AGENCY:

Department of Energy.

ACTION:

Semi-annual regulatory agenda.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared and is making available its portion of the semi-annual Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Agenda) pursuant to Executive Order 12866, “Regulatory Planning and Review,” and the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Contributions from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), a significant regulatory office within the Department, include 49 test procedure and 61 energy conservation standard rulemakings at various stages of completion, i.e., pre-rule, proposed rule, final rule, long term actions, and completed actions stages. EERE has completed nine actions, which include seven energy conservation standard rulemakings. EERE is also pursuing 40 proposed rulemakings (17 test procedure and 12 energy conservation standard rulemakings), and is in the process of finalizing 14 rulemakings (8 test procedure and 2 energy conservation standards). DOE's agenda submission also lists contributions from other DOE offices that included 2 completed actions, 10 rulemaking proposals, and 5 rules in the final stages of the rulemaking process.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Agenda is a government-wide compilation of upcoming and ongoing regulatory activity, including a brief description of each rulemaking and a timetable for action. The Agenda also includes a list of regulatory actions completed since publication of the last Agenda. The Department of Energy's portion of the Agenda includes regulatory actions called for by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, as amended, and programmatic needs of DOE offices.

The internet is the basic means for disseminating the Agenda and providing users the ability to obtain information from the Agenda database. DOE's Spring 2020 Agenda can be accessed online by going to www.reginfo.gov.

DOE's regulatory flexibility agenda is made up of rulemakings setting energy efficiency standards and requirements applicable to DOE sites.

Signing Authority

This document of the Department of Energy was signed on July 10, 2020, by William S. Cooper, General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document with the original signature and date is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the Federal Register.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE)

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE)

Proposed Rule Stage

75. Energy Conservation Standards for General Service Lamps

E.O. 13771 Designation: Deregulatory.

Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6295(i)(6)(A)

Abstract: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will issue a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that includes a proposed determination with respect to whether to amend or adopt standards for general service light-emitting diode (LED) lamps and that may include a proposed determination with respect to whether to amend or adopt standards for compact fluorescent lamps.

Timetable:

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.

Agency Contact: Lucy deButts, Buildings Technologies Office, EE-5B, Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, Phone: 202 287-1604, Email: lucy.debutts@ee.doe.gov.

RIN: 1904-AD09

76. Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Conventional Cooking Products

E.O. 13771 Designation: Regulatory.

Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(1); 42 U.S.C. 6292 (a)(10); 42 U.S.C. 6295(h)

Abstract: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended by Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), requires the Secretary to determine whether updating the statutory energy conservation standards for residential conventional cooking products would yield a significant savings in energy use and is technologically feasible and economically justified. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is reviewing the current standards to make such determination.

Timetable:

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.

Agency Contact: Stephanie Johnson, General Engineer, Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Building Technologies Office, EE5B, Washington, DC 20002, Phone: 202 287-1943, Email: stephanie.johnson@ee.doe.gov.

RIN: 1904-AD15

77. Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Non-Weatherized Gas Furnaces and Mobile Home Gas Furnaces

E.O. 13771 Designation: Regulatory.

Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6295(f)(4)(C); 42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(1); 42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(3)

Abstract: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, (EPCA) prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including residential furnaces. EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more stringent amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified and would save a significant amount of energy. DOE is considering amendments to its energy conservation standards for residential non-weatherized gas furnaces and mobile home gas furnaces in partial fulfillment of a court-ordered remand of DOE's 2011 rulemaking for these products.

Timetable:

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.

Agency Contact: John Cymbalsky, Building Technologies Office, EE-5B, Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, Phone: 202 287-1692, Email: john.cymbalsky@ee.doe.gov.

RIN: 1904-AD20

78. Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Water Heating Equipment

E.O. 13771 Designation: Regulatory.

Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(C)(i) and (vi)

Abstract: Once completed, this rulemaking will fulfill the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) statutory obligation under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, (EPCA) to either propose amended energy conservation standards for commercial water heaters and hot water supply boilers, or determine that the existing standards do not need to be amended. (Unfired hot water storage tanks and commercial heat pump water heaters are being considered in a separate rulemaking.) DOE must determine whether national standards more stringent than those that are currently in place would result in a significant additional amount of energy savings and whether such amended national standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified.

Timetable:

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.

Agency Contact: Catherine Rivest, General Engineer, Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Building Technologies Office, EE-5B, Washington, DC 20585, Phone: 202 586-7335, Email: catherine.rivest@ee.doe.gov.

RIN: 1904-AD34

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE)

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE)

Completed Actions

79. Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Packaged Boilers

E.O. 13771 Designation: Other.

Legal Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(C); 42 U.S.C. 6311(11)(B)

Abstract: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended by the American Energy Manufacturing Technical Corrections Act (AEMTCA), requires the Secretary to determine whether updating the statutory energy conservation standards for commercial packaged boilers is technically feasible and economically justified and would save a significant amount of energy. If justified, the Secretary will issue amended energy conservation standards for such equipment. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) last updated the standards for commercial packaged boilers on July 22, 2009. DOE published a NOPR pursuant to the 6-year-look-back requirement on March 26, 2016. The Department's final rule adopted more-stringent energy conservation standards for certain commercial packaged boilers.

Completed:

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.

Agency Contact: Catherine Rivest, Phone: 202 586-7335, Email:catherine.rivest@ee.doe.gov.

RIN: 1904-AD01