Department of Energy April 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collection, FERC-552, Annual Report of Natural Gas Transactions.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance, a proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed collection will require annual reports from power companies that voluntarily join the Department's new Partnership for Energy Sector Climate Resilience. The goal of this partnership is for the Department and power company participants to work cooperatively to enhance the energy security of the nation's electricity infrastructure. The annual reports required of partners will include summaries of activities undertaken during the proceeding year including, for example, vulnerability assessments, resilience strategies, information on costs and benefits of actions taken, and best practices. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the department; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information being collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the proposed collection on the respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques.

This notice announces a meeting of the Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC). The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that agencies publish notice of an advisory committee meeting in the Federal Register.

As required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to establish a mathematical conversion factor for the purpose of translating efficiency ratings for water heaters under the test method currently in effect to the ratings under the amended test method promulgated by DOE in a final rule published on July 11, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the ``the July 2014 final rule''). Compliance with the amended test procedure is required beginning on the later of: one year after the publication of a final rule that establishes a mathematical conversion factor, or December 31, 2015. This rulemaking document proposes a mathematical conversion factor which may be used to convert the existing efficiency ratings under the current Federal test procedure to efficiency ratings under the test procedure adopted in the July 2014 final rule for water heater basic models manufactured, tested and certified prior to the compliance date of the amended test procedure. The amended test procedure applies to all covered consumer water heaters and the covered commercial water heating equipment with residential applications defined in the July 2014 final rule as a ``residential-duty commercial water heater.'' In addition, this document proposes amendments to the minimum energy conservation standards for consumer water heaters and residential-duty commercial water heaters to account for the impact of the new metric, but does not alter the stringency of the existing energy conservation standards. While DOE has not planned a public meeting to discuss this proposal, DOE is willing to consider a request to hold a meeting.

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 its information collections [FERC-65 (Notice of Holding Company Status), FERC-65A (Exemption Notification of Holding Company Status), FERC-65B (Waiver Notification of Holding Company Status), FERC-585 (Reporting of Electric Shortages and Contingency Plans Under PURPA 206), and the FERC-921 (Ongoing Electronic Delivery of Data from Regional Transmission Organization and Independent System Operators)] 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 previously issued a Notice in the Federal Register (80 FR 2405, 1/16/2015) requesting public comments. The Commission received no comments on the FERC-65/ 65A/65B, FERC-585, or FERC-921 and is making this notation in its submittal to OMB.

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 residential water heaters. EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more stringent amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. Accordingly, DOE established amended energy conservation standards for several classes of residential water heaters in an April 2010 final rule. In this notice, DOE proposes to amend its definitions pertaining to residential water heaters and to clarify the applicability of energy conservation standards for residential water heaters that are utilized as a secondary back-up heat source in solar-thermal water heating systems. Specifically, DOE is proposing to create a definition for ``solar- assisted fossil fuel storage water heater'' and ``solar-assisted electric storage water heater'' and clarify that water heaters meeting these definitions are not subject to the amended energy conservation standards for residential water heaters established by the April 2010 final rule.