Department of Energy January 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On January 15, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a final rule in the Federal Register that amended the energy conservation standards for residential boilers (81 FR 2319). Due to a drafting error, that document recited an ambiguous/erroneous date for compliance with the amended standards at one place in the final rule's preamble. However, the compliance date was correctly provided in the DATES section, as well as the regulatory text. Nevertheless, in order to prevent any confusion, this final rule corrects this error.

This notice announces the subcommittee meetings of the Deactivation and Decommissioning/Facilities Subcommittee, the Environmental Remediation Subcommittee, and the Community Engagement Subcommittee of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Paducah (known locally as the Paducah Citizens Advisory Board [Paducah CAB]). 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.

The EIA invites public comment on the proposed collection of information, EIA-882T, ``Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation, and Research'' that EIA is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (1) 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; (2) 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; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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.

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 commercial prerinse spray valves (CPSVs). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to periodically determine whether more- stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this final rule, DOE is adopting more-stringent energy conservation standards for commercial prerinse spray valves because DOE has determined that the amended energy conservation standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified.

This notice announces receipt of a request for an extension to hybrid basic model PR6180WBC of a previously granted waiver and for an interim waiver from Panasonic Appliances Refrigeration Systems Corporation of America (Case No. RF-043) with respect to the U.S. Department of Energy's electric refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer test procedures. Panasonic seeks to apply the alternative test procedure for measuring the energy usage of similar hybrid wine chiller/beverage center basic models, which DOE required in response to prior waiver requests. Because of a an error discovered in the equation used to calculate the energy usage of these products, DOE has rescinded the prior waivers and is proposing to correct this equation to ensure the accuracy of the calculations provided under the alternative test procedure. DOE solicits comments on its proposed modifications to correct the procedure contained in prior waivers issued to PAPRSA. DOE has issued an interim waiver for hybrid basic model PR6180WBC and all other PAPRSA hybrid basic models previously subject to a waiver.

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy gives notice that during December 2015, it issued orders granting authority to import and export natural gas, to import and export liquefied natural gas (LNG), denying request for rehearing, and to vacate prior authority. These orders are summarized in the attached appendix and may be found on the FE Web site at https://energy. gov/fe/ downloads/listing-doefe-authorizationsorders-issued-2015. They are also available for inspection and copying in the U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Division of Natural Gas Regulation, Office of Regulation and International Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy, Docket Room 3E-033, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9478. The Docket Room is open between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

At the direction of the President, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or Department), as the Secretariat for the Quadrennial Energy Review Task Force (QER Task Force), will convene a public meeting to introduce the topic of the second installment of the Quadrennial Energy Review, an integrated study of the U.S. electricity system from generation through end use. A mixture of panel discussions and a public comment period will frame multi-stakeholder discourse around deliberative analytical questions relating to the intersection of electricity and its role in promoting economic competitiveness, energy security, and environmental responsibility.

This notice announces a combined meeting of the Environmental Monitoring and Remediation Committee and Waste Management Committee of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Northern New Mexico (known locally as the Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board [NNMCAB]). 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.

On April 1, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to establish new definitions and a new test procedure for pumps. That proposed rulemaking serves as the basis for this final rule. This final rule establishes a new test procedure for pumps, as well as associated definitions and parameters that establish the scope of applicability of the test procedure. Specifically, the pumps test procedure adopted in this final rule incorporates by reference the test procedure from the Hydraulic Institute (HI)standard 40.6-2014, ``Methods for Rotodynamic Pump Efficiency Testing''with several clarifications and modifications, related to measuring the hydraulic power, shaft power, and electric input power of pumps, inclusive of electric motors and any continuous or non-continuous controls. The new pumps test procedure will be used to determine the constant load pump energy index (PEICL) for pumps sold without continuous or non-continuous controls and the variable load pump energy index (PEIVL) for pumps sold with continuous or non-continuous controls. The final rule incorporates certain recommendations made by the commercial and industrial pumps (CIP) Working Group, which was established under the Appliance Standards Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC), as well as comments submitted by interested parties in response to the April 2015 pumps test procedure NOPR.

Take notice that on January 11, 2016, the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) filed a report with the Commission stating it had approved a minor correction to Standard No. 1.3.22 (ii) of Version 3.0 of the NAESB Wholesale Gas Quadrant standards, which were incorporated by reference in the Commission's regulations by order issued by the Commission on October 16, 2015. Comments are invited on whether to incorporate this minor correction by reference in the Commission's regulations.