through
security.
Due to the REAL ID Act implemented
by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS), there have been recent
changes regarding ID requirements for
individuals wishing to enter Federal
buildings from specific states and U.S.
territories. Driver’s licenses from the
following states or territory will not be
accepted for building entry and one of
the alternate forms of ID listed below
will be required. DHS has determined
that regular driver’s licenses (and ID
cards) from the following jurisdictions
are not acceptable for entry into DOE
facilities: Alaska, American Samoa,
Arizona, Louisiana, Maine,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York,
Oklahoma, and Washington. Acceptable
alternate forms of Photo-ID include: U.S.
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Passport or Passport Card; an Enhanced
Driver’s License or Enhanced ID-Card
issued by the states of Minnesota, New
York or Washington (Enhanced licenses
issued by these states are clearly marked
Enhanced or Enhanced Driver’s
License); a military ID or other Federal
government issued Photo-ID card.
You can attend the public meeting via
webinar, and registration information,
participant instructions, and
information about the capabilities
available to webinar participants will be
published on the following Web site:
https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/
ruleid/71. Participants are responsible
for ensuring their computer systems are
compatible with the webinar software.
The purpose of the meeting is to
receive comments and to help DOE
understand potential issues associated
with this rulemaking. DOE must receive
requests to speak at the meeting before
5 p.m. on Friday, December 26, 2014.
DOE must receive a signed original and
an electronic copy of statements to be
given at the public meeting before 5
p.m. on Friday, December 26, 2014.
B. Procedure for Submitting Requests To
Speak
Any person who has an interest in
this notice or who is a representative of
a group or class of persons that has an
interest in these issues may request an
opportunity to make an oral
presentation. Such persons may handdeliver requests to speak, along with a
computer diskette or CD in WordPerfect,
Microsoft Word, PDF, or text (ASCII) file
format to Ms. Brenda Edwards at the
address shown in the ADDRESSES section
at the beginning of this notice between
9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
Requests may also be sent by mail to the
address shown in the ADDRESSES section
or email to Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
Persons requesting to speak should
briefly describe the nature of their
interest in this rulemaking and provide
a telephone number for contact. DOE
requests persons selected to be heard to
submit an advance copy of their
statements at least two weeks before the
public meeting. At its discretion, DOE
may permit any person who cannot
supply an advance copy of their
statement to participate, if that person
has made advance alternative
arrangements with the Building
Technologies Program. The request to
give an oral presentation should ask for
such alternative arrangements.
C. Conduct of Public Meeting
DOE will designate a DOE official to
preside at the public meeting and may
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:19 Dec 02, 2014
Jkt 235001
also employ a professional facilitator to
aid discussion. The meeting will not be
a judicial or evidentiary-type public
hearing, but DOE will conduct it in
accordance with section 336 of EPCA.
(42 U.S.C. 6306) A court reporter will
record the proceedings and prepare a
transcript. DOE reserves the right to
schedule the order of presentations and
to establish the procedures governing
the conduct of the public meeting. After
the public meeting, interested parties
may submit further comments on the
proceedings as well as on any aspect of
the rulemaking until the end of the
comment period.
The public meeting will be conducted
in an informal conference style. DOE
will present summaries of comments
received before the public meeting,
allow time for presentations by
participants, and encourage all
interested parties to share their views on
issues affecting this rulemaking. Each
participant will be allowed to make a
prepared general statement (within
DOE-determined time limits) prior to
the discussion of specific topics. DOE
will permit other participants to
comment briefly on any general
statements.
At the end of all prepared statements
on a topic, DOE will permit participants
to clarify their statements briefly and
comment on statements made by others.
Participants should be prepared to
answer questions from DOE and other
participants concerning these issues.
DOE representatives may also ask
questions of participants concerning
other matters relevant to this
rulemaking. The official conducting the
public meeting will accept additional
comments or questions from those
attending, as time permits. The
presiding official will announce any
further procedural rules or modification
of the above procedures that may be
needed for the proper conduct of the
public meeting.
A transcript of the public meeting will
be posted on the DOE Web site and will
also be included in the docket, which
can be viewed as described in the
Docket section at the beginning of this
notice. In addition, any person may buy
a copy of the transcript from the
transcribing reporter.
D. Submission of Comments
DOE will accept comments, data, and
other information regarding this
rulemaking submitted before or after the
public meeting, but by no later than the
submission date provided at the
beginning of this notice. Please submit
comments, data, and other information
as provided in the ADDRESSES section.
Submit electronic comments in
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
71709
WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or
text (ASCII) file format and avoid the
use of special characters or any form of
encryption. Comments in electronic
format should be identified by the
Docket Number EERE–2011–BT–STD–
0043 and/or RIN 1904–AC51 and,
wherever possible, carry the electronic
signature of the author. No
telefacsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any
person submitting information that he
or she believes to be confidential and
exempt by law from public disclosure
should submit two copies: one copy of
the document including all the
information believed to be confidential
and one copy of the document with the
information believed to be confidential
deleted. DOE will make its own
determination as to the confidential
status of the information and treat it
according to its determination.
Factors of interest to DOE when
evaluating requests to treat submitted
information as confidential include: (1)
A description of the items; (2) whether
and why such items are customarily
treated as confidential within the
industry; (3) whether the information is
generally known by or available from
other sources; (4) whether the
information has previously been made
available to others without obligation
concerning its confidentiality; (5) an
explanation of the competitive injury to
the submitting person which would
result from public disclosure; (6) a date
upon which such information might
lose its confidential nature due to the
passage of time; and (7) why disclosure
of the information would be contrary to
the public interest.
V. Approval of the Office of the
Secretary
The Secretary of Energy has approved
publication of this notice of public
meeting and availability of preliminary
technical support document.
Issued in Washington, DC, on November
25, 2014.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy
Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy.
[FR Doc. 2014–28460 Filed 12–2–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
E:\FR\FM\03DEP1.SGM
03DEP1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 232 (Wednesday, December 3, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 71705-71709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28460]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket No. EERE-2011-BT-STD-0043]
RIN 1904-AC51
Energy Conservation Standards for Miscellaneous Refrigeration
Products: Public Meeting and Availability of the Preliminary Technical
Support Document
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and availability of preliminary
technical support document.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will hold a public meeting
to discuss and receive comments on the preliminary analysis it has
conducted for purposes of establishing energy conservation standards
for miscellaneous refrigeration products. The meeting will cover the
analytical framework, models, and tools that DOE is using to evaluate
whether to set standards for these products; the results of preliminary
analyses performed by DOE for the products; the potential energy
conservation standard levels derived from these analyses that DOE could
consider for these products; and any other issues relevant to the
development of energy conservation standards for miscellaneous
refrigeration products. In addition, DOE encourages written comments on
these subjects. To inform interested parties and to facilitate this
process, DOE has prepared an agenda, a preliminary technical support
document (TSD), and briefing materials, which are available on the DOE
Web site at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/71.
DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting on Friday January 9, 2015, from 9
a.m. to 4 p.m., in Washington, DC. Additionally, DOE plans to allow for
participation in the public meeting via Webinar. DOE will accept
comments, data, and other information regarding this rulemaking before
or after the public meeting, but no later than February 2, 2015. See
section IV, ``Public Participation,'' of this notice for details.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 8E-089, 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0121.
Interested persons may submit comments, identified by docket number
EERE-2011-BT-STD-0043 and/or Regulation Identification Number (RIN)
1904-AC51, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
Email: WineChillers-2011-STD-0043@ee.doe.gov. Include the
docket number EERE-2011-BT-STD-0043 and/or RIN 1904-AC51 in the subject
line of the message.
Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy,
Building Technologies Program, 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. Please note that comments and CDs sent by mail are
often delayed and may be damaged by mail screening processes.
[[Page 71706]]
Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department
of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 950 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Suite
600, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone (202) 586-2945. If possible,
please submit all items on CD, in which case it is not necessary to
include printed copies.
Docket: The docket is available for review at www.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
www.regulations.gov index. However, not all documents listed in the
index may be publicly available, such as information that is exempt
from public disclosure.
The rulemaking Web page can be found at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/71. This Web page contains a link to the docket for this notice
on the regulation.gov site. The regulations.gov Web page contains
instructions on how to access all documents in the docket, including
public comments.
For detailed instructions on attending the meeting and submitting
comments, and for additional information on the rulemaking process, see
section IV, ``Public Participation,'' of this document. For further
information on how to submit a comment, review other public comments
and the docket, or participate in the public meeting, contact Ms.
Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 or by email:
Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Ashley Armstrong, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies, EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC
20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-6590. Email:
Ashley.Armstrong@ee.doe.gov.
In the Office of the General Counsel, contact Mr. Michael Kido,
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, GC-33, 1000
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202)
586-8145. Email: Michael.Kido@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Authority
II. History of Energy Conservation Standards Rulemaking for
Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products
A. Background
B. Current Rulemaking Process
III. Summary of the Analyses Performed by DOE
A. Engineering Analysis
B. Markups To Determine Prices
C. Energy Use Analysis
D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period Analyses
E. National Impact Analysis
IV. Public Participation
A. Attendance at Public Meeting
B. Procedure for Submitting Requests To Speak
C. Conduct of Public Meeting
D. Submission of Comments
V. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
I. Authority
Title III, Part B \1\ of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of
1975, as amended, (EPCA or the Act), Pub. L. 94-163 (42 U.S.C. 6291-
6309, as codified) sets forth a variety of provisions designed to
improve energy efficiency and established the Energy Conservation
Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles, a program
covering most major household appliances.\2\ As part of these statutory
provisions, EPCA permits DOE to establish energy conservation standards
for those consumer products that are not already explicitly addressed
by EPCA provided they meet certain threshold criteria for coverage and
specific additional standards-related criteria. See 42 U.S.C. 6292(b)
(laying out predicate requirements prior to treating a product as a
newly covered product). See also 42 U.S.C. 6295(l)(1) (detailing the
criteria that a newly covered product must meet in order to permit DOE
to establish energy conservation standards for that product). This
notice addresses a variety of consumer refrigeration products that DOE
is evaluating whether to regulate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For editorial reasons, upon codification in the U.S. Code,
Part B was re-designated Part A.
\2\ All references to EPCA in this document refer to the statute
as amended through the American Energy Manufacturing Technical
Corrections Act (AEMTCA), Pub. L. 112-210 (Dec. 18, 2012).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The consumer products addressed by this notice are hybrid (or
combination) refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers (i.e.,
products that include warm compartments such as wine storage
compartments in products that otherwise perform the functions of
refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, or freezers), cooled cabinets
(including wine chillers), refrigeration products that do not use
vapor-compression refrigeration systems (i.e., products that do not
include a compressor and condenser unit as an integral part of the
cabinet assembly), and ice makers. Although cooled cabinets (including
wine chillers) that use a conventional compressor/condenser system
already fall into the covered products category described in 42 U.S.C.
6292(a)(1), they are not covered by energy conservation standards for
refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers, largely because
they are not designed to be capable of achieving compartment
temperatures colder than the 39 degrees Fahrenheit ([deg]F) limit
specified in DOE's current regulatory definition for ``refrigerator.''
(10 CFR 430.2)
The other remaining products listed in the previous paragraph,
however, do not fall into the category described in 42 U.S.C.
6292(a)(1) for coverage of consumer refrigerators, refrigerator-
freezers, and freezers. In cases such as these, where a given product
is not explicitly covered by EPCA, DOE may classify that product as a
covered product if doing so would satisfy the requirements of 42 U.S.C.
6292(b)(1). That provision states that the Secretary of Energy may
classify a type of consumer product as a covered product if: (1)
Coverage of the product is necessary or appropriate for carrying out
the purposes of EPCA and (2) the average annual per-household energy
use by products of such type is likely to exceed 100 kilowatt-hours
(kWh) per year. DOE preliminarily determined in an October 31, 2013
notice (hereafter referred to as the October 2013 Coverage Proposal)
that, in aggregate, the products listed above satisfy the coverage
prerequisites of 42 U.S.C. 6292(b)(1). Consequently, DOE proposed to
treat these products as a single new product coverage category under
EPCA. 78 FR 65223. Should DOE issue a final determination that such
products are covered and meet the EPCA requirements in 42 U.S.C.
6295(l)(A), DOE would have the authority to develop energy conservation
standards for these products.
In a NOPR for a parallel rulemaking (hereafter referred to as the
Test Procedure NOPR), DOE has proposed new test procedures for all the
products in this new coverage category. The Test Procedure NOPR
proposes that all the products covered in this rulemaking would be
collectively defined as ``miscellaneous refrigeration products,'' which
is the term that will be used to refer to these products in this
document.
DOE is required to consider standards that: (1) Achieve the maximum
improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and
economically justified; and (2) result in significant conservation of
energy. (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(A) and (o)(3)(B)) To determine whether a
proposed standard is economically justified, DOE will, after receiving
comments on the proposed standard, determine whether the
[[Page 71707]]
benefits of the standard exceed its burdens to the greatest extent
practicable, using the following seven factors:
1. The economic impact of the standard on manufacturers and
consumers of products subject to the standard;
2. The savings in operating costs throughout the estimated average
life of the covered products in the type (or class) compared to any
increase in the price, initial charges, or maintenance expenses for the
covered products which are likely to result from the standard;
3. The total projected amount of energy savings likely to result
directly from the standard;
4. Any lessening of the utility or the performance of the covered
products likely to result from the standard;
5. The impact of any lessening of competition, as determined in
writing by the Attorney General, that is likely to result from the
standard;
6. The need for national energy conservation; and
7. Other factors the Secretary of Energy considers relevant.
(42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i))
Before proposing a standard, DOE typically seeks public input on
the analytical framework, models, and tools that DOE will use to
evaluate standards for the product at issue and the results of
preliminary analyses DOE performed for the product. This notice
announces the availability of the preliminary TSD, which details the
preliminary analyses, discusses the comments DOE received from
interested parties on the Framework Document, and summarizes the
preliminary results of DOE's analyses. In addition, DOE is announcing a
public meeting to solicit feedback from interested parties on its
analytical framework, models, and preliminary results.
II. History of Energy Conservation Standards Rulemaking for
Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products
A. Background
DOE does not have energy conservation standards for miscellaneous
refrigeration products but recognizes the increasing popularity of
these particular products. Given the projections of continued sales
growth of these products, DOE is examining whether regulating their
energy efficiency would satisfy the necessary statutory prerequisities
as newly covered products and would help reduce the risk of creating
any regulatory gaps that might result in manufacturer or consumer
confusion regarding the energy usage of these products.
B. Current Rulemaking Process
In initiating this rulemaking, DOE prepared a Framework Document,
``Energy Conservation Standards Rulemaking Framework Document for Wine
Chillers and Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products,'' which describes
the procedural and analytical approaches DOE anticipates using to
evaluate energy conservation standards for miscellaneous refrigeration
products. This document is available at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/71.
DOE held a public meeting on February 20, 2012, at which it
described the various analyses DOE would conduct as part of the
rulemaking, such as the engineering analysis, the life-cycle cost (LCC)
and payback period (PBP) analyses, and the national impact analysis
(NIA). Representatives for manufacturers, trade associations,
environmental and energy efficiency advocates, and other interested
parties attended the meeting.
Comments received since publication of the Framework Document have
helped DOE identify and resolve issues related to the preliminary
analyses. Chapter 2 of the preliminary TSD summarizes and addresses the
comments received.
III. Summary of the Analyses Performed by DOE
For the products covered in this rulemaking, DOE conducted in-depth
technical analyses in the following areas: (1) Engineering; (2) markups
to determine product price; (3) energy use; (4) life-cycle cost and
payback period; and (5) national impacts. The preliminary TSD that
presents the methodology and results of each of these analyses is
available at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/71.
DOE also conducted, and has included in the preliminary TSD,
several other analyses that support the major analyses that DOE
anticipates will likely be expanded upon for a notice of proposed
rulemaking (NOPR) if DOE determines that new energy conservation
standards are technologically feasible, economically justified, and
would save a significant amount of energy, based on the information
presented to or obtained by the Department. These analyses include: (1)
The market and technology assessment; (2) the screening analysis, which
contributes to the engineering analysis; and (3) the shipments
analysis, which contributes to the LCC and PBP analysis and NIA. In
addition to these analyses, DOE has begun preliminary work on the
manufacturer impact analysis and has identified the methods to be used
for the consumer subgroup analysis, the emissions analysis, the
employment impact analysis, the regulatory impact analysis, and the
utility impact analysis. DOE will expand on these analyses if it
decides to issue a NOPR to propose energy conservation standards for
the products at this time.
A. Engineering Analysis
The engineering analysis establishes the relationship between the
cost and efficiency levels of the product that DOE is considering
regulating by evaluating the impacts flowing from potential energy
conservation standards for that product. This relationship serves as
the basis for cost-benefit calculations for individual consumers,
manufacturers, and the Nation. The engineering analysis identifies
representative baseline products, which is the starting point for
analyzing technologies that provide energy efficiency improvements.
``Baseline products'' refers to a model or models having features and
technologies typically found in minimally-efficient products currently
available on the market and, for products already subject to energy
conservation standards, a model that just meets the current standard.
After identifying the baseline models, DOE estimated manufacturer
selling prices by using a consistent methodology and pricing scheme
that includes material costs and manufacturer markups. Chapter 5 of the
preliminary TSD discusses the engineering analysis.
B. Markups To Determine Prices
DOE derives customer prices based on manufacturer markups, retailer
markups, distributor markups, contractor markups (where appropriate),
and sales taxes. In deriving these markups, DOE determines the major
distribution channels for product sales, the markup associated with
each party in each distribution channel, and the existence and
magnitude of differences between markups for baseline products
(baseline markups) and higher-efficiency products (incremental
markups). DOE calculates both overall baseline and overall incremental
markups based on the markups at each step in each distribution channel.
Chapter 6 of the preliminary TSD addresses the markups analysis.
[[Page 71708]]
C. Energy Use Analysis
The energy use analysis provides estimates of the annual energy
consumption of miscellaneous refrigeration products. The energy use
analysis estimates the range of energy consumption of the products that
meet each of the efficiency levels considered in a given rulemaking as
they are used in the field. DOE uses these values in the LCC and PBP
analyses and in the NIA. Chapter 7 of the preliminary TSD addresses the
energy use analysis.
D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period Analyses
The LCC and PBP analyses determine the economic impact of potential
standards on individual consumers. The LCC is the total cost of
purchasing, installing and operating a considered product over the
course of its lifetime. The LCC analysis compares the LCCs of products
designed to meet possible energy conservation standards with the LCC of
the product likely to be installed in the absence of standards. DOE
determines LCCs by considering: (1) Total installed cost to the
purchaser (which consists of manufacturer selling price, distribution
chain markups, sales taxes, and installation cost); (2) the operating
cost of the product (energy cost, water and wastewater cost in some
cases, and maintenance and repair cost); (3) product lifetime; and (4)
a discount rate that reflects the real consumer cost of capital and
puts the LCC in present-value terms. The PBP represents the number of
years needed to recover the increase in purchase price (including
installation cost) of higher-efficiency products through savings in the
operating cost of the product. PBP is calculated by dividing the
incremental increase in installed cost of the higher efficiency
product, compared to the baseline product, by the annual savings in
operating costs. Chapter 8 of the preliminary TSD addresses the LCC and
PBP analyses.
E. National Impact Analysis
The NIA estimates the national energy savings (NES) and the net
present value (NPV) of total consumer costs and savings expected to
result from new standards at specific efficiency levels (referred to as
candidate standard levels). DOE calculated NES and NPV for each
candidate standard level for miscellaneous refrigeration products as
the difference between a base-case forecast (without new standards) and
the standards-case forecast (with standards). Cumulative energy savings
are the sum of the annual NES determined for the lifetime of the
products shipped from 2021 to 2050. The NPV is the sum over time of the
discounted net savings each year, which consists of the difference
between total operating cost savings and increases in total installed
costs. Critical inputs to this analysis include shipments projections,
estimated product lifetimes, product installed costs and operating
costs, product annual energy consumption, the base case efficiency
projection, and discount rates. Chapter 10 of the preliminary TSD
addresses the NIA.
IV. Public Participation
DOE invites input from the public on all the topics described
above. The preliminary analytical results are subject to revision
following further review and input from the public. A complete and
revised TSD will be made available upon issuance of a NOPR. Any final
rule that DOE may issue establishing new energy conservation standards
will contain the final analytical results and will be accompanied by a
final rule TSD.
DOE encourages those who wish to participate in the public meeting
to obtain the preliminary TSD from DOE's Web site and to be prepared to
discuss its contents. Once again, a copy of the preliminary TSD is
available at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/71. However, public meeting
participants need not limit their comments to the topics identified in
the preliminary TSD; DOE is also interested in receiving views
concerning other relevant issues that participants believe would affect
energy conservation standards for these products or that DOE should
address in the NOPR.
Furthermore, DOE welcomes all interested parties, regardless of
whether they participate in the public meeting, to submit in writing by
February 2, 2015 comments, data, and information on matters addressed
in the preliminary TSD and on other matters relevant to consideration
of energy conservation standards for miscellaneous refrigeration
products.
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
United States antitrust laws.
After the public meeting and the closing of the comment period, DOE
will consider all timely-submitted comments and additional information
obtained from interested parties, as well as information obtained
through further analyses. Afterwards, the Department will publish
either a determination that it is declining to set standards for
miscellaneous refrigeration products or a NOPR proposing to establish
standards for them. The NOPR will include proposed energy conservation
standards for the products covered by the rulemaking, and members of
the public will be given an opportunity to submit written and oral
comments on the proposed standards.
A. Attendance at Public Meeting
The time and date of the public meeting are listed in the DATES and
ADDRESSES sections at the beginning of this notice. The public meeting
will be held at the U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room
8E-089, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. To
attend the public meeting, please notify Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202)
586-2945. Please note that foreign nationals participating in the
public meeting are subject to advance security screening procedures
which require advance notice prior to attendance at the public meeting.
If a foreign national wishes to participate in the public meeting,
please inform DOE of this fact as soon as possible by contacting Ms.
Regina Washington at (202) 586-1214 or by email:
regina.washington@ee.doe.gov so that the necessary procedures can be
completed.
DOE requires visitors to with laptop computers and other devices,
such as tablets, to be checked upon entry into the building. Any person
wishing to bring these devices into the Forrestal Building will be
required to obtain a property pass. Visitors should avoid bringing
these devices, or allow an extra 45 minutes to check in. Please report
to the visitor's desk to have devices checked before proceeding through
security.
Due to the REAL ID Act implemented by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS), there have been recent changes regarding ID
requirements for individuals wishing to enter Federal buildings from
specific states and U.S. territories. Driver's licenses from the
following states or territory will not be accepted for building entry
and one of the alternate forms of ID listed below will be required. DHS
has determined that regular driver's licenses (and ID cards) from the
following jurisdictions are not acceptable for entry into DOE
facilities: Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Louisiana, Maine,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, and Washington.
Acceptable alternate forms of Photo-ID include: U.S.
[[Page 71709]]
Passport or Passport Card; an Enhanced Driver's License or Enhanced ID-
Card issued by the states of Minnesota, New York or Washington
(Enhanced licenses issued by these states are clearly marked Enhanced
or Enhanced Driver's License); a military ID or other Federal
government issued Photo-ID card.
You can attend the public meeting via webinar, and registration
information, participant instructions, and information about the
capabilities available to webinar participants will be published on the
following Web site: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/71. Participants are
responsible for ensuring their computer systems are compatible with the
webinar software.
The purpose of the meeting is to receive comments and to help DOE
understand potential issues associated with this rulemaking. DOE must
receive requests to speak at the meeting before 5 p.m. on Friday,
December 26, 2014. DOE must receive a signed original and an electronic
copy of statements to be given at the public meeting before 5 p.m. on
Friday, December 26, 2014.
B. Procedure for Submitting Requests To Speak
Any person who has an interest in this notice or who is a
representative of a group or class of persons that has an interest in
these issues may request an opportunity to make an oral presentation.
Such persons may hand-deliver requests to speak, along with a computer
diskette or CD in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or text (ASCII)
file format to Ms. Brenda Edwards at the address shown in the ADDRESSES
section at the beginning of this notice between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Requests may also be
sent by mail to the address shown in the ADDRESSES section or email to
Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
Persons requesting to speak should briefly describe the nature of
their interest in this rulemaking and provide a telephone number for
contact. DOE requests persons selected to be heard to submit an advance
copy of their statements at least two weeks before the public meeting.
At its discretion, DOE may permit any person who cannot supply an
advance copy of their statement to participate, if that person has made
advance alternative arrangements with the Building Technologies
Program. The request to give an oral presentation should ask for such
alternative arrangements.
C. Conduct of Public Meeting
DOE will designate a DOE official to preside at the public meeting
and may also employ a professional facilitator to aid discussion. The
meeting will not be a judicial or evidentiary-type public hearing, but
DOE will conduct it in accordance with section 336 of EPCA. (42 U.S.C.
6306) A court reporter will record the proceedings and prepare a
transcript. DOE reserves the right to schedule the order of
presentations and to establish the procedures governing the conduct of
the public meeting. After the public meeting, interested parties may
submit further comments on the proceedings as well as on any aspect of
the rulemaking until the end of the comment period.
The public meeting will be conducted in an informal conference
style. DOE will present summaries of comments received before the
public meeting, allow time for presentations by participants, and
encourage all interested parties to share their views on issues
affecting this rulemaking. Each participant will be allowed to make a
prepared general statement (within DOE-determined time limits) prior to
the discussion of specific topics. DOE will permit other participants
to comment briefly on any general statements.
At the end of all prepared statements on a topic, DOE will permit
participants to clarify their statements briefly and comment on
statements made by others. Participants should be prepared to answer
questions from DOE and other participants concerning these issues. DOE
representatives may also ask questions of participants concerning other
matters relevant to this rulemaking. The official conducting the public
meeting will accept additional comments or questions from those
attending, as time permits. The presiding official will announce any
further procedural rules or modification of the above procedures that
may be needed for the proper conduct of the public meeting.
A transcript of the public meeting will be posted on the DOE Web
site and will also be included in the docket, which can be viewed as
described in the Docket section at the beginning of this notice. In
addition, any person may buy a copy of the transcript from the
transcribing reporter.
D. Submission of Comments
DOE will accept comments, data, and other information regarding
this rulemaking submitted before or after the public meeting, but by no
later than the submission date provided at the beginning of this
notice. Please submit comments, data, and other information as provided
in the ADDRESSES section. Submit electronic comments in WordPerfect,
Microsoft Word, PDF, or text (ASCII) file format and avoid the use of
special characters or any form of encryption. Comments in electronic
format should be identified by the Docket Number EERE-2011-BT-STD-0043
and/or RIN 1904-AC51 and, wherever possible, carry the electronic
signature of the author. No telefacsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person submitting information that
he or she believes to be confidential and exempt by law from public
disclosure should submit two copies: one copy of the document including
all the information believed to be confidential and one copy of the
document with the information believed to be confidential deleted. DOE
will make its own determination as to the confidential status of the
information and treat it according to its determination.
Factors of interest to DOE when evaluating requests to treat
submitted information as confidential include: (1) A description of the
items; (2) whether and why such items are customarily treated as
confidential within the industry; (3) whether the information is
generally known by or available from other sources; (4) whether the
information has previously been made available to others without
obligation concerning its confidentiality; (5) an explanation of the
competitive injury to the submitting person which would result from
public disclosure; (6) a date upon which such information might lose
its confidential nature due to the passage of time; and (7) why
disclosure of the information would be contrary to the public interest.
V. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
The Secretary of Energy has approved publication of this notice of
public meeting and availability of preliminary technical support
document.
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 25, 2014.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2014-28460 Filed 12-2-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
