[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 223 (Friday, November 19, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 70852-70854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29208]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 431
[Docket No. EERE-2010-BT-STD-0037]
RIN 1904-AC39
Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products: Public Meeting
and Availability of the Framework Document for Automatic Commercial
Ice-Makers
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and availability of the framework
document.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating a rulemaking
and data collection process to consider amended energy conservation
standards for automatic commercial ice-makers. DOE will hold a public
meeting to discuss and receive comments on its planned analytical
approach and issues it will address in this rulemaking proceeding. DOE
welcomes written comments and relevant data from the public on any
subject within the scope of this rulemaking. To inform interested
parties and to facilitate this process, DOE has prepared a framework
document that details the analytical approach and identifies several
issues on which DOE is particularly interested in receiving comments.
DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting on Thursday, December 16, 2010
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Washington, DC. Additionally, DOE plans to
conduct the public meeting via webinar. Registration information,
participant instructions, and information about the capabilities
available to webinar participants will be published on the following
Web site https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/782074929. Participants
are responsible for ensuring that their systems are compatible with the
webinar software.
DOE must receive requests to speak at the public meeting before 4
p.m., Thursday, December 2, 2010. DOE must receive an electronic copy
of the statement with the name and, if appropriate, the organization of
the presenter to be given at the public meeting before 4 p.m.,
Thursday, December 9, 2010. DOE will accept written comments, data, and
information regarding the framework document before and after the
public meeting, but no later than January 18, 2011. Comments submitted
after the above date may not be considered. DOE encourages all written
comments, data, and information to be submitted in electronic form.
[[Page 70853]]
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 8E-089, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0121. Please note that foreign nationals planning
to participate 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 a possible
by contacting Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 so that the
necessary procedures can be completed.
Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments electronically
by the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail to the following address: [email protected]. Include docket number EERE-2010-BT-STD-0037 and/or RIN
1904-AC39 in the subject line of the message. All comments should
clearly identify the name, address, and, if appropriate, organization
of the commenter.
Alternatively, interested parties may submit comments by the
following methods:
Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy,
Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, Framework Document for
Automatic Commercial Ice-Making Equipment, Docket No. EERE-2010-BT-STD-
0037 and/or RIN 1904-AC39, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,
DC 20585-0121. Please submit one signed paper original.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department
of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Sixth Floor, 950 L'Enfant
Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20024. Please submit one signed paper
original.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents, a
copy of the transcript of the public meeting, or comments received, go
to http://www.regulations.gov. Alternatively, interested parties may go
to the U.S. Department of Energy, Resource Room of the Building
Technologies Program, Sixth Floor, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Washington,
DC 20024, (202) 586-2945, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. Please call Ms. Brenda Edwards first
at the above telephone number for additional information regarding
visiting the Resource Room.
A copy of the framework document and a link to the docket web page
are available at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/commercial/automatic_ice_making_equipment.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles Llenza, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-2192. E-mail: [email protected].
Mr. Ari Altman, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General
Counsel, GC-71, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-
0121. Telephone: (202) 287-6307. E-mail: [email protected].
For information on how to submit or review public comments and on
how to participate in the public meeting, contact Ms. Brenda Edwards,
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, Building Technologies Program, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone (202) 586-2945. E-mail:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title III, Part C of the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), Public Law 94-163 (42 U.S.C. 6311-
6317, as codified), added by Public Law 95-619, Title IV, Sec. 441(a),
established the Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial
Equipment, a program covering certain industrial equipment, which
includes the automatic commercial ice-makers that are the focus of this
notice.\1\
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\1\ For editorial reasons, upon codification in the U.S. Code,
Part C was re-designated Part A-1.
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Section 136(d) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005),
Public Law 109-58, amended EPCA to prescribe energy conservation
standards for some automatic commercial ice-makers. (42 U.S.C.
6313(d)(1)) A summary of these standards can be found in section 1.3 of
the framework document. The EPACT 2005 amendments (42 U.S.C.
6313(d)(2)) also authorize DOE to issue standards for types of
automatic commercial ice makers that are not covered by 42 U.S.C.
6313(d)(1). In addition, not later than January 1, 2015, with respect
to the standards at 42 U.S.C. 6313(d)(1), and not later than 5 years
after the effective date of any standards issued by DOE under 42 U.S.C.
6313(d)(2), DOE is to issue a final rule to determine whether amending
the applicable standards is technologically feasible and economically
justified. (42 U.S.C. 6313(d)(3)(A)) Any final rule issued by the
Secretary establishing a new or amended standard shall provide that the
new or amended standard applies to products manufactured on or after
the date that is 3 years after the standard is published, unless the
Secretary determines by rule that 3 years is inadequate, in which case
the standard shall apply to products manufactured on or after a date no
later than 5 years after the date on which the final rule is published.
Any new or amended standard issued by the Secretary under 42 U.S.C.
6313(d) shall be set at the maximum level that is technically feasible
and economically justified. This framework document is being published
as a first step toward meeting these statutory requirements.
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (section 310 of
EISA 2007; Pub. L. 110-140) requires quantification of standby and off
mode energy consumption in energy conservation standards for consumer
products. (42 U.S.C. 6295) The section which establishes energy
conservation standards for commercial and industrial equipment, section
342, was not similarly amended to include requirements for addressing
standby and off mode equipment. Therefore, standby and off modes will
not be considered for automatic commercial ice-makers.
To initiate this rulemaking process, DOE has prepared a framework
document to explain the relevant issues, analyses, and processes it
anticipates using to determine whether to amend the standards, as well
as for the development of any amended standards. The focus of the
public meeting will be to discuss the analyses presented and issues
identified in the framework document. At the public meeting, DOE will
make presentations, invite discussion on the rulemaking process as it
applies to automatic commercial ice-making equipment, and solicit
comments, data, and information from participants and other interested
parties.
DOE is planning to conduct in-depth technical analyses in the
following areas: (1) Engineering; (2) energy-use characterization; (3)
product price; (4) life-cycle cost and payback period; (5) national
impact analysis; (6) manufacturer impact analysis; (7) utility impact
analysis; (8) employment impact analysis; (9) environmental assessment;
and (10) regulatory impact analysis. DOE will also conduct several
other analyses that support those previously listed, including the
market and technology assessment, the screening analysis (which
contributes to the engineering analysis), and the shipments analysis
(which contributes to the national impact analysis).
DOE encourages those who wish to participate in the public meeting
to obtain the framework document and to be prepared to discuss its
contents. A
[[Page 70854]]
copy of the framework document is available at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/commercial/automatic_ice_making_equipment.html.
Public meeting participants need not limit their comments to the
issues identified in the framework document. DOE is also interested in
comments on other relevant issues that participants believe would
affect energy conservation standards for this equipment, applicable
test procedures, or the preliminary determination of the scope of
coverage. DOE invites all interested parties, whether or not they
participate in the public meeting, to submit in writing by January 18,
2011, comments and information on matters addressed in the framework
document and on other matters relevant to DOE's consideration of
amended standards for automatic commercial ice-makers.
The public meeting will be conducted in an informal, facilitated,
conference style. There shall be no discussion of proprietary
information, costs or prices, market shares, or other commercial
matters regulated by U.S. antitrust laws. A court reporter will record
the proceedings of the public meeting, after which a transcript will be
available for purchase from the court reporter and placed on the DOE
Web site at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/commercial/automatic_ice_making_equipment.html.
After the public meeting and the close of the comment period on the
framework document, DOE will begin conducting the analyses as discussed
in the framework document and at the public meeting, and reviewing the
public comments.
DOE considers public participation to be a very important part of
the process for determining whether to amend energy conservation
standards, as well as for setting those amended standards. DOE actively
encourages the participation and interaction of the public during the
comment period in each stage of the rulemaking process. Beginning with
the framework document, and during each subsequent public meeting and
comment period, interactions with and among members of the public
provide a balanced discussion of the issues to assist DOE in the
standards rulemaking process. Accordingly, anyone who wishes to
participate in the public meeting, receive meeting materials, or be
added to the DOE mailing list to receive future notices and information
about this rulemaking should contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-
2945, or via e-mail at [email protected].
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 4, 2010.
Cathy Zoi,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2010-29208 Filed 11-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P