Department of Energy July 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (``EPCA''), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including evaporatively-cooled commercial package air conditioners and water- cooled commercial package air conditioners (referred to as evaporatively-cooled commercial unitary air conditioners (``ECUACs'') and water-cooled commercial unitary air conditioners (``WCUACs'') in this document). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') to periodically determine whether more stringent, amended standards would result in significant additional conservation of energy, be technologically feasible, and be economically justified. In this final determination, DOE has determined that more stringent standards for small (cooling capacity less than 135,000 Btu/h), large (cooling capacity greater than or equal to 135,000 and less than 240,000 Btu/h), and very large (cooling capacity greater than or equal to 240,000 and less than 760,000 Btu/h) ECUACs and WCUACs would not result in significant additional conservation of energy, and thus has determined that the standards for ECUACs and WCUACs do not need to be amended.

The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a proposed collection of information that DOE is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension of its Labor Relations Report collection. The collection requests information from the Department of Energy Management and Operation (M&O) and Facilities Management Contractors for contract administration, management oversight, and cost control. The information collection will assist the Department in evaluating the implementation of the contractors' work force collective bargaining agreements, and apprise the Department of significant labor-management developments at DOE contractor sites. This information is used to ensure that Department contractors maintain good labor relations and retain a workforce in accordance with the terms of their contract and in compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements as identified by contract.

The Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of a request for public comment, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on the continued collection of information entitled: Budget Justification, which DOE has developed for submission to and approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

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 currently approved information collections, FERC-917 (Electric Transmission Facilities) and FERC-918 (Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities), both under OMB Control No. 1902-0233, which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a review of the information collection requirements.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is reopening the public comment period for the request for public comments on its public stakeholder workshop on the Future of Energy Codes held June 22 and 24, 2021. DOE published notice of the workshop on June 14, 2021 and requested comments by July 8, 2021. On June 30, 2021, DOE received a request from the American Gas Association, American Public Gas Association, National Association of Home Builders, and National Propane Gas Association to extend the public comment period by 45 days. DOE is reopening the public comment period until July 31, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on its Request for Information (RFI) number DE-FOA-0002511 regarding a proposed definition for areas in which there is inadequate electric service. This is a new application requirement added to DOE's hydroelectric incentive program through the Energy Act of 2020. DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) seeks input on the proposed definition, which will apply to DOE's hydroelectric incentive program.