[Federal Register: April 25, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 79)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 23876-23877]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ap06-12]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
[[Page 23876]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
10 CFR Part 431
[Docket No. EE-2006-STD-0126]
RIN: 1904-AB59
Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Ice-Cream Freezers;
Self-Contained Commercial Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-
Freezers Without Doors; and Remote Condensing Commercial Refrigerators,
Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers: Public Meeting and Availability of
the Framework Document
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and availability of the Framework
Document.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE or Department) will hold an
informal public meeting to present its proposed methodologies for
conducting this rulemaking, discuss issues relevant to this rulemaking
proceeding, and initiate stakeholder interaction in this rulemaking
proceeding. The Department is also interested in information that will
assist it in establishing energy conservation standards for ice cream
freezers; self-contained commercial refrigerators, freezers, and
refrigerator-freezers without doors; and remote-condensing commercial
refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers. (These types of
equipment are referred to collectively hereafter as ``commercial
refrigeration equipment.'') The Department encourages written comments
on these subjects. This effort is the result of the directive in the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 to DOE to establish energy conservation
standards for such equipment by January 1, 2009. To inform stakeholders
and facilitate this process, DOE has prepared a Framework Document, a
draft of which is available at http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards
.
DATES: The Department will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, May 16,
2006, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT in Washington, DC. Any person
requesting to speak at the public meeting should submit a request to
speak before 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 2, 2006. The Department must receive
a signed original and an electronic copy of statements to be given at
the public meeting before 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 2, 2006. Written
comments on the Framework Document are welcome and encouraged following
the public meeting and should be submitted by Tuesday, May 30, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 1E-245, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0121. (Please note that foreign nationals
participating in the public meeting are subject to advance security
screening procedures. If a foreign national wishes to participate in
the public meeting, please inform DOE of this fact as soon as possible
by contacting Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at (202) 586-2945 so that the
necessary procedures can be completed.)
Stakeholders may submit comments, identified by docket number EE-
2006-STD-0126 and/or RIN number 1904-AB59, by any of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: commercial refrigeration. rulemaking@ee.doe.gov.
Include EE-2006-STD-0126 and/or RIN 1904-AB59 in the subject line of
the message.
Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, U.S. Department of Energy,
Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, Framework Document for
Commercial Refrigeration Equipment, EE-2006-STD-0126 and/or RIN 1904-
AB59, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121.
Telephone: (202) 586-2945. Please submit one signed paper original.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, U.S.
Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Room 1J-018, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and docket number or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this
rulemaking.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to the U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal
Building, Room 1J-018 (Resource Room of the Building Technologies
Program), 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, (202) 586-
9127, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. Please call Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at the above telephone
number for additional information regarding visiting the Resource Room.
Please note that the Department's Freedom of Information Reading Room
(formerly Room 1E-190 at the Forrestal Building) is no longer housing
rulemaking materials.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Raba, U.S. Department of Energy,
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20585-0121, (202) 586-8654. E-mail: Jim.Raba@ee.doe.gov. Francine
Pinto, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General Counsel, GC-72,
1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-
9507. E-mail: Francine.Pinto@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Part B of Title III of the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act (EPCA), 42 U.S.C. 6291 et seq., established an energy
conservation program for major household appliances. The National
Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA), 42 U.S.C. 6311 et seq., amended
EPCA to add Part C of Title III, which established an energy
conservation program for certain industrial equipment. The Energy
Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT 1992), Public Law 102-486, included
amendments to EPCA that expanded Title III to include certain
commercial equipment. The recent Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT
2005), Public Law 109-58, updated several existing standards and test
procedures, prescribed definitions, standards, and test procedures for
certain new consumer products and commercial equipment, and mandated
that the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) commence rulemakings to
develop test procedures and standards
[[Page 23877]]
for certain other new consumer products and commercial equipment.
In particular, section 136(c) of EPACT 2005 amends section 342 of
EPCA by adding new subsection 342(c)(4)(A), 42 U.S.C. 6313(c)(4)(A),
which directs the Secretary to issue by rule, no later than January 1,
2009, energy conservation standards for the following equipment
manufactured on or after January 1, 2012: ice-cream freezers; self-
contained commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers
without doors; and remote-condensing commercial refrigerators,
freezers, and refrigerator-freezers. These are the types of equipment
covered under today's notice. In addition, section 136(f) of EPACT 2005
directs the Secretary to issue test procedures and appropriate rating
temperatures for the above commercial refrigeration equipment. (42
U.S.C. 6314(a)(6)(A)-(D)) The Department intends to propose such rating
temperatures and test procedures under a separate rulemaking.
To begin this rulemaking, the Department prepared a Framework
Document to explain the issues, analyses, and process it is considering
for the development of energy conservation standards for the above
commercial refrigeration equipment. The main focus of the public
meeting will be to discuss the analyses and issues contained in various
sections of the Framework Document. For each item listed, the
Department will make a presentation with discussion to follow. In
addition, the Department will also make a brief presentation on the
rulemaking process for commercial refrigeration equipment. The
Department encourages those who wish to participate in the public
meeting to obtain the Framework Document and be prepared to discuss its
contents. A copy of the draft Framework Document is available at http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards.
However, public
meeting participants need not limit their discussion to the topics in
the Framework Document. The Department is also interested in receiving
comments concerning other relevant issues that participants believe
would affect energy conservation standards for commercial refrigeration
equipment. The Department also welcomes all interested parties, whether
or not they participate in the public meeting, to submit in writing by
Tuesday, May 30, 2006, comments and information on the matters
addressed in the Framework Document and on other matters relevant to
consideration of standards for commercial refrigeration equipment.
The public meeting will be conducted in an informal, conference
style. During the public meeting, there shall be no discussion of
proprietary information, costs or prices, market shares, or other
commercial matters regulated by the U.S. antitrust laws.
After the public meeting and the expiration of the period for
submitting written statements, the Department will begin collecting
data, conducting the analyses as discussed in the Framework Document
and reviewing the comments received.
Anyone who would like to participate in the public meeting, receive
meeting materials, or be added to the DOE mailing list to receive
future notices and information regarding commercial refrigeration
equipment, should contact Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at (202) 586-2945.
Issued in Washington, DC, on April 19, 2006.
Douglas L. Faulkner,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy.
[FR Doc. E6-6206 Filed 4-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P