[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 65 (Monday, April 6, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16707-16708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8952]
[[Page 16707]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket Number EE-TP-98-101]
Workshop Regarding Test Procedures, Labeling, Standards
Compliance, and Related Matters for Commercial Water Heaters, Boilers,
Furnaces, Air Conditioners, and Heat Pumps
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of public workshop.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) will hold an informal public
workshop to discuss issues and gather information related to DOE's
development of proposed rules for energy efficiency test procedures,
labeling, and standards compliance as they relate to commercial water
heaters, boilers, furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps. All
persons are hereby given notice of the opportunity to attend and
participate in this public workshop and to submit written comments.
DATES: The public workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 14, 1998,
from 9 a.m. until 4:45 p.m., and on Wednesday, April 15, 1998, from 9
a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the U.S. Department of Energy,
Forrestal Building, Room 1E-245, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW,
Washington, DC 20585.
Written comments are welcome, especially following the workshop.
Please submit 10 copies (no faxes) and a computer diskette (WordPerfect
6.1) to: Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, ``Energy Conservation Program
for Commercial Products: Water Heaters, Boilers, Furnaces, Air
Conditioners, and Heat Pumps, Docket No. EE-TP-98-101,'' EE-43, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202)
586-2945; Telefax: (202) 586-4617.
Copies of the transcript of the public workshop, public comments
received, and this notice may be read (or copied) at the Freedom of
Information Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal
Building, Room 1E-190, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC
20585, (202) 586-3142, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cyrus Nasseri, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, EE-43, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-9138, e-
mail: cyrus.nasseri@ee.doe.gov; or Edward Levy, Esq., U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of General Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507, e-mail:
edward.levy@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy is drafting a
proposed rule to implement the Energy Policy and Conservation Act
(EPCA) provisions for energy efficiency test procedures, labeling, and
standards compliance concerning commercial water heaters, boilers,
furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps. 42 U.S.C. 6314-6316. While
EPCA calls for adoption of test procedures referenced in the American
Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
(ASHRAE), Standard 90.1, several issues have been raised concerning how
the Standard should be interpreted. The purpose of the public workshop
is to discuss the following issues for developing the notice of
proposed rulemaking:
a. Clarification of coverage and category definitions in reference
standards for commercial water heaters;
b. Determination of procedures for measuring insulation value and
heat loss in unfired commercial hot water storage tanks;
c. Definition of ``packaged'' boiler for purposes of the proposed
rulemaking;
d. Treatment of ``jacket losses'' in combustion and thermal
efficiency calculations;
e. Uniformity of test conditions, procedures, and setup
requirements across different types of commercial boilers and furnaces;
f. Appropriate treatment of commercial boilers and furnaces with
unusual features for specialized applications;
g. Correct external static pressure test conditions for commercial
air conditioners and heat pumps in light of typical outlet duct
pressures observed in buildings;
h. Determination of cost-effective and reliable statistical
sampling regimes for standard certification and enforcement;
i. Identification of practical certification and enforcement
testing regimes for products with low production volumes;
j. Determination of the information that should be displayed on
certification labels; and
k. Effective schemes for labeling mixed component systems.
The Department is preparing a paper entitled, ``Issues Paper for
the Commercial Water Heaters, Boilers, Furnaces, Air Conditioners, and
Heat Pumps Workshop on April 14 and 15, 1998,'' that explains and
discusses these issues in greater detail. Copies will be available on
request. For many of the issues, the paper sets forth alternative
approaches that the Department is considering to include in the Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking.
The Department is particularly interested in receiving at the
workshop comments and views of interested parties concerning: (1) The
above-listed issues; (2) alternative approaches the Department is
considering for addressing these issues; (3) information that the
National Institute of Standards and Technology should take into account
in interpreting ASHRAE Standard 90.1 test procedures for commercial
water heaters, boilers, furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps for
DOE's consideration; and (4) any viable alternatives that may have been
overlooked in the preparation of the issue paper. The Department
encourages those who wish to participate in the workshop to obtain the
issue paper and to make presentations that address its contents.
Workshop participants need not limit their statements to those topics,
however. The Department is interested in receiving views concerning
other issues that participants believe would affect the content of test
procedures, labeling, and standards compliance for commercial water
heaters, boilers, furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps.
The meeting will be conducted in an informal, conference style. A
court reporter will be present to record the minutes of the meeting.
There shall be no discussion of proprietary information, costs or
prices, market shares, or other commercial matters regulated under
antitrust law. After the meeting and period for written comments, the
Department will consider the views presented in formulating a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking regarding energy efficiency test procedures,
labeling, and standards compliance as they relate to commercial water
heaters, boilers, furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps.
If you would like to participate in the workshop, to receive
workshop materials, or to be added to the DOE mailing list to receive
future notices and information regarding commercial water heaters,
boilers, furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps, please contact Ms.
Brenda Edwards-Jones, (202)586-2945.
[[Page 16708]]
Issued in Washington, DC, on April 1, 1998.
Dan W. Reicher,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 98-8952 Filed 4-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
