Department of Energy September 24, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces an open meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collection, FERC-920 (Electric Quarterly Report (EQR)), which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a review of the information collection requirements.

On January 15, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) published in the Federal Register a final interpretive rule determining that, in the context of residential furnaces, commercial water heaters, and similarly-situated products or equipment, use of non-condensing technology (and associated venting) constitutes a performance-related ``feature'' under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (EPCA), that cannot be eliminated through the adoption of an energy conservation standard. On August 27, 2021, DOE published in the Federal Register a notification of proposed interpretive rule (NOPIR) that proposes to return to its previous and long-standing interpretation, under which the technology used to supply heated air or hot water is not a performance related ``feature'' that provides a distinct consumer utility under EPCA. The NOPIR provided an opportunity for submission of written comments, data, and information to the DOE no later than September 27, 2021. Prior to the end of that comment period, several stakeholders submitted a joint request seeking additional time to consider the issues raised in the NOPIR. In light of this request, DOE is extending the comment period on the subject NOPIR for an additional 15 days.

The Department of Energy has submitted an information collection package to the OMB for extension under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The package requests a three-year extension of its ``Annual Alternative Fuel Vehicle Acquisition Report for State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleets,'' OMB Control Number 1910-5101. This information collection package covers information necessary to ensure the compliance of regulated fleets with the alternative fueled vehicle acquisition requirements of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, as amended, (EPAct).