Department of Energy 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On December 3, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) to revise its test procedures for cooking products. As part of the December 2014 test procedure SNOPR, DOE proposed a change to the test equipment that would allow for measuring the energy efficiency of induction cooking tops. DOE also proposed methods to test non-circular electric surface units, electric surface units with flexible concentric cooking zones, full-surface induction cooking tops, and gas burners with high input rates. In this SNOPR, to address issues raised by interested parties regarding the ability of the previous cooking top proposals to adequately measure energy use during a representative average use cycle, DOE proposes to amend its test procedure for all conventional electric cooking tops to incorporate by reference the relevant selections from European standard EN 60350-2:2013 ``Household electric cooking appliances Part 2: HobsMethods for measuring performance'' (EN 60350-2:2013). DOE also revises its proposals for testing non- circular electric surface units, electric surface units with flexible concentric cooking zones, and full-surface induction cooking tops based on EN 60350-2:2013. Furthermore, DOE proposes to extend the test methods in EN 60350-2:2013 to measure the energy consumption of gas cooking tops by correlating test equipment diameter to burner input rate, including input rates that exceed 14,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/h). DOE also proposes to modify the calculations of conventional cooking top annual energy consumption and integrated annual energy consumption to account for the proposed water-heating test method. DOE proposes to incorporate by reference test structures from American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z21.1-2016 ``Household cooking gas appliances'' to standardize the installation conditions under which cooking tops are tested. DOE also proposes minor technical clarifications to the gas heating value correction and other grammatical changes to the regulatory text in appendix I that do not alter the substance of the existing test methods. With regard to conventional ovens, DOE proposes to repeal the regulatory provisions establishing the test procedure for conventional ovens under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). DOE has determined that the conventional oven test procedure may not accurately represent consumer use as it favors conventional ovens with low thermal mass and does not capture cooking performance-related benefits due to increased thermal mass of the oven cavity.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) make a determination on the impact, if any, on the lessening of competition likely to result from a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposed rule for energy conservation standards and that DOE publish the determination in the Federal Register. DOE published its final rule for energy conservation standards for dehumidifiers on June 13, 2016, and is publishing DOJ's August 5, 2015 determination on the proposed rule.

On June 8, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a final rule in the Federal Register that amended the test procedures for central air conditioners and heat pumps. This final rule corrects multiple editorial errors in that final rule.

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application, filed on March 25, 2016 (Application), by Carib Energy (USA) LLC (Carib). Carib requests long-term, multi-contract authorization to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a volume equivalent to approximately 1.3 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per year (0.0036 Bcf per day) of natural gas.\1\ Carib Energy seeks to export the LNG by use of approved IMO7/ TVAC-ASME LNG (ISO) containers transported on ocean-going carriers to any country within Central America, South America, or the Caribbean that has, or in the future develops, the capacity to import LNG delivered by ocean-going container vessels carrying ISO containers,\2\ provided that trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy with that country, and provided further that the country has not entered into a free trade agreement with the United States requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas (non-FTA countries). Carib seeks to purchase the LNG for export from any of the existing natural gas liquefaction facilities listed in Appendix D of the Application (Facilities),\3\ which are owned and operated by Pivotal LNG, Inc. (Pivotal) or by one of Pivotal's affiliates.\4\ Carib states that delivery of LNG will be taken at the Facilities, and the LNG transported within the United States over highways using approved ISO containers. Carib intends to export the LNG from the ports of Jacksonville, Florida; Port Everglades, Florida; Gulfport, Mississippi; and any port in the southeastern United States capable of accommodating LNG exports by ISO containers transported on ocean-going container vessels. Carib seeks authorization to export this LNG for a 20-year period, commencing on the earlier of the date of first export or five years from the date the requested authorization is granted. The Application was filed under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Additional details can be found in Carib's Application, posted on the DOE/FE Web site at: https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/07/f33/ CaribEnergy16_98_LNGapp.pdf.

On August 2, 2016, the Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of open meeting announcing a meeting on August 18, 2016, of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board, Paducah. This notice announces the cancellation of this meeting. The meeting is being cancelled because the board will not have a quorum due to scheduling conflicts by members. The next regular meeting will be held on September 15, 2016.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a conference call of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.

This notice announces an open meeting of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB). SEAB was reestablished pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) (the Act). This notice is provided in accordance with the Act.

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the requirements and burden \1\ of the information collections described below.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB) Chairs. 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 January 15, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a direct final rule in the Federal Register that amended the energy conservation standards for small, large, and very large air- cooled commercial package air conditioning and heating equipment and commercial warm air furnaces. This document corrects multiple editorial errors in that final rule.