Department of Energy March 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notification announces receipt of and publishes a petition for waiver and interim waiver from Alliance Laundry Systems (``Alliance''), which seeks a waiver for a specified residential clothes washer basic models from the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') test procedure used for determining the efficiency of clothes washers. DOE also gives notification of an Interim Waiver Order that requires Alliance to test and rate the specified residential clothes washer basic models in accordance with the alternate test procedure set forth in the Interim Waiver Order. DOE solicits comments, data, and information concerning Alliance's petition and its suggested alternate test procedure to inform DOE's final decision on Alliance's waiver request.

On January 19, 2023, the Office of Sustainability and Asset Management, Department of Energy, published a request for comments in the Federal Register 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 Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (EPCA), prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including small, large, and very large commercial package air conditioning and heating equipment, of which variable refrigerant flow (VRF) multi-split air conditioners and VRF multi-split system heat pumps (collectively referred to as ``VRF multi-split systems'') are a category. EPCA requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) to consider the need for amended standards each time American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1 is amended with respect to the standard levels or design requirements applicable to that equipment, or periodically under a six- year-lookback review provision. In this final rule, DOE is adopting amended energy conservation standards for VRF multi-split systems that rely on a new cooling efficiency metric and are equivalent to those levels specified in ASHRAE Standard 90.1. DOE has determined that it lacks the clear and convincing evidence required by the statute to adopt standards more stringent than the levels specified in the industry standard.

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-725B(5), (Mandatory Reliability Standards, Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP-003-9)Temporary Placeholder for FERC-725B that is pending approval at OMB.

The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) (formerly the Office of Fossil Energy) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of a request (Request), filed by Pieridae Energy (USA) Ltd. (Pieridae USA) on February 2, 2023, and supplemented on February 3, 2023. Pieridae USA requests an amendment to its existing authorization to export U.S.-sourced natural gas by pipeline to Canada and to re-export such natural gas as liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free trade agreement countries set forth in DOE/FE Order No. 3768specifically, an extension to commence its commercial export operations. Pieridae USA filed its request under the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Protests, motions to intervene, notices of intervention, and written comments are invited.

The U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') is initiating an effort to determine whether to amend the current energy conservation standards for fluorescent lamp ballasts (``FLB''). Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, DOE must review these standards no later than three years after making a determination that standards for the product do not need to be amended and publish either a notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') to propose new standards for FLB or a notification of determination that the existing standards do not need to be amended. DOE is soliciting the public for information to help determine whether the current standards require amending under the applicable statutory criteria. DOE welcomes written comments from the public on any subject within the scope of this document, including topics not specifically raised.

The Office of Science in the Department of Energy (DOE) invites interested parties to provide input on potential technological approaches to meet the needs of the Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program for a Fusion Prototypic Neutron Source (FPNS) and on potential ways to accelerate the construction and delivery of such a facility, including partnerships with the private sector.

The formula rate for the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) Management Center's (MC) Olmsted Powerplant Replacement Project (Olmsted Project) has been confirmed, approved, and placed into effect on an interim basis (Provisional Formula Rate). The new formula rate, under Rate Schedule Olmsted F-2, replaces the existing formula rate for this service, under Rate Schedule Olmsted F-1, which expires on May 6, 2023. A change was made to the definition of Formula Rate in the Rate Schedule F-2 to reflect that the Annual Revenue Requirement is multiplied by the Customer's allocation percentage. The new formula rate under Rate Schedule Olmsted F-2 is effective May 1, 2023, through April 30, 2028.

This notice announces an open virtual meeting of the Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee (BERAC). The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.