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

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, EIA has submitted a request to the Office of OMB for a 3-year clearance of a new data collection surveythe EIA-63C, Densified Biomass Fuel Report.

The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a proposed collection of information 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 through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

In this supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes a number of changes to the proposed test procedure rule published on October 17, 2014. Specifically, DOE proposes to clarify that a ceiling fan is not subject to the test procedure if the plane of rotation of the ceiling fan's blades cannot be within 45 degrees of horizontal, rather than exempt air circulators (or air-circulating fan heads) from the test procedure. DOE also proposes to test high-volume small-diameter ceiling fans according to test procedures based on the current DOE test procedure for ceiling fans, rather than the Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc. (AMCA) 230 test procedure. All ceiling fans larger than seven feet in diameter would still be tested according to a test procedure based on the AMCA 230 test procedure, but all ceiling fans less than seven feet in diameter would be tested according to test procedures based on the current DOE test procedure. DOE also proposes that the test require mounting all ceiling fans with blade spans less than or equal to seven feet to the real ceiling, rather than a false ceiling, during testing. The proposed test method would also increase the number of speeds at which ceiling fans with blade spans greater than seven feet are tested, and clarify the weighting associated with each tested speed in the energy efficiency metric and update the test room dimensions for ceiling fans with blade spans greater than seven feet. Finally, DOE proposes to clarify the effective date corresponding to the NOPR proposal to reinterpret the statutory definition of a ceiling fan to include hugger ceiling fans.

On March 11, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) that proposes to revise its test procedure for residential furnaces and boilers established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (80 FR 12876). DOE published this NOPR so stakeholders can review and provide input on these proposed revisions. The comment period for the NOPR pertaining to the subject residential furnaces and boilers test procedure was scheduled to end May 26, 2015. After receiving a request for additional time to comment, DOE has decided to reopen the comment period for the NOPR pertaining to the test procedure for residential furnaces and boilers until July 10, 2015.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Idaho National Laboratory. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

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.