Department of Energy February 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a proposed collection of information for a National Evaluation of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG) that DOE is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 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. Information about the outcomes of the program, including energy and cost savings, the net number of jobs created or retained, and gross reductions in carbon emissions, is needed for a comprehensive evaluation of the program.

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 USC 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collections, FERC-65, FERC-65A, and FERC-65B (Notification of Holding Company Status, Exemption Notification of Holding Company Status, and Waiver Notification of Holding Company Status).

This notice announces receipt of and publishes the GE Appliances (GE) petition for waiver (hereafter, ``petition'') from specified portions of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure for determining the energy consumption of certain specific electric refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers. In its petition, GE provides an alternate test procedure and DOE solicits comments, data, and information concerning GE's petition and the suggested alternate test procedure. Today's notice also grants GE an interim waiver from the electric refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer test procedure, subject to use of the alternative test procedure set forth in this notice.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment. Microwave ovens are covered products under EPCA, although there are no existing microwave oven standards. EPCA requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether amended, more stringent, standards are technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. Additionally, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) amended EPCA to require any final rule adopted after July 1, 2010 establishing or revising energy conservation standards for covered products, including microwave ovens, to address standby mode and off mode energy use. On October 17, 2008, DOE issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) in which DOE proposed amendments to the energy conservation standards for several residential and commercial products, including microwave ovens. In response to the NOPR, DOE received comment expressing concern and encouraging the Department to re-examine standby mode and off mode of microwave ovens as a part of DOE's rulemaking analyses. Additionally, DOE received comment alleging certain data problems affecting DOE's rulemaking analyses. DOE's preliminary assessment suggested that the concerns might be valid, thereby necessitating additional, supplemental rulemaking analyses. In this notice, DOE responds to the comments received on the NOPR and proposes amended energy conservation standards for microwave oven standby mode and off mode. The notice also announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed standards and associated analyses and results.

On November 17, 2009, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) submitted a petition (Petition) requesting approval of NERC's interpretation of Requirement R1 of Commission-approved Reliability Standard PRC-005-1 (Transmission and Generation Protection System Maintenance and Testing). On December 16, 2010, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR). In the NOPR, the Commission proposed to accept the NERC proposed interpretation of Requirement R1 of Reliability Standard PRC-005-1, and proposed to direct NERC to develop modifications to the PRC-005-1 Reliability Standard through its Reliability Standards development process to address gaps in the Protection System maintenance and testing standard that were highlighted by the proposed interpretation. As a result of the comments received in response to the NOPR, in this order the Commission adopts the NOPR proposal to accept NERC's proposed interpretation. In addition, as discussed below, the Commission accepts, in part, NERC's commitment to address the concerns in the Protection System maintenance and testing standard that were identified by the NOPR within the Reliability Standards development process, and directs, in part, that the concerns identified by the NOPR with regard to reclosing relays be addressed within the reinitiated PRC-005 revisions.

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on December 19, 2011, by Freeport LNG Expansion, L.P. and FLNG Liquefaction, LLC (collectively, FLEX), requesting long-term, multi- contract authorization to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) in an amount up to the equivalent of 511 Billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas per year, which averages to 1.4 Bcf per day (Bcf/d), over a 25-year period, commencing on the earlier of the date of first export or eight years from the date the requested authorization is granted. The LNG would be exported from the Freeport LNG Terminal on Quintana Island near Freeport, Texas, to any country (1) with which the United States does not have a free trade agreement (FTA) requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas, (2) which has developed or in the future develops the capacity to import LNG via ocean-going carrier, and (3) with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. The Application is filed independent of, and in addition to, FLEX's prior application filed with DOE/FE under Docket No. 10-161- LNG. This Application was filed under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Protests, motions to intervene, notices of intervention, and written comments are invited.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including low-voltage dry-type distribution transformers, and directs the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to prescribe standards for various other products and equipment, including other types of distribution transformers. EPCA also requires DOE to determine whether more- stringent, amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this notice, DOE proposes amended energy conservation standards for distribution transformers. The notice also announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed standards and associated analyses and results.

This notice announces an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.