Department of Energy December 24, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) is announcing its Preferred Alternative for the disposition of certain quantities of surplus plutonium evaluated in the Final Surplus Plutonium Disposition Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Final SPD Supplemental EIS) (DOE/EIS-0283-S2, April 2015). Among the potential actions considered in the Final SPD Supplemental EIS, DOE/NNSA analyzed the potential environmental impacts for the disposition of 13.1 metric tons (14.4 tons) of surplus plutonium for which a disposition path is not assigned, including 7.1 metric tons (7.8 tons) of plutonium from pits that were declared excess to national defense needs and 6 metric tons (6.6 tons) of surplus non- pit plutonium. With regard to the 6 metric tons (MT) of surplus non-pit plutonium, DOE/NNSA's Preferred Alternative is to prepare this plutonium for eventual disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, New Mexico, a geologic repository for disposal of Transuranic (TRU) \1\ waste generated by atomic energy defense activities. DOE/NNSA may issue a Record of Decision (ROD), containing its decision(s) for disposition of this quantity of material, no sooner than 30 days from the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

On October 31, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to amend the test procedures for ceiling fan light kits (CFLKs). That proposed rulemaking serves as the basis for this final rule. In this final rule, DOE updates the current test procedures by replacing references to ENERGY STAR test procedures with references to DOE lamps test procedures for medium screw base lamps and to industry test procedures for pin-based fluorescent lamps. DOE is also adding test procedures to establish an efficacy-based metric for all lamps packaged with CFLKs and for CFLKs with integrated solid-state lighting circuitry. These additional test procedures also specify that DOE lamp test procedures be used to test lamps packaged with CFLKs, and where such test procedures do not exist, lamps packaged with CFLKs be tested according to current industry test procedures for those lamps. This final rule also replaces references to superseded ENERGY STAR Program requirements with tables that contain the specific performance requirements from the ENERGY STAR documents. This final rule addresses standby and off mode energy usage for CFLKs. DOE also provides updated guidance related to accent lighting in CFLKs and the applicability of the existing energy conservation standards to accent lighting. In this final rule, DOE also reinterprets the definition of a ceiling fan to include hugger fans and clarifies that ceiling fans that produce large volumes of airflow also meet the definition. DOE is also issuing a reinterpretation as it relates to compliance with the 190 W limit requirement for CFLKs with sockets other than medium screw base and pin-based for fluorescent lamps.

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 requirements and burden of the FERC-714 (Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and Planning Area Report) and FERC-730 (Report of Transmission Investment Activity) information collections.