Test Procedure Interim Waiver Process, 18414-18423 [2019-08699]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 1, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18414-18423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08699]


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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 84 / Wednesday, May 1, 2019 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 18414]]



DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Parts 430 and 431

[EERE-2019-BT-NOA-0011]
RIN 1904-AE24


Test Procedure Interim Waiver Process

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. 
Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to streamline its 
test procedure waiver decision-making process to require the Department 
to notify, in writing, an applicant for an interim waiver of the 
disposition of the request within 30 business days of receipt of the 
application. Should DOE fail to satisfy this requirement, the request 
for interim waiver would be deemed granted based on the criteria in DOE 
regulations. Specifically, DOE regulations require that DOE grant an 
interim waiver if it determines that it is desirable for public policy 
reasons to grant immediate relief pending a determination of the 
petition for waiver. An interim waiver would remain in effect until a 
waiver decision is published or until DOE publishes a new or amended 
test procedure that addresses the issues presented in the application, 
whichever is earlier. This proposal is intended to address delays in 
DOE's current process for considering requests for interim waivers and 
waivers from the DOE test method, which in turn can result in 
significant delays for manufacturers in bringing new and innovative 
products to market.

DATES: The comment period for this proposed rule will end on July 1, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number [EERE-
2019-BT-NOA-0011], and/or Regulation Identification Number (RIN) 1904-
AE24 in one of four ways (please select only one of the ways listed):
    1. Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
    2. Email: [email protected]. Include docket 
number [EERE-2019-BT-NOA-0011] and/or RIN 1904-AE24 in the subject line 
of the email. Please include the full body of your comments in the text 
of the message or as an attachment. If you have additional information 
such as studies or journal articles and cannot attach them to your 
electronic submission, please send them on a CD or USB flash drive to 
the address listed in paragraph 4. The additional material must clearly 
identify your electronic comments by name, date, subject, and docket 
number [EERE-2019-BT-NOA-0011].
    3. Mail: Address written comments to Appliance and Equipment 
Standards Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies 
Office, Mailstop EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20585-0121 (due to potential delays in DOE's receipt and processing of 
mail sent through the U.S. Postal Service, we encourage respondents to 
submit comments electronically to ensure timely receipt). If possible, 
please submit all items on a CD or USB flash drive, in which case it is 
not necessary to include printed copies.
    4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Appliance and Equipment Standards 
Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 950 
L'Enfant Plaza SW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone (202) 
287-1445. If possible, please submit all items on a CD or USB flash 
drive, in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies.
    For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see Section IV of this document 
(Public Participation).
    Docket: The docket, which includes Federal Register notices, public 
meeting attendee lists and transcripts, comments, and other supporting 
documents/materials, is available for review at https://www.regulations.gov. All documents in the docket are listed in the 
https://www.regulations.gov index. However, some documents listed in the 
index, such as those containing information that is exempt from public 
disclosure, may not be publicly available. A link to the docket web 
page can be found at: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EERE-2019-BT-NOA-0011. The https://www.regulations.gov web page contains instructions 
on how to access all documents, including public comments, in the 
docket. See Section IV of this document (Public Participation) for 
further information on how to submit comments through https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jennifer Tiedeman, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence 
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 287-6111. Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Legal Background
II. Discussion of Proposed Amendments
III. Discussion of Data
IV. Procedural Requirements
    A. Review Under Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
    B. Review Under Executive Orders 13771 and 13777
    C. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
    D. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act
    E. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act
    F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
    G. Review Under Executive Order 13132
    H. Review Under Executive Order 13175
    I. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
    J. Review Under Executive Order 13211
    K. Review Under the Treasury and General Government 
Appropriations Act, 1999
    L. Review Under the Treasury and General Government 
Appropriations Act, 2001
V. Public Participation
    A. Submission of Information
    B. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Information
VI. Approval of the Office of the Secretary

I. Legal Background

    The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (``EPCA'' or ``the 
Act''),\1\ Public Law 94-163 (42 U.S.C. 6291-6317) authorizes DOE to 
regulate the energy efficiency of a number of consumer products and 
industrial equipment types. Title III, Part B \2\ of EPCA established 
the Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than 
Automobiles. Title

[[Page 18415]]

III, Part C \3\ of EPCA established the Energy Conservation Program for 
Certain Industrial Equipment. Under EPCA, DOE's energy conservation 
program consists essentially of four parts: (1) Testing, (2) labeling, 
(3) Federal energy conservation standards, and (4) certification and 
enforcement procedures.
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    \1\ All references to EPCA in this document refer to the statute 
as amended through the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015, 
Public Law 114-11 (April 30, 2015).
    \2\ For editorial reasons, Part B was redesignated as Part A 
upon codification in the U.S. Code.
    \3\ For editorial reasons, Part C was redesignated as Part A-1 
upon codification in the U.S. Code.
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    The Federal testing requirements consist of test procedures that 
manufacturers of covered products and equipment must use as the basis 
for: (1) Certifying to DOE that their products or equipment complies 
with the applicable energy conservation standards adopted pursuant to 
EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6295(s); 42 U.S.C. 6316(a)), and (2) making 
representations about the efficiency of those products or equipment (42 
U.S.C. 6293(c); 42 U.S.C. 6314(d)). Similarly, DOE must use these test 
procedures to determine whether the products or equipment complies with 
relevant standards promulgated under EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6295(s); 42 
U.S.C.6316 (a))
    Under 42 U.S.C. 6293 and 6314, EPCA sets forth the criteria and 
procedures DOE is required to follow when prescribing or amending test 
procedures for covered products and equipment. EPCA requires that test 
procedures must be reasonably designed to produce test results that 
reflect energy efficiency, energy use or estimated annual operating 
cost of a covered product or covered equipment during a representative 
average use cycle or period of use and requires that test procedures 
not be unduly burdensome to conduct (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3); 42 U.S.C. 
6314(a)(2)). DOE's regulations provide that upon receipt of a petition, 
DOE will grant a waiver from the test procedure requirements if DOE 
determines either that the basic model for which the waiver was 
requested contains a design characteristic that prevents testing of the 
basic model according to the prescribed test procedures, or that the 
prescribed test procedures evaluate the basic model in a manner so 
unrepresentative of its true energy consumption characteristics as to 
provide materially inaccurate comparative data. 10 CFR 430.27(a)(1) and 
10 CFR 431.401(f)(2). DOE may grant the waiver subject to conditions, 
including adherence to alternate test procedures.
    In addition to the full waiver (``decision and order'') described 
above, the waiver process permits parties submitting a petition for 
waiver to also file an application for interim waiver from the 
applicable test procedure requirements. 10 CFR 430.27(a) and 10 CFR 
431.401(a). The current regulations specify that, if administratively 
feasible, DOE will notify the applicant in writing of the disposition 
of a petition for interim waiver within 30 business days of receipt of 
the application. The Assistant Secretary will grant an interim waiver 
if it appears likely that the petition for waiver will be granted, and/
or the Assistant Secretary determines that it would be desirable for 
public policy reasons to grant immediate relief pending a determination 
of the petition for waiver. 10 CFR 430.27(e)(2) and 10 CFR 
430.401(e)(2). Notice of DOE's determination on the petition for 
interim waiver will also be published in the Federal Register. 10 CFR 
430.27(e)(1) and 10 CFR 431.401(e)(1). Within one year of issuance of 
an interim waiver, DOE will either: (i) Publish in the Federal Register 
a determination on the petition for waiver; or (ii) publish in the 
Federal Register a new or amended test procedure that addresses the 
issues presented in the waiver. 10 CFR 430.27(h)(1) and 10 CFR 
431.401(h)(2). When DOE amends the test procedure to address the issues 
presented in a waiver, the waiver will automatically terminate on the 
date on which use of that test procedure is required to demonstrate 
compliance. 10 CFR 430.27(h)(2) and 10 CFR 431.401(h)(2).

II. Discussion of Proposed Amendments

    In this proposed rule, DOE is proposing amendments to its 
regulations that would reduce manufacturers' burden associated with the 
interim waiver application process, provide them with greater 
certainty, and speed the availability of innovative product options to 
consumers. DOE's proposal responds to stakeholder concerns regarding 
lengthy waiting times following submission of interim waiver and waiver 
applications, and the burden that lengthy processing time imposes on 
manufacturers, who are unable to sell their products or equipment 
absent an interim waiver or waiver from DOE.\4\ This burden may be 
especially pronounced for manufacturers of seasonal appliances, such as 
room air conditioners, in cases where interim waiver delays cause a 
product to miss the applicable seasonal sale window.
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    \4\ See, e.g.,https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/01/f46/NAFEM%20Regulatory%20Reform%20Roundtable%20Meeting%20Notes%20-%2010.31.17.pdf.
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    Specifically, this proposal is intended to address delays in DOE's 
current process for considering requests for interim waivers and 
waivers from the DOE test method, which in turn can result in 
significant delays for manufacturers in bringing new and innovative 
products to market. DOE has in the past incurred delays by not 
responding to petitions in a timely manner, and this delay has imposed 
negative consequences for manufacturers who cannot bring their products 
to market absent a waiver from the Department that allows them to test 
their products and certify them as compliant with DOE energy 
conservation standards. Additional information on the length and cost 
to manufacturers of the delays is described in Section III. DOE's 
proposal would ensure that manufacturers would need to wait only a 
maximum of 30 business days before selling products under an approved 
interim waiver. If the petition for waiver ultimately requires the use 
of a different test method than that granted under the interim waiver, 
manufacturers would have an additional grace period of 180 days to 
begin using the test method required by the waiver.
    DOE regulations currently require the Department to notify an 
applicant in writing of the disposition of a petition for interim 
waiver within 30 business days of receipt of the application ``[i]f 
administratively feasible.'' 10 CFR 430.27(e)(1) and 10 CFR 
431.401(e)(1). DOE proposes in this notice to amend 10 CFR 430.27(e)(1) 
and 10 CFR 431.401(e)(1) to require the Department to issue decisions 
on interim waiver applications within 30 business days, removing the 
language ``[i]f administratively feasible.'' Under the proposal, an 
application for interim waiver would be deemed granted, thereby 
permitting use of the alternate test procedure suggested by the 
applicant in its application, if DOE fails to notify the applicant in 
writing of the disposition of an application within 30 business days of 
receipt of the application. DOE's decision on the interim waiver 
request will not depend on DOE's view of the sufficiency of the 
associated petition for waiver, because DOE can work with the 
petitioner to gather any additional information or conduct any 
additional analysis deemed necessary to reach a decision on the 
petition while the manufacturer is able to sell the product or 
equipment at issue under the interim waiver. DOE's regulations specify 
that DOE may grant an interim waiver if DOE determines that it would be 
desirable for public policy reasons to grant immediate relief pending a 
determination of thepetition for waiver. 10 CFR 430.27(e)(2) and 10 CFR 
430.401(e)(2).

[[Page 18416]]

    Because manufacturers may not distribute covered products or 
equipment in commerce without demonstrating compliance with an 
applicable energy conservation standard pursuant to testing under the 
DOE test procedure or a waiver or interim waiver approved by DOE, DOE 
determines that it is desirable for public policy reasons, including 
burden reduction on regulated parties and administrative efficiency, to 
grant immediate relief on each application for interim waiver where DOE 
has not notified the applicant of its interim waiver decision within 
the 30-business day period.\5\
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    \5\ DOE notes that granting an interim waiver application, as 
proposed, is not a final agency action as contemplated by the 
Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The APA defines an ``agency 
action'' as including ``the whole or a part of an agency rule, 
order, license, sanction, relief, or the equivalent or denial 
thereof, or failure to act.'' 5 U.S.C. 551(13). The Supreme Court 
has explained that to be ``final,'' an agency action must ``mark the 
consummation of the agency's decision making process, and must 
either determine rights or obligations or occasion legal 
consequences.'' Alaska Dep't of Envtl. Conservation v. EPA, 540 U.S. 
461, 482 (2004) (quotation omitted); see Bennett v. Spear, 520 U.S. 
154, 178 (1997). In this case, interim waivers do not represent the 
consummation of the Department's decision making process. Indeed, 
while manufacturers would be able to test and distribute their 
products or equipment in commerce if granted an interim waiver under 
the proposal, DOE regulations still contemplate issuance of a final 
decision on the associated petition for waiver, or a final rule 
amending the test procedure. Either of these actions could have 
rights or obligations, or consequences, that differ from those 
provided temporarily under an interim waiver.
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    This proposal would dovetail with DOE's proposed amendments to 10 
CFR 430.27(h) and 10 CFR 431.401(h), which would specify that an 
interim waiver remains in effect until the earlier of the following: 
(1) DOE publishes in the Federal Register a determination on the 
petition for waiver or (2) DOE publishes in the Federal Register a new 
or amended test procedure that addresses the issues presented in the 
waiver application. Under these proposals, manufacturers would receive 
a decision on their application from DOE within a reasonable time 
period and would no longer be precluded from distributing covered 
products or equipment in commerce while waiting for DOE to conclude its 
analysis, which often stretches significantly beyond 30 business days 
(see section III, Discussion of Data).
    DOE's intent in issuing these proposals is to provide certainty to 
regulated entities while reducing regulatory burden and achieving cost 
savings for manufacturers by reducing the delay in revenue from 
products pending an interim waiver. Manufacturers who cannot test their 
products under the DOE test procedure or for whom use of the test 
procedure produces results that do not reflect the energy consumption 
of their products cannot sell their products absent an interim waiver 
or waiver from DOE. To the extent that DOE previously has issued 
interim waiver decisions in excess of 30 business days after receipt of 
petitions, the time saved under this proposal is expected to 
significantly reduce the costs imposed on these manufacturers who 
cannot sell their products during the time it takes DOE to process an 
application for interim waiver or waiver request. Additionally, the 
certainty of a prescribed period prior to the issuance of a decision by 
the Department should provide manufacturers better information with 
which to plan for testing requirements. Manufacturers would also be 
able to proceed with distribution under the interim waiver pending any 
decision on a waiver application or publication of a new or amended 
test procedure by the Department. The expected cost savings from this 
proposed rule, if adopted, are discussed in Section III of this 
document.
    DOE also proposes that if DOE ultimately denies the petition for 
waiver or grants the petition with a different alternate test procedure 
than specified in the interim waiver, DOE will provide a grace period 
of 180 days for the manufacturer to begin to use the alternate test 
procedure specified in the decision and order on the petition. This is 
consistent with the EPCA provision providing 180 days from issuance of 
a new or amended test procedure for manufacturers to begin using the 
test procedure for representations of energy efficiency. See 42 U.S.C. 
6293(c)(2).
    Issue: DOE requests comment on its proposal to specify that an 
interim waiver would remain in effect until the earlier of the 
following: A waiver decision is published or DOE publishes a new or 
amended test procedure that addresses the issues presented in the 
waiver.

III. Discussion of Data

    DOE has reviewed data on the time lags between receipt of an 
application for interim waiver and issuance of an interim waiver. To 
the extent that this proposed change would deem as granted interim 
waiver applications that would be eventually granted under DOE's 
current process for granting waivers, DOE anticipates cost savings to 
accrue to manufacturers and consumer surplus to accrue to consumers who 
benefit from the timely availability of desired products.
    Between 2016 and 2018, DOE received 40 waiver applications, 33 of 
which also included a request for an interim waiver. Of these, two 
waivers were withdrawn and one waiver was delayed pending ongoing 
litigation. DOE presents data on the remaining 37 waiver applications 
below.\6\
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    \6\ In 2016, five of the applications for waiver, four of which 
included a request for an interim waiver, were addressed in a single 
final rule amending the test procedures for central air conditioners 
and heat pumps (81 FR 36991). DOE did not act on the four requests 
for interim waiver, and there is no accompanying data on the time 
lag associated with these interim waiver requests.

                    Total Waivers Requested 2016-2018
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Waivers requested..............................................       40
    % of waivers concluded in under 1 year.....................       69
    % of waivers concluded in over 1 year......................       31
Interim waivers requested......................................       32
    % of interim waivers concluded in under 100 days...........       20
    % of interim waivers concluded in more than 100 days.......       80
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    Although DOE regulations specify that, if administratively 
feasible, DOE will notify the applicant in writing of the disposition 
of a petition for interim waiver within 30 business days of receipt of 
the application, only one of the interim waiver requests in this 
dataset met this timeframe; one-fifth of interim waiver requests were 
resolved in under 100 days. On average, interim waiver requests 
received in 2016 took 162 days to resolve; those received in 2017 took 
202 days on average, and those received in 2018 took on average 208 
days.\7\ This significantly exceeds DOE's objective of turning around 
interim waiver petitions within 30 business days, or approximately 45

[[Page 18417]]

days. In 2017 alone, four requests for interim waiver took longer than 
350 days each to resolve.
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    \7\ Fifty percent of the requests for interim waiver received in 
2018 were still pending resolution as of this writing; as a result, 
totals for 2018 will continue to increase until these requests are 
concluded.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01MY19.002

    This time lag between submission of waiver and interim waiver 
requests and DOE's decision on interim waivers would be somewhat less 
significant if waiver decisions and orders were issued in a timely 
manner. However, on average it took DOE nearly one year to issue 
decisions and orders on waiver petitions submitted in 2016 and 2017.\8\ 
As of this writing, DOE had one outstanding petition for waiver from 
2016 and 3 outstanding petitions submitted in 2017, and has yet to 
reach a decision on 90% of the petitions for waiver received in 2018. 
These data illustrate the need for issuance of a timely interim waiver 
while the full waiver application is pending. Enhancing the efficiency 
of DOE's interim waiver approval process has the potential to reduce 
uncertainty for manufacturers and provide consumers with more options.
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    \8\ 2018 data is omitted here as only one decision and order has 
yet been issued for waivers requested in 2018 and all remaining 
requests are still pending. Multiple requests for waiver received in 
2017 were also still pending as of this writing; as a result, totals 
for 2017 and 2018 will continue to increase until these requests are 
concluded.
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    Issue: DOE requests comment on the length of time manufacturers 
have previously waited for DOE to provide notification of the 
disposition of applications for interim waiver (or final decisions on 
waiver petitions), and the correlated extent of cost savings and any 
other benefits they expect to realize as a result of the proposal to 
specify in the regulations that if the Department fails to issue an 
interim waiver decision within 30 business days following receipt of an 
application, the application is deemed granted. DOE seeks, in 
particular, comment on whether interim waiver delays have affected the 
availability of seasonal products during peak season, and the effects 
of these delays on manufacturers and consumers.

IV. Procedural Requirements

A. Review Under Executive Order 12866 and 13563

    This regulatory action has been determined to be ``significant'' 
under Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review'' (58 FR 
51735, October 4, 1993). Accordingly, this action was subject to review 
under that Executive Order by the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
    DOE has also reviewed this proposed regulation pursuant to 
Executive Order 13563, issued on January 18, 2011 (76 FR 3281, Jan. 21, 
2011). E.O. 13563 is supplemental to and explicitly reaffirms the 
principles, structures, and definitions governing regulatory review 
established in Executive Order 12866. To the extent permitted by law, 
agencies are required by Executive Order 13563 to: (1) Propose or adopt 
a regulation only upon a reasoned determination that its benefits 
justify its costs (recognizing that some benefits and costs are 
difficult to quantify); (2) tailor regulations to impose the least 
burden on society, consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives, 
taking into account, among other things, and to the extent practicable, 
the costs of cumulative regulations; (3) select, in choosing among 
alternative regulatory approaches, those approaches that maximize net 
benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public health 
and safety, and other advantages; distributive impacts; and equity); 
(4) to the extent feasible, specify performance objectives, rather than 
specifying the behavior or manner of compliance that regulated entities 
must adopt; and (5) identify and assess available alternatives to 
direct regulation, including providing economic incentives to encourage 
the desired behavior, such as user fees or marketable permits, or 
providing information upon which choices can be made by the public. DOE 
concludes that this proposed rule is consistent with these principles. 
The proposed amendments to DOE's regulations are intended to expedite 
DOE's processing of test procedure interim waiver applications, thereby 
reducing financial and administrative burdens for all manufacturers; as 
such, the proposed

[[Page 18418]]

rule satisfies the criteria in Executive Order 13563.

B. Review Under Executive Orders 13771 and 13777

    On January 30, 2017, the President issued Executive Order 13771, 
``Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs.'' That Order 
stated the policy of the executive branch is to be prudent and 
financially responsible in the expenditure of funds, from both public 
and private sources. The Order stated that it is essential to manage 
the costs associated with the governmental imposition of private 
expenditures required to comply with Federal regulations. DOE considers 
this proposed rule to be an E.O. 13771 deregulatory action, resulting 
in expected cost savings to manufacturers.
    Additionally, on February 24, 2017, the President issued Executive 
Order 13777, ``Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda.'' The Order 
required the head of each agency designate an agency official as its 
Regulatory Reform Officer (RRO). Each RRO shall oversee the 
implementation of regulatory reform initiatives and policies to ensure 
that agencies effectively carry out regulatory reforms, consistent with 
applicable law. Further, E.O. 13777 requires the establishment of a 
regulatory task force at each agency. The regulatory task force will 
make recommendations to the agency head regarding the repeal, 
replacement, or modification of existing regulations, consistent with 
applicable law. At a minimum, each regulatory reform task force shall 
attempt to identify regulations that:
    (i) Eliminate jobs, or inhibit job creation;
    (ii) Are outdated, unnecessary, or ineffective;
    (iii) Impose costs that exceed benefits;
    (iv) Create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with 
regulatory reform initiatives and policies;
    (v) Are inconsistent with the requirements of Information Quality 
Act, or the guidance issued pursuant to that Act, in particular those 
regulations that rely in whole or in part on data, information, or 
methods that are not publicly available or that are insufficiently 
transparent to meet the standard for reproducibility; or
    (vi) Derive from or implement Executive Orders or other 
Presidential directives that have been subsequently rescinded or 
substantially modified.
    As noted, this proposed rule is deregulatory, and is expected to 
reduce both financial and administrative burdens on regulated parties. 
Specifically, the proposed amendments to DOE's regulations discussed in 
the proposal should improve upon current waiver regulations, which 
potentially are inhibiting job creation; are ineffective in creating 
certainty for manufacturers with respect to business decisions; and 
impose costs that exceed benefits. Specifically, the length of time 
manufacturers have previously waited for DOE to provide notification of 
the disposition of applications for interim waiver (or final decisions 
on waiver petitions), made possible by the open-ended nature of the 
current regulations, would be significantly shortened by the current 
proposal. As noted above, the cost savings and other benefits 
manufacturers should realize by waiting no more than 30 days for an 
interim waiver should create cost savings, as manufacturers would be 
able to introduce their products and equipment into commerce in a 
timely fashion. These cost savings may lead to increased job creation, 
and create other potentially significant economic benefits.
i. National Cost Savings and Foregone Benefits
    The primary anticipated cost saving is from reducing the number of 
days by which manufacturer revenues are delayed for affected products. 
This value is monetized using the interest that a manufacturer might 
have earned on product revenue if an interim waiver were approved 
within 30 business days (approximately 45 days). On average, between 
2016 and 2018, DOE concluded interim waivers after 185 days, or 140 
days beyond the 30 business days specified in DOE's regulations. DOE 
uses 7% interest per the Office of Management and Budget's Circular A-
4,\9\ and calculates the foregone interest that could have accrued for 
each affected product during the 140 day delay period.
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    \9\ ``The 7 percent rate is an estimate of the average before-
tax rate of return to private capital in the U.S. economy. It is a 
broad measure that reflects the returns to real estate and small 
business capital as well as corporate capital.'' https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/circulars/A4/a-4.pdf.
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    DOE monetized the scope of delay using average prices for products 
in interim waiver petitions and the proportion of affected shipments, 
based on the proportion of basic models listed in interim waiver 
petitions relative to the total number of basic models within each 
product category. A full list of petitions for interim waiver can be 
accessed at https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/current-test-procedure-waivers. This list indicates how many interim waiver 
petitions were received for each product category. Each petition for 
interim waiver also lists the number of affected basic models, which 
DOE used to assess the proportion of shipments affected by each 
petition. Total numbers of basic models per product category are 
accessible via the DOE's Compliance Certification Database.\10\
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    \10\ https://www.regulations.doe.gov/certification-data/#q=Product_Group_s%3A*.
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    Between 2016 and 2018, 5,322 basic models of 12 residential and 
commercial products were affected by interim waiver delays, totaling 
1.31 million in estimated annual shipments and $1.76 billion in annual 
sales. The affected products are outlined in Table IV.B.1 below.\11\ 
While all affected shipments are represented in Table IV.B.1 below, DOE 
monetized the cost of delay only for those basic models for which 
manufacturers would be unable to test or certify absent an interim 
waiver. For one petition, the manufacturer was unable to test or 
certify half of the basic models requested absent a waiver; the 
estimated cost of delay is proportionate to those models. DOE 
calculated the interest that could have been earned on this revenue 
over the 140-day average delay period and multiplied the average cost 
of delay per petition by 11, the average number of interim waiver 
requests received per year, to reach an annual cost of delay. In 
undiscounted terms, DOE expects that this proposal will result in $17.3 
million in annual cost savings. DOE assumes that these sales are 
delayed rather than foregone.
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    \11\ Walk-in Coolers and Freezers (WICF) are counted as a single 
affected product. However, Table IV.B.1. breaks out which petitions 
concerned which WICF components, as their annual shipments and 
prices vary accordingly.
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[[Page 18419]]



  Table IV.B.1--Shipments and Average Prices of Products/Equipment Affected by Interim Waiver Delays 2016-2018
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                                                     Affected      Average price     Estimated
                Product/equipment                    shipments     (2016$) \12\    product sales   Cost of delay
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                                                   Residential
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Battery Chargers................................          74,694           $7.92        $591,738         $16,569
Ceiling Fans....................................          48,397          110.43       5,344,688         149,651
Central Air Conditioners & Heat Pumps...........         481,200        3,086.07   1,371,615,829      38,405,243
Clothes Washers.................................          31,780          700.24      22,253,510         623,098
Dishwashers.....................................          24,912          301.92       7,521,486         210,602
Refrigerators...................................          40,968          655.30      26,846,375         751,699
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                                                   Commercial
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commercial Refrigeration Equipment..............          22,036        3,902.71      85,998,189       2,407,949
Walk-in Coolers & Freezers--Doors...............         190,950          585.60     111,821,271       3,097,477
Walk-in Coolers & Freezers--Systems.............             700        2,681.82       1,876,011          52,528
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............      45,714,816
Average Cost of Delay per Petition (29 petitions  ..............  ..............  ..............       1,576,373
 total).........................................
Average Cost of Delay per Year (11 petitions/     ..............  ..............  ..............      17,340,103
 year)..........................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note that totals may not add due to rounding.

Foregone Benefits
    To the extent that this policy would cause DOE to automatically 
grant interim waiver requests that it would not have granted in the 
status quo, this proposal may result in foregone benefits to consumers 
or the environment. Based on historical data, these effects are 
anticipated to be relatively small. Of 21 concluded interim waiver 
petitions, DOE granted 18 in full and granted the remaining 3 with 
modifications. Of the modified interim waivers, one was granted in 
part, one was granted with minor modifications, and one was granted 
with a different alternative test measure than proposed. DOE estimated 
the foregone environmental benefits and energy savings of granting the 
petitions as received, rather than as modified by the Department.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \12\ Average price is generally the base case average MSP of 
equipment from the life-cycle cost year in the most recently 
published technical support document. This represents a shipment-
weighted average across efficiency distribution and across all 
product classes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    All foregone benefits and savings are annual, rather than one-time, 
and are projected in the table below using a perpetual time horizon and 
discounted to 2016. DOE expects these changes to result in $457.7 
million or $204.4 million in total cost savings, discounted at 3% and 
7%, respectively. In annualized terms, DOE expects $13.7 million in net 
cost savings, discounted at 3%, or $14.3 million in net cost savings 
discounted at 7%.

    Table IV.B.2--Cost Impact of Proposed Interim Waiver Rule (2016$)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Costs or  (Savings)
                               Costs or  (Savings)        millions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Cost Savings of               ($17,340,000)              ($17.34)
 Reduced Delay..............
Annual Foregone Energy                    $164,000                 $0.16
 Savings....................
Annualized Carbon Emissions             $1,764,000                 $1.76
 (SCC), 3% [dagger].........
Annualized Carbon Emissions               $827,000                 $0.83
 (SCC), 7% [dagger].........
Net Present Value at 3%.....        ($457,763,000)             ($457.76)
Net Present Value at 7%.....        ($204,428,000)             ($204.43)
Annualized Costs or                  ($13,733,000)              ($13.73)
 (Savings) at 3%............
Annualized Costs or                  ($14,310,000)              ($14.31)
 (Savings) at 7%............
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[dagger] Undiscounted annual SCC values are not available for
  comparison.

C. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
requires that a Federal agency prepare an initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis for any regulation for which a general notice of 
proposed rulemaking is required, unless the agency certifies that the 
rule, if promulgated, will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities (5 U.S.C. 605(b)).
    This proposed rule would impose a requirement on the Department 
that it must make a decision on interim waiver applications within 30 
business days after receipt of a petition. An interim waiver would 
remain in effect until a waiver decision is published or until DOE 
publishes a new or amended test procedure that addresses the issues 
presented in the waiver, whichever is earlier.
    The proposed rule would not impose any new requirements on any 
manufacturers, including small businesses. The proposed rule would 
provide greater certainty to manufacturers applying for interim waivers 
that their petitions would be considered and adjudicated promptly, 
allowing them, upon DOE grant of an interim waiver, to distribute their

[[Page 18420]]

products or equipment in commerce while the Department considered its 
final decision on the petition for waiver. No additional requirements 
with respect to the waiver application process would be imposed.
    For these reasons, DOE certifies that this proposed rule, if 
promulgated, would not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities, and therefore, no regulatory 
flexibility analysis has been prepared. DOE's certification and 
supporting statement of factual basis will be provided to the Chief 
Counsel of Advocacy of the SBA pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b).

D. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act

    Manufacturers of covered products and equipment must certify to DOE 
that their products or equipment comply with any applicable energy 
conservation standards. In certifying compliance, manufacturers must 
test their products and equipment according to the DOE test procedures, 
including any amendments adopted for those test procedures. DOE has 
established regulations for the certification and recordkeeping 
requirements for all covered consumer products and commercial 
equipment. 76 FR 12422 (March 7, 2011); 80 FR 5099 (Jan. 30, 2015). The 
collection-of-information requirement for the certification and 
recordkeeping is subject to review and approval by OMB under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This requirement has been approved by 
OMB under OMB control number 1910-1400. Public reporting burden for the 
certification is estimated to average 30 hours per response, including 
the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, 
gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing 
the collection of information.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is 
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty 
for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the 
requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number.

E. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act

    DOE has concluded that promulgation of this proposed rule falls 
into a class of actions that would not individually or cumulatively 
have a significant impact on the human environment, as determined by 
DOE's regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Specifically, this proposed rule amends 
existing regulations without changing the environmental effect of the 
regulations being amended, and, therefore, is covered under the 
Categorical Exclusion in paragraph A5 of appendix A to subpart D, 10 
CFR part 1021. Accordingly, neither an environmental assessment nor an 
environmental impact statement is required.

F. Review Under Executive Order 12988

    With respect to the review of existing regulations and the 
promulgation of new regulations, section 3(a) of Executive Order 12988, 
``Civil Justice Reform'' (61 FR 4729, February 7, 1996), imposes on 
Federal agencies the general duty to adhere to the following 
requirements: (1) Eliminate drafting errors and ambiguity; (2) write 
regulations to minimize litigation; and (3) provide a clear legal 
standard for affected conduct rather than a general standard and 
promote simplification and burden reduction. Section 3(b)(2) of 
Executive Order 12988 specifically requires that Executive agencies 
make every reasonable effort to ensure that the regulation: (1) Clearly 
specifies the preemptive effect, if any, to be given to the regulation; 
(2) clearly specifies any effect on existing Federal law or regulation; 
(3) provides a clear legal standard for affected conduct while 
promoting simplification and burden reduction; (4) specifies the 
retroactive effect, if any, to be given to the regulation; (5) defines 
key terms; and (6) addresses other important issues affecting clarity 
and general draftsmanship under any guidelines issued by the Attorney 
General. Section 3(c) of Executive Order 12988 requires Executive 
agencies to review regulations in light of applicable standards in 
section 3(a) and section 3(b) to determine whether they are met or it 
is unreasonable to meet one or more of the standards. DOE has completed 
the required review and determined that, to the extent permitted by 
law, this proposed rule meets the relevant standards of Executive Order 
12988.

G. Review Under Executive Order 13132

    Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism'' (64 FR 43255, August 4, 
1999), imposes certain requirements on agencies formulating and 
implementing policies or regulations that preempt State law or that 
have federalism implications. Agencies are required to examine the 
constitutional and statutory authority supporting any action that would 
limit the policymaking discretion of the States and carefully assess 
the necessity for such actions. DOE has examined this proposed rule and 
has determined that it would not preempt State law and would not have a 
substantial direct effect on the States, the relationship between the 
national government and the States, or the distribution of power and 
responsibilities among the various levels of government. No further 
action is required by Executive Order 13132.

H. Review Under Executive Order 13175

    Under Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 6, 2000) on 
``Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments,'' DOE 
may not issue a discretionary rule that has ``tribal'' implications and 
imposes substantial direct compliance costs on Indian tribal 
governments. DOE has determined that the proposed rule would not have 
such effects and concluded that Executive Order 13175 does not apply to 
this proposed rule.

I. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) 
requires each Federal agency to assess the effects of Federal 
regulatory actions on State, local, and Tribal governments and the 
private sector. Public Law 104-4, sec. 201 (codified at 2 U.S.C. 1531). 
For regulatory actions likely to result in a rule that may cause the 
expenditure by State, local, and Tribal governments, in the aggregate, 
or by the private sector of $100 million or more in any one year 
(adjusted annually for inflation), section 202 of UMRA requires a 
Federal agency to publish a written statement that estimates the 
resulting costs, benefits, and other effects on the national economy. 
(2 U.S.C. 1532(a),(b)) UMRA also requires a Federal agency to develop 
an effective process to permit timely input by elected officers of 
State, local, and Tribal governments on a ``significant 
intergovernmental mandate,'' and requires an agency plan for giving 
notice and opportunity for timely input to potentially affected small 
governments before establishing any requirements that might 
significantly or uniquely affect them. On March 18, 1997, DOE published 
a statement of policy on its process for intergovernmental consultation 
under UMRA. 62 FR 12820. (This policy is also available at https://energy.gov/gc/office-general-counsel.) DOE examined this proposed rule 
according to UMRA and its statement of policy and has tentatively 
determined that the rule contains neither an intergovernmental mandate, 
nor a mandate that may result in the expenditure by State, local, and 
Tribal government, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or

[[Page 18421]]

more in any year. Accordingly, no further assessment or analysis is 
required under UMRA.

J. Review Under Executive Order 13211

    Executive Order 13211, ``Actions Concerning Regulations That 
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use,'' 66 FR 28355 
(May 22, 2001) requires Federal agencies to prepare and submit to the 
OMB a Statement of Energy Effects for any proposed significant energy 
action. A ``significant energy action'' is defined as any action by an 
agency that promulgated or is expected to lead to promulgation of a 
final rule, and that: (1) Is a significant regulatory action under 
Executive Order 12866, or any successor order; and (2) is likely to 
have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use 
of energy, or (3) is designated by the Administrator of OIRA as a 
significant energy action. For any proposed significant energy action, 
the agency must give a detailed statement of any adverse effects on 
energy supply, distribution, or use should the proposal be implemented, 
and of reasonable alternatives to the action and their expected 
benefits on energy supply, distribution, and use. This regulatory 
action would not have a significant adverse effect on the supply, 
distribution, or use of energy and is therefore not a significant 
energy action. Accordingly, DOE has not prepared a Statement of Energy 
Effects.

K. Review Under the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 
1999

    Section 654 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations 
Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105-277) requires Federal agencies to issue a Family 
Policymaking Assessment for any proposed rule that may affect family 
well-being. The proposed rule would not have any impact on the autonomy 
or integrity of the family as an institution. Accordingly, DOE has 
concluded that it is not necessary to prepare a Family Policymaking 
Assessment.

L. Review Under the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 
2001

    The Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2001 (44 
U.S.C. 3516 note) provides for agencies to review most disseminations 
of information to the public under guidelines established by each 
agency pursuant to general guidelines issued by OMB. OMB's guidelines 
were published at 67 FR 8452 (February 22, 2002), and DOE's guidelines 
were published at 67 FR 62446 (October 7, 2002). DOE has reviewed this 
proposed rule under the OMB and DOE guidelines and has concluded that 
it is consistent with applicable policies in those guidelines.

V. Public Participation

A. Submission of information

    DOE will accept comments, data and information regarding this 
proposed rule before or after the public hearings, but no later than 
the date provided in the DATES section at the beginning of this 
proposed rule. Interested individuals are invited to participate in 
this proceeding by submitting data, views, or arguments with respect to 
this proposed rule using any of the methods described in the ADDRESSES 
section at the beginning of this proposed rule. To help the Department 
review the submitted comments, commenters are requested to reference 
the paragraph(s), e.g., Sec.  835.3(a), to which they refer where 
possible.
    1. Submitting comments via https://www.regulations.gov. The https://www.regulations.gov web page will require you to provide your name and 
contact information. Your contact information will be viewable to DOE's 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy staff only. Your 
contact information will not be publicly viewable except for your first 
and last names, organization name (if any), and submitter 
representative name (if any). If your comment is not processed properly 
because of technical difficulties, DOE will use this information to 
contact you. If DOE cannot read your comment due to technical 
difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, DOE may not be 
able to consider your comment. However, your contact information will 
be publicly viewable if you include it in the comment itself or in any 
documents attached to your comment. Any information that you do not 
want to be publicly viewable should not be included in your comment, 
nor in any document attached to your comment. Otherwise, persons 
viewing comments will see only first and last names, organization 
names, correspondence containing comments, and any documents submitted 
with the comments.
    Do not submit to https://www.regulations.gov information for which 
disclosure is restricted by statute, such as trade secrets and 
commercial or financial information (hereinafter referred to as 
Confidential Business Information (CBI)). Comments submitted through 
https://www.regulations.gov cannot be claimed as CBI. Comments received 
through the website will waive any CBI claims for the information 
submitted. For information on submitting CBI, see the ``Confidential 
Business Information'' section.
    DOE processes submissions made through https://www.regulations.gov 
before posting them. Normally, comments will be posted within a few 
days of being submitted. However, if large volumes of comments are 
being processed simultaneously, your comment may not be viewable for up 
to several weeks. Please keep the comment tracking number that https://www.regulations.gov provides after you have successfully uploaded your 
comment.
    2. Submitting comments via email, mail or hand delivery/courier. 
Comments and documents submitted via email, mail, or hand delivery/
courier, also will be posted to https://www.regulations.gov. If you do 
not want your personal contact information to be publicly viewable, do 
not include it in your comment or any accompanying documents. Instead, 
provide your contact information in a cover letter. Include your first 
and last names, email address, telephone number, and optional mailing 
address. The cover letter will not be publicly viewable as long as it 
does not include any comments.
    Include contact information each time you submit comments, data, 
documents, and other information to DOE. If you submit via mail or hand 
delivery/courier, please provide all items on a CD or USB flash drive, 
if feasible. It is not necessary to submit printed copies. No 
facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.
    Comments, data, and other information submitted to DOE 
electronically should be provided in PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or 
Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file format. Provide documents that 
are not secured, that are written in English, and that are free of any 
defects or viruses. Documents should not contain special characters or 
any form of encryption and, if possible, they should carry the 
electronic signature of the author.
    3. Confidential Business Information. Pursuant to the provisions of 
10 CFR 1004.11, anyone submitting information or data he or she 
believes to be confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure 
should submit via email, postal mail two well-marked copies: one copy 
of the document marked ``CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION'' including 
all the information believed to be confidential, and one copy of the 
document marked ``NO CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS

[[Page 18422]]

INFORMATION'' with the information believed to be confidential deleted. 
Submit these documents via email or CD, if feasible. DOE will make its 
own determination as to the confidentiality of the information and 
treat it accordingly. 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) when such information might 
lose its confidential character due to the passage of time; and (7) why 
disclosure of the information would be contrary to the public interest.
    It is DOE's policy that all comments may be included in the public 
docket, without change and as received, including any personal 
information provided in the comments (except information deemed to be 
exempt from public disclosure).
    4. Campaign form letters. Please submit campaign form letters by 
the originating organization in batches of between 50 to 500 form 
letters per PDF or as one form letter with a list of supporters' names 
compiled into one or more PDFs. This reduces comment processing and 
posting time.

B. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Information

    1. DOE requests comment on the length of time manufacturers have 
previously waited for DOE to provide notification of the disposition of 
applications for interim waiver (or final decisions on waiver 
petitions), and the correlated extent of cost savings and any other 
benefits they expect to realize as a result of the proposal to specify 
in the regulations that if the Department fails to issue an interim 
waiver decision within 30 business days following receipt of an 
application, the application is deemed granted. DOE also requests 
comment on its proposal to specify that an interim waiver would remain 
in effect until the earlier of the following: a waiver decision is 
published or DOE publishes a new or amended test procedure that 
addresses the issues presented in the waiver.

VI. Approval of the Office of the Secretary

    The Secretary of Energy has approved publication of this proposed 
rule.

List of Subjects

10 CFR Part 430

    Administrative practice and procedure, Confidential business 
information, Energy conservation, Household appliances, Imports, 
Incorporation by Reference, Intergovernmental relations, Small 
businesses.

10 CFR Part 431

    Administrative practice and procedure, Confidential business 
information, Test procedures, Incorporation by reference, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on April 24, 2019.
Daniel R. Simmons,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Department of Energy 
proposes to amend parts 430 and 431 of 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. Section 430.27 is amended by revising paragraphs (e)(1) and (h)(1) 
to read as follows:


Sec.  430.27   Petitions for waiver and interim waiver.

* * * * *
    (e) Provisions specific to interim waivers--(1) Disposition of 
application. (i) DOE will notify the applicant in writing of the 
disposition of the petition for interim waiver within 30 days of 
receipt of the application. If DOE does not notify the applicant in 
writing of the disposition of the petition for interim waiver within 30 
business days of receipt of the application, the interim waiver, as 
requested in the application, is deemed granted. Notice of DOE's 
determination on the petition for interim waiver will be published in 
the Federal Register.
    (ii) A waiver is considered received on the date it is received by 
the Department through the Department's established email box for 
receipt of waiver or, if delivered by mail, on the date the waiver is 
stamped as received by the Department.
    (iii) If DOE ultimately denies the petition for waiver or grants 
the petition with a different alternate test procedure than specified 
in the interim waiver, DOE will provide a grace period of 180 days for 
the manufacturer to begin to use the DOE test procedure or the 
alternate test procedure specified in the decision and order on the 
petition to make representations of energy efficiency.
* * * * *
    (h) Duration. (1) Interim waivers remain in effect until the 
earlier of the following:
    (i) DOE publishes a decision on a petition for waiver in the 
Federal Register pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section; or
    (ii) DOE publishes in the Federal Register a new or amended test 
procedure that addresses the issues presented in the waiver.
* * * * *

PART 431--ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL AND 
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

0
3. The authority citation for part 431 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 6291-6317; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note.

0
4. Section 431.401 is amended by revising paragraphs (e)(1) and (h)(1) 
to read as follows:


Sec.  431.401   Petitions for waiver and interim waiver.

* * * * *
    (e) Provisions specific to interim waivers--(1) Disposition of 
application. (i) DOE will notify the applicant in writing of the 
disposition of the petition for interim waiver within 30 business days 
of receipt of the application. If DOE does not notify the applicant in 
writing of the disposition of the petition for interim waiver within 30 
business days of receipt of the application, the interim waiver, as 
requested in the application, is deemed granted. Notice of DOE's 
determination on the petition for interim waiver will be published in 
the Federal Register.
    (ii) A waiver is considered received on the date it is received by 
the Department through the Department's established email box for 
receipt of waiver or, if delivered by mail, on the date the waiver is 
stamped as received by the Department.
    (iii) If DOE ultimately denies the petition for waiver or grants 
the petition with a different alternate test procedure than specified 
in the interim waiver,

[[Page 18423]]

DOE will provide a grace period of 180 days for the manufacturer to 
begin to use the DOE test procedure or the alternate test procedure 
specified in the decision and order on the petition to make 
representations of energy efficiency.
* * * * *
    (h) Duration. (1) Interim waivers remain in effect until the 
earlier of the following:
    (i) DOE publishes a decision on a petition for waiver pursuant to 
paragraph (f) of this section in the Federal Register; or
    (ii) DOE publishes in the Federal Register a new or amended test 
procedure that addresses the issues presented in the waiver.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2019-08699 Filed 4-30-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P