Department of Energy 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Western Area Power Administration (Western), Rocky Mountain Region (RMR), a Federal power marketing agency of the Department of Energy (DOE), is seeking comments on this proposed 2025 Power Marketing Initiative (2025 PMI). Western's firm electric service contracts associated with the current marketing plan will expire September 30, 2024. This proposed 2025 PMI provides the basis for marketing the long- term firm hydroelectric resources of the Loveland Area Projects (LAP) beginning with the Federal fiscal year 2025. The 2025 PMI proposes to extend the current marketing plan, with amendments to key marketing plan principles. This Federal Register notice initiates Western's public process for the proposed 2025 PMI and requests public comments. Western will prepare and publish the final 2025 PMI in the Federal Register after all public comments are considered.

This document announces an open meeting of two Negotiated Rulemaking Working Groups; one concerning Liquid Immersed and Medium- Voltage Dry-Type and the second addressing Low-Voltage Dry-Type Distribution Transformers. The Liquid Immersed and Medium-Voltage Dry- Type Group (MV Group) and the Low-Voltage Dry-Type Group (LV Group) are working groups within the Appliance Standards Subcommittee of the Efficiency and Renewables Advisory Committee (ERAC). The purpose of the MV and LV Groups is to discuss and, if possible, reach consensus on a proposed rule for regulating the energy efficiency of distribution transformers, as authorized by the Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(C) and 6317(a).

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Hanford. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) is revising its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Procedures. The majority of the changes are being made to the categorical exclusion provisions. These revisions are intended to better align the Department's regulations, particularly its categorical exclusions, with DOE's current activities and recent experiences, and to update the provisions with respect to current technologies and regulatory requirements. DOE is establishing 20 new categorical exclusions and removing two categorical exclusion categories, one environmental assessment category, and three environmental impact statement categories. Other changes modify and clarify DOE's existing provisions.

The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend for three years, an information collection request with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the extended collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Through this Request for Information (RFI), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating a rulemaking and data collection process to consider amendments to DOE's test procedures for residential water heaters, direct heating equipment, and pool heaters. This rulemaking is intended to fulfill DOE's statutory obligation to review its test procedures for covered products at least once every seven years. To inform interested parties and to facilitate the process, DOE has gathered data and has identified several issues that might warrant modifications to the current applicable test procedures, including topics on which DOE is particularly interested in receiving comment. In overview, the issues outlined in this document mainly concern the scope, draw patterns, and test conditions for residential water heaters, possible clarifications and improvement of the direct heating equipment test procedures as applied to vented hearth heaters, and coverage of electric pool heaters. Additionally, this RFI briefly discusses and seeks input on certain potential changes to the test procedures for these products that DOE anticipates may be included in a subsequent notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR). DOE welcomes written comments from the public on any subject related to the test procedures for residential heating products (including topics not specifically raised in this RFI).