2016-04829. Energy Conservation Program: Certification and Enforcement-Import Data Collection; Notice of Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY:

Office of the General Counsel, Department of Energy.

ACTION:

Notice of reopening of comment period.

SUMMARY:

On December 29, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register proposing that a person importing into the United States any covered product or equipment subject to an applicable energy conservation standard provide, prior to importation, a certification of admissibility to the DOE. The comment period ended February 12, 2016. On February 17, 2016, after receiving several requests for additional time to prepare and submit comments, DOE reopened the comment period until February 29, 2016. At a public meeting held on February 19, 2016, DOE again received requests for additional time to prepare and submit comments. DOE is reopening the period for submitting comments until March 14, 2016.

DATES:

The DOE is reopening the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking published on December 29, 2015 (80 FR 81199) and extended on February 29, 2016 (81 FR 8022). We will accept comments, data, and information in response to the NOPR received no later than March 14, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

See the section “Public Participation” for details on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Ashley Armstrong, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Program, EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]; or Mr. Steven Goering, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, Forrestal Building, GC-32, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On December 29, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register proposing that a person importing into the United States any covered product or equipment subject to an applicable energy conservation standard provide, prior to importation, a certification of admissibility to the DOE. (80 FR 81199) The comment period ended February 12, 2016. On February 17, 2016, after receiving several requests for additional time to prepare and submit comments, DOE reopened the comment period until February 29, 2016 (81 FR 8022). At a public meeting held on February 19, 2016, DOE again received requests for additional time to prepare and submit comments. DOE is reopening the period for submitting comments.

DOE will accept comments, data, and information in response to the NOPR received no later than March 14, 2016. DOE will consider any comments in response to the NOPR received by midnight of March 14, 2016, and deems any comments received by that time to be timely submitted.

Public Participation

Any comments submitted must identify the NOPR for Import Data Collection, and provide docket number EERE-2015-BT-CE-0019 and/or regulatory information number (RIN) number 1990-AA44. Comments may be submitted using any of the following methods:

1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

2. Email: [e-mail]. Include the docket number and/or RIN in the subject line of the message.

3. Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. If possible, please submit all items on a CD. It is not necessary to include printed copies.

4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 950 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: [phone]. If possible, please submit all items on a CD. It is not necessary to include printed copies.

Docket: The docket, which includes Federal Register notices, public meeting attendee lists and transcripts, comments, and other supporting documents/materials, is available for review at regulations.gov. All documents in the docket are listed in the regulations.gov index. However, some documents listed in the index, such as those containing information that is exempt from public disclosure, may not be publicly available.

A link to the docket Web page can be found at: http://www.regulations.gov/​#!docketDetail;​D=​EERE-2015-BT-CE-0019. This Web page will contain a link to the docket for this notice on the regulations.gov site. The regulations.gov Web page will contain simple instructions on how to access all documents, including public comments, in the docket.

For further information on how to submit a comment, review other public comments and the docket, or to request a public meeting, contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at [phone] or by email: [e-mail].

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 26, 2016.

Kathleen B. Hogan,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.