Department of Energy 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (``EPCA''), 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'' or ``the Department'') to periodically determine whether more-stringent, amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in significant energy savings. In this notification of proposed determination (``NOPD''), DOE has initially determined that amended energy conservation standards for commercial prerinse spray valves are not needed. DOE requests comment on this proposed determination and the associated analyses and results.

This notice announces an online virtual meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Hanford. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that public notice of this online virtual meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

This notice announces an in-person/virtual hybrid meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Paducah. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that public notice of this online virtual meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

On July 26, 2021, the Department of Energy (the ``Department'' or ``DOE'') published in the Federal Register a notice of inquiry (``NOI'') and request for comment from the public concerning the need for continuation or modification of the provisions of the Price- Anderson Act (``PAA'') as administered by DOE. The PAA establishes a system of financial protection that encourages the safe and secure operation of nuclear power and other nuclear activities and assures equitable compensation of victims in the event of a nuclear incident. Comments from the public will assist the Department in the preparation of its report on the PAA to be submitted to Congress, as required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA), as amended. The NOI provided an August 25, 2021, deadline for comments. This notice announces a 60-day extension of the comment period to October 25, 2021.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including microwave ovens. EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') to periodically determine whether more-stringent, amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in significant energy savings. In this notification of proposed determination (``NOPD''), DOE has initially determined that energy conservation standards for microwave ovens do not need to be amended and requests comment on this proposed determination and the associated analyses and results.

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-725G1 (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System: Reliability Standard PRC-004-6) and FERC- 725G4 (Mandatory Reliability Standards: Reliability Standard PRC-010-2 (Undervoltage Load Shedding)).

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 collection, FERC-725A (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System). This notice includes the burden totals for proposed Reliability Standard FAC-008-5, which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.

On October 30, 2020 and December 16, 2020, the Department of Energy (``DOE'') published two final rules that established product classes for residential dishwashers with a cycle time for the normal cycle of 60 minutes or less, top-loading residential clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers with a cycle time of less than 30 minutes, and front-loading residential clothes washers with a cycle time of less than 45 minutes (``short-cycle product classes''). The rules resulted in amended energy conservation standards for these short cycle product classes, without determining whether the relevant statutory criteria for amending standards were met. Thus, DOE proposes to revoke the two earlier rules that improperly promulgated standards and reinstate the prior product classes and applicable standards for these covered products. DOE requests written comment on its proposal and announces a public meeting to receive comment on this notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'').