Department of Energy 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on September 10, 2012, by Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (Chevron), requesting blanket authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) that previously had been imported into the United States from foreign sources in an amount up to the equivalent of 72 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas on a short-term or spot market basis for a two- year period commencing on December 8, 2012.\1\ The LNG would be exported from the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal owned by Sabine Pass LNG, L.P., in Cameron Parish, Louisiana to any country with the capacity to import LNG via ocean-going carrier and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. The 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 Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application) filed on August 31, 2012, by Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC (GLLC), requesting long-term, multi-contract authorization to export up to 11.5 million tons per annum (mtpa) of domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG), the equivalent of approximately 547.5 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas per year (Bcf/yr), or 1.5 Bcf per day (Bcf/ d), over a 20-year period, commencing on the earlier of the date of first export or ten years from the date the requested authorization is granted. The LNG would be exported from the Gulf LNG Energy, LLC Terminal (Gulf LNG Terminal), a facility located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, to any country that has or in the future develops the capacity to import LNG via ocean-going carrier and with which the United States does not prohibit trade but also does not have a free trade agreement (FTA) requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas. GLLC is requesting this authorization both on its own behalf and as agent for other parties who themselves hold title to the LNG at the time of export. The 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 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) establishes new test procedures for residential dishwashers and dehumidifiers, and amends the currently applicable test procedure for conventional cooking products under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The new test procedures include provisions for measuring standby mode and off mode energy consumption, and update the provisions for measuring active mode energy consumption and, for dishwashers, water consumption. This final rule also amends the certification, compliance, and enforcement requirements for dishwashers, dehumidifiers and conventional cooking products, amends certain provisions in the currently applicable dishwasher test procedure, and eliminates an obsolete energy efficiency metric in the dishwasher test procedure and provisions in the cooking products test procedure that have become obsolete due to the elimination of standing pilot lights.