Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Energy Conservation Standards for Manufactured Housing, 35773-35775 [2021-14484]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 7, 2021 / Notices
Mode 1: The user can select a growing
region (based on the types of seeds they want
to plant). In this mode, lighting, temperature,
and humidity settings are controlled by the
product. The user cannot modify any
settings. They can only change the growing
region.
Mode 2: The user can select ‘‘Advanced
Mode’’. In this mode, the user has full control
over the all settings within limited ranges set
by the product (e.g., temperature can only be
selected within the 60 °F to 80 °F range). The
user can choose to turn lighting completely
off. In both modes, the settings can be
specified for each of the three gardens (each
garden can have its own settings).
e. Does the lighting contribute to a
significant thermal load for the cooling
system to counteract?
GEA Response: Yes. The main purpose of
the cooling system is to counteract the heat
from the lighting.
Do any additional control settings needed
to be specified for testing (e.g., lighting,
humidity controls)?
GEA Response. The proposed, revised test
procedure is used to determine the energy
consumption of the cooling portion of the
product. There are two portions to the test:
One with lighting and cooling active, and the
second with the lighting active and cooling
disabled. This allows for a direct
measurement of the cooling system’s energy
contribution.
f. Is the intent for the test be conducted
using a single test at the lowest control
temperature setting? Exhibit A refers to ‘‘each
temperature control setting’’ in the
stabilization section.
GEA Response: The proposed test
procedure has been modified to state that the
test is only at one control setting, the default
setting of the product. The original language
was extraneous as the test is run using only
one control setting.
If conducting multiple temperature setting
tests, how would the interpolation to 55F
occur with no compartment temperature
measurements?
GEA Response. The energy result from the
test will be derived from two tests at the
default setting, as described previously.
Interpolation to 55 °F is not possible with this
product as it does not achieve temperatures
below 55 °F at its coldest setting.
Very truly yours,
Signed by: /s/Bill A. Brown, P.E.
[Date: April 26, 2021]
Technical Director
GE Appliances, a Haier company
Attachments: Exhibit A—Revised Alternate
Test Procedure
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Exhibit A (Revised 4/26/2021)
Alternate Test Procedure for In-Home
Grower Miscellaneous Refrigeration Product
Energy Consumption is Determined by the
Formula: E = E1—E2.
• E is the test cycle energy of the vapor
compression system (kWh/day)
• E1 is the test cycle energy of the appliance
with the lights and vapor compression
system active (kWh/day)
Æ E1 = (1440 * EP1)/T1
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Æ 1440 = number of minutes in a day
Æ EP1 is the energy expended during three
full rotations of the growing chambers
(kWh) with the lights and vapor
compression system active.
Æ T1 is the length of time for the EP1
measurement (minutes)
• E2 is the test cycle energy of the
appliance with the lights active and
vapor compression system inactive
(kWh/day)
Æ E2 = (1440 * EP2)/T2
Æ 1440 = number of minutes in a day
Æ EP2 is the energy expended during three
full rotations of the growing chambers
(kWh) with the lights active and the
vapor compression system inactive.
Æ T2 is the length of time for the EP2
measurement (minutes)
Water in Tanks: Fill nutrient tanks with
water (72.0 ± 5.0 °F) prior to start of the
stabilization period.
Stabilization: The test shall start after a
minimum 8 hours stabilization run for the
default setting of the appliance. This
constitutes one rotation of the growing
chambers.
Ambient Temperature: Measure and record
the ambient temperature at points located 3
feet (91.5 cm) above the floor and 10 inches
(25.4 cm) from the center of the two sides of
the unit under test. The ambient temperature
shall be 72.0 ± 1 °F (22.2 ± 0.6 °C) during the
stabilization period and the test period.
Temperature Measurements: No
compartment temperature measurements are
taken during the test.
Test Procedure: Run the test using the
SmartHQ App
1. Download the SmartHQ app on a
connected device
2. Select ‘‘Connect Appliance’’ and then ‘‘In
Home Grower’’
3. Follow the procedures per the SmartHQ
app to set up the appliance.
4. Fill the nutrient tanks with 72.0 ± 5.0 °F
(22.2. ± 2.8 °C) water.
5. Select ‘‘Let’s Start Planting’’ from the main
screen.
6. Select Garden 1 from the ‘‘Select Garden’’
screen
a. Select the ‘‘Default’’ growing region.
b. Select ‘‘Next’’ at the bottom of the screen
7. At the screen titled ‘‘What do you want to
plant in Garden x?’’, select ‘‘Choose
Later’’
8. Repeat this process for Garden 2 and
Garden 3.
9. Select ‘‘Start the Growing Cycle’’
10. The first rotation (8 hours) is the
stabilization period.
11. The next three rotations (24 hours) is the
period where EP1 and T1 data are taken.
12. Disconnect the compressor harness.
Instructions to be provided when
product is tested by a third-party.
13. The first rotation (8 hours) is the
stabilization period
14. The next three rotations (24 hours) is the
period where EP2 and T2 data are taken.
[FR Doc. 2021–14349 Filed 7–6–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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35773
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
Energy Conservation Standards for
Manufactured Housing
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of
Energy.
AGENCY:
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement, to
request public comments on its scope,
and to conduct public scoping meetings.
ACTION:
The U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) is required, as set forth in
the Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007 (EISA), to establish energy
conservation standards for
manufactured housing. EISA further
directs DOE to base its energy
conservation standards on the most
recent version of the International
Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and
any supplements to that document,
except where DOE finds that the IECC
is not cost effective or where a more
stringent standard would be more cost
effective. DOE’s Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy
(EERE) is currently planning to finalize
a Supplemental Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (SNOPR) (on or before
August 16, 2021) for publication in the
Federal Register that will propose
energy conservation standards for
manufactured housing based on the
2021 IECC. In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), DOE NEPA Implementing
Procedures and the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations for implementing NEPA,
DOE will prepare an environmental
impact statement (DOE/EIS–0550) to
evaluate the potential impacts to the
human environment associated with the
proposed energy conservation standards
for manufactured housing.
SUMMARY:
The public scoping period for
the EIS starts with the publication of
this notice and ends on August 6, 2021.
DOE will hold virtual informational/
public scoping meetings on Wednesday,
July 21, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Eastern Time and Thursday July 22,
2021 at 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Eastern
Time. Details on how to participate in
the virtual public meetings will be
posted on the EIS web page at: https://
ecs-mh.evs.anl.gov. In defining the
scope of the EIS, DOE will consider all
scoping comments received or
postmarked by August 6, 2021.
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\07JYN1.SGM
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35774
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 7, 2021 / Notices
Oral comments may be
provided at the public scoping
meetings. Written comments may be
submitted online at: https://ecs-mh.evs.
anl.gov or by mail at: Roak Parker,
NEPA Document Manager, U.S.
Department of Energy—Golden Field
Office, 15013 Denver West Parkway,
Golden, CO 80401.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
additional information on the scoping
meetings and/or the EIS process, or to
request to be added to an email list to
receive updates on the EIS, contact Roak
Parker via email at: DOE_EIS_
MANUFACTURED_HOUSING@
ee.doe.gov or via mail at: NEPA
Document Manager, U.S. Department of
Energy—Golden Field Office, 15013
Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO
80401. For general information on
DOE’s NEPA review process, contact
Brian Costner, Director, Office of NEPA
Policy and Compliance, GC–54, U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20585–0119, email AskNEPA@
hq.doe.gov, telephone (202) 586–4600 or
(800) 472–2756. This NOI, the draft EIS,
and other documents, as they are
available, will be posted at: https://ecsmh.evs.anl.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
February 22, 2010, DOE published an
advanced notice of proposed
rulemaking (ANOPR) and request for
comment. See Energy Standards for
Manufactured Housing, 75 FR 7556.
DOE determined that the proposed rule
would benefit from a negotiated
rulemaking. On June 13, 2014, DOE
published a notice of intent to establish
a negotiated rulemaking Manufactured
Housing working group, which
consisted of representatives of
interested stakeholders. See 79 FR
33873. The working group met a total of
12 days over a three-month period. See
Energy Conservation Program: Energy
Efficiency Standards for Manufactured
Housing 80 FR 7550 (February 11,
2015). DOE also sought public comment
and held numerous meetings with the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), which sets
construction and safety standards for
manufactured homes, including the
current energy efficiency requirements
for manufactured homes (the ‘‘HUD
Code,’’ 24 CFR part 3820). See 80 FR
7551–7553 (February 11, 2015), and 81
FR 39756 (June 17, 2016).
In June 2016, DOE issued a technical
support document (See Document ID
EERE–2009–BT–BC–0021–0136 1) and
published a Notice of Proposed
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
ADDRESSES:
1 Available at: https://www.regulations.gov/
document?D=EERE-2009-BT-BC-0021-0136.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:44 Jul 06, 2021
Jkt 253001
Rulemaking (NOPR) in the Federal
Register that proposed to establish
energy conservation standards for
manufactured housing based on the
negotiated consensus recommendations
of the manufactured housing working
group. 81 FR 39756 (June 17, 2016). In
addition, DOE prepared a draft
environmental assessment (EA)
pursuant to NEPA to evaluate the
potential environmental impacts of the
proposed standards and requested
information to help analyze potential
impacts on indoor air quality (IAQ),
notably from sealing manufactured
homes more tightly. See Draft
Environmental Assessment for Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, ‘‘Energy
Conservation Standards for
Manufactured Housing’’ With Request
for Information on Impacts to Indoor Air
Quality, 81 FR 42576 (June 30, 2016)
(DOE/EA–2021). DOE received input on
both the proposed rule and the draft EA.
To help further inform certain aspects of
the standards being developed and their
underlying framework, DOE published a
Notice of Data Availability (NODA) on
August 3, 2018. See 83 FR 38073. In the
NODA, DOE stated it was examining a
number of factors and possible
alternatives on which it sought further
input from the public.
DOE has considered the information
received, together with the recent
issuance of the 2021 IECC, and intends
to propose new energy conservation
standards for manufactured housing that
are based on the 2021 IECC, consistent
with the considerations prescribed by
EISA. DOE has determined that an EIS
is the appropriate level of NEPA review
to evaluate the potential environmental
impacts associated with establishing
energy conservation standards for
manufactured housing based on the
2021 IECC (the proposed action). DOE/
EA–2021 has been cancelled; however,
information in the draft EA and
comments received on the draft EA will
be incorporated into the EIS, as
appropriate.
Purpose and Need for Agency Action
DOE’s purpose and need for agency
action is to establish energy
conservation standards for
manufactured housing, in accordance
with EISA Section 413. DOE’s dual
purpose is to satisfy these obligations
and to help achieve the national goals
of (a) saving energy, (b) reducing energy
costs for manufactured homeowners,
and (c) reducing outdoor pollutants and
greenhouse gases.
Proposed Action
DOE’s proposed action is to establish
energy conservation standards for
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manufactured homes based on the 2021
IECC, consistent with the costeffectiveness considerations identified
in the EISA. In accordance with the
EISA, which explicitly allows DOE to
consider the differences in design and
factory construction techniques of
manufactured homes, as compared to
site-built and modular homes, the
energy conservation standards under
consideration by DOE are based on
certain specifications included in the
2021 IECC while also accounting for the
unique aspects of manufactured
housing. Because the IECC has not been
specifically applied to manufactured
homes, DOE’s supplemental proposal
will include modifications to those
related IECC provisions that can be
adapted for use in these homes. DOE is
proposing energy efficiency standards
for manufactured housing that relate to
the building thermal envelope; air
sealing; installation of insulation; duct
sealing; heating, ventilation and air
conditioning (HVAC); service hot water
systems; mechanical ventilation fan
efficacy; and heating and cooling
equipment sizing.
Action Alternative
DOE is also considering an action
alternative that uses a tiered approach to
address affordability and costeffectiveness concerns with respect to
energy cost savings and the cost of
efficiency improvements relative to the
retail price of manufactured housing. In
the action alternative, DOE is
considering that for manufactured
homes priced below a certain (to be
determined) retail price, the stringency
of certain building thermal envelope
requirements would be based on
incremental costs that provide a
beneficial financial outcome with
respect to life-cycle cost savings, while
minimizing upfront cost impacts. Two
sets of energy conservation standards
would be established under the action
alternative: Tier 1 standards would
apply to manufactured homes priced at
or below a retail price threshold and
provide more limited improvements in
efficiency up to a maximum incremental
price increase; and Tier 2 standards
would apply to homes above the retail
price threshold. The Tier 2 standards
would be the same as those considered
under the proposed action. DOE has not
yet determined the Tier 1 retail price
threshold or the maximum incremental
price increase. DOE is considering a
retail price threshold from $50,000 to
$100,000 and a maximum incremental
price increase of $500 to $1,000. DOE
will publish the Tier 1 threshold and
maximum incremental price increase in
the SNOPR. The draft EIS will analyze
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 7, 2021 / Notices
potential environmental impacts of the
tiered approach as defined in the
SNOPR as the action alternative.
The energy conservation standards
proposed under either the proposed
action or the action alternative would be
based on the current climate zones in
the HUD Code (24 CFR 3820.506) and
would apply to homes manufactured on
or after one year following the
publication of a final rule for DOE’s
energy conservation standards for
manufactured housing in the Federal
Register.
No Action Alternative
NEPA requires consideration of a no
action alternative. The no action
alternative serves as the baseline to
compare the potential environmental
impacts of the proposed action and
alternatives. As part of the EIS process,
DOE will consider a no action
alternative where DOE would not
establish energy conservation standards
for manufactured housing, and energy
conservation requirements would
remain at the levels established in the
existing HUD Code.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Preliminary Identification of
Environmental Issues
DOE’s analysis and discussion in the
EIS will focus on potentially significant
environmental impacts. DOE’s 2016
Draft EA (Draft Environmental
Assessment for Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, ‘‘Energy Conservation
Standards for Manufactured Housing’’
With Request for Information on
Impacts to Indoor Air Quality, DOE/EA–
2021) analyzed potential impacts related
to indoor air, outdoor air,
socioeconomics and environmental
justice, and climate change. Other
resource areas (such as sensitive
ecosystems, geology and soils, and
wetlands and floodplains) were
considered and dismissed from detailed
analysis because impacts of the
proposed energy conservation standards
would not be expected to have any
measurable effects. Considering the
analyses developed to support the draft
EA, DOE anticipates that establishing
energy conservation standards for
manufactured housing would have
potential impacts (beneficial, adverse, or
both) in the same resource areas
analyzed in the draft EA.
Accordingly, in the EIS, DOE
anticipates evaluating potential impacts
related to: (1) Indoor air quality and
human health; (2) outdoor emissions of
air pollutants and greenhouse gases; (3)
energy consumption; (4)
socioeconomics; (5) environmental
justice; and (6) climate change. This list
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is not intended to be all-inclusive or to
imply a predetermination of potential
impacts. DOE invites interested
stakeholders to suggest specific issues,
including possible mitigation measures,
within these general categories or
others, to be considered in the EIS.
Public Participation
The purpose of the EIS scoping
process is to gather input on the issues,
concerns, possible alternatives, and
potential significant impacts to the
quality of the human environment that
DOE should consider in the EIS. Persons
and organizations affected by or
interested in the proposed action are
invited to participate in the scoping
process to help define the important
resources and issues to be analyzed in
depth, and to eliminate other issues
from detailed study in the EIS.
Participants are anticipated to include,
and are not limited to, agencies
(Federal, State, county, and local),
Native American tribes, public interest
groups, nongovernmental organizations,
businesses, trade associations, and
individual members of the public.
There will be two scoping meetings,
as described under the DATES section of
this notice, to accommodate and
encourage public participation. Each
will be a virtual meeting (webcast) to
avoid in-person interactions, toward
mitigating any spread of the COVID–19
pandemic. DOE will post information
on how to participate in the virtual
public meetings on the EIS website
listed previously, in advance of the
meetings. The public will have the
opportunity to present comments on the
scope of the EIS. DOE representatives
will be available to answer questions
and provide additional information to
meeting attendees. In addition to
providing comments at the public
scoping meetings, stakeholders may
submit written comments as described
in the ADDRESSES section.
The public is encouraged to provide
information and comments on issues to
be addressed in the EIS. Comments may
be broad in nature or restricted to
specific areas of concern, but they
should be directly relevant to the NEPA
process or potential environmental
impacts. Note that public comments on
the DOE SNOPR and its requirements,
supporting bases, and analyses, that are
unrelated to the NEPA process or
potential environmental impacts, will
be invited separately, pursuant to the
rulemaking process, and will not be
addressed during this EIS public
scoping period. Instructions for
providing those comments will be
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35775
included with the publication of the
SNOPR in the Federal Register.
DOE will consider the comments
received on the scope of the EIS during
the 30-day scoping period as it prepares
the draft EIS. When the draft EIS is
completed, a Notice of Availability of
the draft EIS will be published in the
Federal Register, which will begin a 45day public comment period. This Notice
of Availability will include instructions
on how to comment on the draft EIS,
which will be available for download
from the EIS website identified
previously. DOE is considering holding
two virtual public hearings during the
public comment period for the draft EIS.
DOE’s EIS process will include the
virtual public scoping meetings;
consultation and coordination with
appropriate Federal, State, county, and
local agencies and tribal governments;
making the draft EIS available for public
review and comment; a virtual public
hearing or hearings on the draft EIS;
publication of the final EIS, with
accessibility via the EIS website; and
publication of the Record of Decision in
the Federal Register. DOE will maintain
information about the NEPA process,
including documents, meeting
information, and important dates, on the
EIS website identified previously.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of
Energy was signed on June 28, 2021, by
Mathew Blevins, Director, Environment,
Safety, and Health Office, Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, pursuant to delegated authority
from the Secretary of Energy. That
document with the original signature
and date is maintained by DOE. For
administrative purposes only, and in
compliance with requirements of the
Office of the Federal Register, the
undersigned DOE Federal Register
Liaison Officer has been authorized to
sign and submit the document in
electronic format for publication, as an
official document of the Department of
Energy. This administrative process in
no way alters the legal effect of this
document upon publication in the
Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on July 1, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S.
Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021–14484 Filed 7–6–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35773-35775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14484]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
Energy Conservation Standards for Manufactured Housing
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S.
Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement,
to request public comments on its scope, and to conduct public scoping
meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is required, as set forth
in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), to
establish energy conservation standards for manufactured housing. EISA
further directs DOE to base its energy conservation standards on the
most recent version of the International Energy Conservation Code
(IECC), and any supplements to that document, except where DOE finds
that the IECC is not cost effective or where a more stringent standard
would be more cost effective. DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy (EERE) is currently planning to finalize a
Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNOPR) (on or before August
16, 2021) for publication in the Federal Register that will propose
energy conservation standards for manufactured housing based on the
2021 IECC. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures and the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for implementing NEPA, DOE will
prepare an environmental impact statement (DOE/EIS-0550) to evaluate
the potential impacts to the human environment associated with the
proposed energy conservation standards for manufactured housing.
DATES: The public scoping period for the EIS starts with the
publication of this notice and ends on August 6, 2021. DOE will hold
virtual informational/public scoping meetings on Wednesday, July 21,
2021 at 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Eastern Time and Thursday July 22, 2021 at
2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Details on how to participate in the
virtual public meetings will be posted on the EIS web page at: https://ecs-mh.evs.anl.gov. In defining the scope of the EIS, DOE will consider
all scoping comments received or postmarked by August 6, 2021.
[[Page 35774]]
ADDRESSES: Oral comments may be provided at the public scoping
meetings. Written comments may be submitted online at: https://ecs-mh.evs.anl.gov or by mail at: Roak Parker, NEPA Document Manager, U.S.
Department of Energy--Golden Field Office, 15013 Denver West Parkway,
Golden, CO 80401.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the
scoping meetings and/or the EIS process, or to request to be added to
an email list to receive updates on the EIS, contact Roak Parker via
email at: [email protected] or via mail at: NEPA
Document Manager, U.S. Department of Energy--Golden Field Office, 15013
Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401. For general information on DOE's
NEPA review process, contact Brian Costner, Director, Office of NEPA
Policy and Compliance, GC-54, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0119, email
[email protected], telephone (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756. This
NOI, the draft EIS, and other documents, as they are available, will be
posted at: https://ecs-mh.evs.anl.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 22, 2010, DOE published an
advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANOPR) and request for comment.
See Energy Standards for Manufactured Housing, 75 FR 7556. DOE
determined that the proposed rule would benefit from a negotiated
rulemaking. On June 13, 2014, DOE published a notice of intent to
establish a negotiated rulemaking Manufactured Housing working group,
which consisted of representatives of interested stakeholders. See 79
FR 33873. The working group met a total of 12 days over a three-month
period. See Energy Conservation Program: Energy Efficiency Standards
for Manufactured Housing 80 FR 7550 (February 11, 2015). DOE also
sought public comment and held numerous meetings with the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which sets
construction and safety standards for manufactured homes, including the
current energy efficiency requirements for manufactured homes (the
``HUD Code,'' 24 CFR part 3820). See 80 FR 7551-7553 (February 11,
2015), and 81 FR 39756 (June 17, 2016).
In June 2016, DOE issued a technical support document (See Document
ID EERE-2009-BT-BC-0021-0136 \1\) and published a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NOPR) in the Federal Register that proposed to establish
energy conservation standards for manufactured housing based on the
negotiated consensus recommendations of the manufactured housing
working group. 81 FR 39756 (June 17, 2016). In addition, DOE prepared a
draft environmental assessment (EA) pursuant to NEPA to evaluate the
potential environmental impacts of the proposed standards and requested
information to help analyze potential impacts on indoor air quality
(IAQ), notably from sealing manufactured homes more tightly. See Draft
Environmental Assessment for Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, ``Energy
Conservation Standards for Manufactured Housing'' With Request for
Information on Impacts to Indoor Air Quality, 81 FR 42576 (June 30,
2016) (DOE/EA-2021). DOE received input on both the proposed rule and
the draft EA. To help further inform certain aspects of the standards
being developed and their underlying framework, DOE published a Notice
of Data Availability (NODA) on August 3, 2018. See 83 FR 38073. In the
NODA, DOE stated it was examining a number of factors and possible
alternatives on which it sought further input from the public.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Available at: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EERE-2009-BT-BC-0021-0136.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOE has considered the information received, together with the
recent issuance of the 2021 IECC, and intends to propose new energy
conservation standards for manufactured housing that are based on the
2021 IECC, consistent with the considerations prescribed by EISA. DOE
has determined that an EIS is the appropriate level of NEPA review to
evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with
establishing energy conservation standards for manufactured housing
based on the 2021 IECC (the proposed action). DOE/EA-2021 has been
cancelled; however, information in the draft EA and comments received
on the draft EA will be incorporated into the EIS, as appropriate.
Purpose and Need for Agency Action
DOE's purpose and need for agency action is to establish energy
conservation standards for manufactured housing, in accordance with
EISA Section 413. DOE's dual purpose is to satisfy these obligations
and to help achieve the national goals of (a) saving energy, (b)
reducing energy costs for manufactured homeowners, and (c) reducing
outdoor pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Proposed Action
DOE's proposed action is to establish energy conservation standards
for manufactured homes based on the 2021 IECC, consistent with the
cost-effectiveness considerations identified in the EISA. In accordance
with the EISA, which explicitly allows DOE to consider the differences
in design and factory construction techniques of manufactured homes, as
compared to site-built and modular homes, the energy conservation
standards under consideration by DOE are based on certain
specifications included in the 2021 IECC while also accounting for the
unique aspects of manufactured housing. Because the IECC has not been
specifically applied to manufactured homes, DOE's supplemental proposal
will include modifications to those related IECC provisions that can be
adapted for use in these homes. DOE is proposing energy efficiency
standards for manufactured housing that relate to the building thermal
envelope; air sealing; installation of insulation; duct sealing;
heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); service hot water
systems; mechanical ventilation fan efficacy; and heating and cooling
equipment sizing.
Action Alternative
DOE is also considering an action alternative that uses a tiered
approach to address affordability and cost-effectiveness concerns with
respect to energy cost savings and the cost of efficiency improvements
relative to the retail price of manufactured housing. In the action
alternative, DOE is considering that for manufactured homes priced
below a certain (to be determined) retail price, the stringency of
certain building thermal envelope requirements would be based on
incremental costs that provide a beneficial financial outcome with
respect to life-cycle cost savings, while minimizing upfront cost
impacts. Two sets of energy conservation standards would be established
under the action alternative: Tier 1 standards would apply to
manufactured homes priced at or below a retail price threshold and
provide more limited improvements in efficiency up to a maximum
incremental price increase; and Tier 2 standards would apply to homes
above the retail price threshold. The Tier 2 standards would be the
same as those considered under the proposed action. DOE has not yet
determined the Tier 1 retail price threshold or the maximum incremental
price increase. DOE is considering a retail price threshold from
$50,000 to $100,000 and a maximum incremental price increase of $500 to
$1,000. DOE will publish the Tier 1 threshold and maximum incremental
price increase in the SNOPR. The draft EIS will analyze
[[Page 35775]]
potential environmental impacts of the tiered approach as defined in
the SNOPR as the action alternative.
The energy conservation standards proposed under either the
proposed action or the action alternative would be based on the current
climate zones in the HUD Code (24 CFR 3820.506) and would apply to
homes manufactured on or after one year following the publication of a
final rule for DOE's energy conservation standards for manufactured
housing in the Federal Register.
No Action Alternative
NEPA requires consideration of a no action alternative. The no
action alternative serves as the baseline to compare the potential
environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternatives. As part
of the EIS process, DOE will consider a no action alternative where DOE
would not establish energy conservation standards for manufactured
housing, and energy conservation requirements would remain at the
levels established in the existing HUD Code.
Preliminary Identification of Environmental Issues
DOE's analysis and discussion in the EIS will focus on potentially
significant environmental impacts. DOE's 2016 Draft EA (Draft
Environmental Assessment for Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, ``Energy
Conservation Standards for Manufactured Housing'' With Request for
Information on Impacts to Indoor Air Quality, DOE/EA-2021) analyzed
potential impacts related to indoor air, outdoor air, socioeconomics
and environmental justice, and climate change. Other resource areas
(such as sensitive ecosystems, geology and soils, and wetlands and
floodplains) were considered and dismissed from detailed analysis
because impacts of the proposed energy conservation standards would not
be expected to have any measurable effects. Considering the analyses
developed to support the draft EA, DOE anticipates that establishing
energy conservation standards for manufactured housing would have
potential impacts (beneficial, adverse, or both) in the same resource
areas analyzed in the draft EA.
Accordingly, in the EIS, DOE anticipates evaluating potential
impacts related to: (1) Indoor air quality and human health; (2)
outdoor emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases; (3) energy
consumption; (4) socioeconomics; (5) environmental justice; and (6)
climate change. This list is not intended to be all-inclusive or to
imply a predetermination of potential impacts. DOE invites interested
stakeholders to suggest specific issues, including possible mitigation
measures, within these general categories or others, to be considered
in the EIS.
Public Participation
The purpose of the EIS scoping process is to gather input on the
issues, concerns, possible alternatives, and potential significant
impacts to the quality of the human environment that DOE should
consider in the EIS. Persons and organizations affected by or
interested in the proposed action are invited to participate in the
scoping process to help define the important resources and issues to be
analyzed in depth, and to eliminate other issues from detailed study in
the EIS. Participants are anticipated to include, and are not limited
to, agencies (Federal, State, county, and local), Native American
tribes, public interest groups, nongovernmental organizations,
businesses, trade associations, and individual members of the public.
There will be two scoping meetings, as described under the DATES
section of this notice, to accommodate and encourage public
participation. Each will be a virtual meeting (webcast) to avoid in-
person interactions, toward mitigating any spread of the COVID-19
pandemic. DOE will post information on how to participate in the
virtual public meetings on the EIS website listed previously, in
advance of the meetings. The public will have the opportunity to
present comments on the scope of the EIS. DOE representatives will be
available to answer questions and provide additional information to
meeting attendees. In addition to providing comments at the public
scoping meetings, stakeholders may submit written comments as described
in the ADDRESSES section.
The public is encouraged to provide information and comments on
issues to be addressed in the EIS. Comments may be broad in nature or
restricted to specific areas of concern, but they should be directly
relevant to the NEPA process or potential environmental impacts. Note
that public comments on the DOE SNOPR and its requirements, supporting
bases, and analyses, that are unrelated to the NEPA process or
potential environmental impacts, will be invited separately, pursuant
to the rulemaking process, and will not be addressed during this EIS
public scoping period. Instructions for providing those comments will
be included with the publication of the SNOPR in the Federal Register.
DOE will consider the comments received on the scope of the EIS
during the 30-day scoping period as it prepares the draft EIS. When the
draft EIS is completed, a Notice of Availability of the draft EIS will
be published in the Federal Register, which will begin a 45-day public
comment period. This Notice of Availability will include instructions
on how to comment on the draft EIS, which will be available for
download from the EIS website identified previously. DOE is considering
holding two virtual public hearings during the public comment period
for the draft EIS.
DOE's EIS process will include the virtual public scoping meetings;
consultation and coordination with appropriate Federal, State, county,
and local agencies and tribal governments; making the draft EIS
available for public review and comment; a virtual public hearing or
hearings on the draft EIS; publication of the final EIS, with
accessibility via the EIS website; and publication of the Record of
Decision in the Federal Register. DOE will maintain information about
the NEPA process, including documents, meeting information, and
important dates, on the EIS website identified previously.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on June 28,
2021, by Mathew Blevins, Director, Environment, Safety, and Health
Office, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, pursuant to
delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document with
the original signature and date is maintained by DOE. For
administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of
the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal
Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the
document in electronic format for publication, as an official document
of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way
alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the
Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on July 1, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-14484 Filed 7-6-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P