Department of Energy 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notification announces receipt of and publishes a petition for waiver and interim waiver from RefPlus, Inc. (``RefPlus''), which seeks a waiver for specified carbon dioxide (``CO2'') direct expansion unit cooler basic models from the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') test procedure used for determining the efficiency of walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer refrigeration systems. DOE also gives notification of an Interim Waiver Order that requires RefPlus to test and rate the specified CO2 direct expansion unit cooler basic models in accordance with the alternate test procedure set forth in the Interim Waiver Order. DOE solicits comments, data, and information concerning RefPlus's petition and its suggested alternate test procedure so as to inform DOE's final decision on RefPlus's waiver request.

The U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') is undertaking an early assessment review for amended energy conservation standards for commercial and industrial pumps (``pumps'') to determine whether to amend applicable energy conservation standards for this equipment. Specifically, through this request for information (``RFI''), DOE seeks data and information to evaluate whether amended energy conservation standards would result in a significant savings of energy; be technologically feasible; and be economically justified. 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 information concerning this early assessment review.

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 a renewal of currently approved information collection, FERC 725G (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System: PRC Reliability Standards), which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.

The Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) will host a public meeting to discuss the impacts petrochemical manufacturing, pipelines, and supporting infrastructure have on environmental and health conditions in local communities and on global greenhouse gas emission targets.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission addresses requests for rehearing and clarification of Order No. 871-B.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations, and following consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat, General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee has been renewed for a two-year period. The Committee will provide advice to the Office of Science, on long-range plans, priorities, and strategies for advancing plasma science, fusion science and fusion technologythe knowledge base needed for an economically and environmentally attractive fusion energy source. Additionally, the renewal of the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee has been determined to be essential to the conduct of the Department of Energy business and to be in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed upon the Department of Energy, by law and agreement. The Committee will operate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, adhering to the rules and regulations in implementation of that Act.

In this final rule, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is amending its regulations governing the filing requirements for qualifying conduits and certain major hydroelectric power projects. Specifically, the Commission is removing the requirement that a notice of intent to construct a qualifying conduit include a profile drawing showing the source of the hydroelectric potential in instances where a dam would be constructed in association with the facility and extending the licensing requirements that currently apply to major projects up to 5 megawatts (MW) to major projects 10 MW or less, consistent with the amended definition of a small hydroelectric power project in the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013.

On November 14, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') published a notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') for the test procedure for microwave ovens. Following receipt of comments, DOE is publishing this supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (``SNOPR'') for the limited purpose of clarifying the current procedure for testing a microwave oven that has a connected (i.e., network) function, which is generally to disable the connected function when measuring standby mode power consumption. Further, DOE proposes to explicitly specify in its test procedure that standby power be measured with the connected function enabled if the means for disabling the network function are not provided in the manufacturer's user manual. DOE is seeking comment from interested parties on the proposal.