Department of Energy 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Act), the Department of Energy (DOE) has reviewed DOE regulations that require the use of an assessment of the credit- worthiness of a security or money market instrument. DOE has identified regulatory provisions that may be subject to the Act's requirement to remove any references to or requirements in such regulations regarding credit ratings. The regulations DOE identified are regulations implementing the loan guarantee program created by Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and regulations implementing the standby support program for certain nuclear plant delays promulgated pursuant to section 638 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. DOE provided a report of its review to Congress as required by the Act and, as a result of this review, proposes to modify these regulatory provisions to remove provisions that would require applicants or sponsors to provide a credit rating or other credit assessment to DOE.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a direct final rule to establish amended energy conservation standards for residential furnaces and residential central air conditioners and heat pumps in the Federal Register on June 27, 2011. DOE has determined that the adverse comments received in response to the direct final rule do not provide a reasonable basis for withdrawing the direct final rule. Therefore, DOE provides this notice confirming adoption of the energy conservation standards for residential furnaces and residential central air conditioners and heat pumps established in the direct final rule and announcing the effective date of those standards.

In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) (2006), (Pub. L. No. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the proposed information collection described below.

This notice announces the cancellation of the November 1, 2011, meeting of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) Natural Gas Subcommittee. The public meeting was scheduled to be held at the U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585. The Federal Register notice announcing this meeting was published on Thursday, October 13, 2011, (76 FR 63613). Please note, the October 31, 2011, meeting will continue as scheduled. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting cancellation be announced in the Federal Register.