Department of Energy 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces a meeting to obtain individual public input on new ideas developed collaboratively by the Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) aimed at improving coordination of FERC and USACE regulatory processes regarding non-federal development of hydropower at USACE non-powered dams. DOE estimates that there is a potential for 12 gigawatts of new hydropower capacity in the U.S. by adding power at non-powered dams.\1\ Adding power at USACE non-powered dams requires federal authorizations, potentially including authorizations via: The FERC licensing process \2\, the USACE 408 process \3\, and the USACE regulatory 404 process \4\ (impacts to waters of the U.S. pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act). All three of these processes require project proposal identification, information gathering, and environmental and engineering analyses to support licensing, permitting, or agency decisions.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of the Plains & Eastern Clean Line Transmission Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0486; Final EIS), prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This Final EIS considered public comments on the Draft EIS, which was issued in December 2014, reports on the status of consultations under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and identifies DOE's preferred alternative. DOE has not made a decision whether to participate in the proposed Plains & Eastern Clean Line Transmission Project.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) for the commercial prerinse spray valve (CPSV) energy conservation standards rulemaking on July 9, 2015. 80 FR 39486. In response to comments on the NOPR, DOE has revised its analyses. This NODA announces the availability of those updated analyses and results, and give interested parties an opportunity to comment and submit additional data to support DOE's CPSV rulemaking. At this time, DOE is not proposing any energy conservation standard for commercial prerinse spray valves. The NODA analysis is publically available at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx?ruleid=100.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is amending the worker safety and health program rule to clarify references in the regulation to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's permissible exposure limit for beryllium and updating references to organizations and documents. The regulatory amendments do not alter substantive rights or obligations under current law.

EDF Trading North America, LLC (Applicant) has applied to renew its authority to transmit electric energy from the United States to Mexico pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to revise its test procedures for central air conditioners and heat pumps established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. DOE proposed amendments to the test procedure in a June 2010 notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), an April 2011 supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR), and an October 2011 SNOPR. DOE provided additional time for stakeholder comment in a December 2011 extension of the comment period for the October 2011 SNOPR. DOE received further public comment for revising the test procedure in a November 2014 Request for Information for energy conservation standards for central air conditioners and heat pumps. DOE proposes in this SNOPR: A new basic model definition as it pertains to central air conditioners and heat pumps and revised rating requirements; revised alternative efficiency determination methods; termination of active waivers and interim waivers; revised procedures to determine off mode power consumption; changes to the test procedure that would improve test repeatability and reduce test burden; clarifications to ambiguous sections of the test procedure intended also to improve test repeatability; inclusion of, amendments to, and withdrawals of test procedure revisions proposed in published test procedure notices in the rulemaking effort leading to this supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking; and changes to the test procedure that would improve field representativeness. Some of these proposals also include incorporation by reference of updated industry standards. DOE welcomes comments from the public on any subject within the scope of this test procedure rulemaking.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is publishing this final rule to implement provisions in the Energy Conservation and Production Act (ECPA) that require DOE to update the baseline Federal energy efficiency performance standards for the construction of new Federal commercial and multi-family high-rise residential buildings. This rule updates the baseline Federal commercial standard to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1-2013.