Department of Energy December 21, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) has determined that it will implement the proposed action, or Project, as described in the Reauthorization of Maintenance and Vegetation Management on Western Area Power Administration Transmission Lines on Forest Service Lands, Colorado, Nebraska, and Utah final environmental impact statement (Final EIS) (DOE/EIS-0442). The proposed action includes changing WAPA's vegetation management and facility maintenance practices in some rights-of-way (ROWs) along approximately 273 miles of electrical transmission lines on National Forest System (NFS) lands in Colorado, Nebraska, and Utah. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) was a joint lead agency on the EIS and proposes to authorize the changes through new Special Use Permits (SUPs) and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Plans. This Record of Decision (ROD) was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for implementing NEPA, and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) NEPA regulations.

The U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') is initiating an early assessment review to determine whether any new or amended standards would satisfy the relevant requirements of EPCA for a new or amended energy conservation standard for Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners (``PTACs'') and Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps (``PTHPs). Specifically, through this request for information (``RFI''), DOE seeks data and information that could enable the agency to determine whether DOE should propose a ``no new standard'' determination because a more stringent standard: Would not result in a significant savings of energy; is not technologically feasible; is not economically justified; or any combination of foregoing. DOE welcomes written comments from the public on any subject within the scope of this document (including those topics not specifically raised in this RFI), as well as the submission of data and other relevant concerning this early assessment review.