Department of Energy February 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (DOE OE) will convene the first meeting of the smart grid data privacy multistakeholder process concerning the development of an Voluntary Code of Conduct for utility and third parties providing consumer energy use services.

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is submitting the information collections [FERC-60 (Annual Report of Centralized Service Companies), FERC-61 (Narrative Description of Service Company Functions), and FERC- 555A (Preservation of Records Companies and Service Companies Subject to PUHCA \1\)] to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review of the information collection requirements. Any interested person may file comments directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below. The Commission issued a Notice in the Federal Register (70 FR 70996, 11/28/2012) requesting public comments. FERC received no comments on the FERC-60, FERC-61, & FERC-555A and is making this notation in its submittal to OMB.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating the rulemaking and data collection process to consider amending the energy conservation standards for residential boilers. This rulemaking will satisfy the statutory requirement for DOE to conduct a second round of energy conservation standards rulemaking for residential boilers, and it will also fulfill DOE's statutory obligation to review energy conservation standards within six years after issuance of any final rule establishing or amending a standard to determine whether such standards should be amended. After concluding its initial review of the available information and public comments, DOE will publish either a notice of the determination that standards do not need to be amended, or a notice of proposed rulemaking including new proposed standards. To inform interested parties and to facilitate this process, DOE has prepared a Framework Document that details the analytical approach and scope of coverage for the rulemaking, and identifies several issues on which DOE is particularly interested in receiving comments. DOE will hold a public meeting to discuss and receive comments on its planned analytical approach and issues it will address in this rulemaking proceeding. DOE welcomes written comments and relevant data from the public on any subject within the scope of this rulemaking. A copy of the Framework Document is available at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/ buildings/appliancestandards/residential/furnacesboilers.html .

This notice announces that the period for submitting comments to the notice of proposed determination, published December 31, 2012, about commercial and industrial compressors is reopening to February 28, 2013.

This notice announces receipt of and publishes the BSH Corporation (BSH) petition for waiver (hereafter, ``petition'') from specified portions of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure for determining the energy consumption of dishwashers. Today's notice also grants an interim waiver of the dishwasher test procedure. Through this notice, DOE also solicits comments with respect to the BSH petition.

The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a power marketing administration within the Department of Energy (DOE), is proposing an adjustment to the Boulder Canyon Project (BCP) electric service base charge and rates. The current base charge and rates expire September 30, 2013, under Rate Schedule BCP-F8. The current base charge is not sufficient to cover all annual costs including operation, maintenance, replacements, interest expense, and to repay investment obligations within the required period. The proposed base charge will provide sufficient revenue to cover all annual costs and to repay investment obligations within the allowable period. A detailed rate package that identifies the reasons for the base charge and rates adjustment will be available in March 2013. The proposed base charge and rates are scheduled to become effective October 1, 2013, and will remain in effect through September 30, 2014. This Federal Register notice initiates the formal process for the proposed base charge and rates.

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is submitting the information collection, FERC-729 (Electric Transmission Facilities), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review of the information collection requirements. Any interested person may file comments directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below. The Commission issued a Notice in the Federal Register (77 FR 67638, 11/13/2012) requesting public comments. FERC received no comments on the FERC-729 and is making this notation in its submittal to OMB.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to revise its test procedure for residential furnaces and boilers established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. This rulemaking would adopt needed equations, applicable to certain classes of these products, which were omitted from the relevant industry standard incorporated by reference in the DOE test procedure.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is considering energy conservation standards for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. To inform interested parties and to facilitate this process, DOE has prepared a Framework Document that details the analytical approach and scope for this rulemaking and identifies several issues on which DOE is particularly interested in receiving comments. DOE will hold a public meeting to discuss and receive comments on its planned analytical approach and issues it will address in this rulemaking proceeding. DOE welcomes written comments and relevant data from the public on any subject within the scope of this rulemaking. A copy of the Framework Document is available at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ appliancestandards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/25