10 CFR Part 431 - ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, requires the Department of Energy (DOE), among other things, to prescribe performance-based energy conservation standards for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers. On June 3, 2014, DOE complied with this requirement. Recent litigation regarding these standards resulted in a settlement agreement between DOE and the other parties to that litigation. Consistent with the parties' settlement agreement, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit subsequently vacated six specific standards set forth in the June 2014 rule. DOE is amending the CFR to reflect the court's order vacating the six standards found in DOE's regulations pertaining to certain refrigeration systems used in walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer applications.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including single package vertical air conditioner (SPVAC) and single package vertical heat pump (SPVHP) equipment (collectively referred to as single package vertical units or SPVUs). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more-stringent standards for SPVACs and SPVHPs would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this final rule, DOE is adopting standards equivalent to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Standard 90.1-2013 levels for four SPVU equipment classes, and adopting amended energy conservation standards for two other equipment classes of single package vertical units more stringent than the SPVU standards in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013. DOE has determined that the amended energy conservation standards for this equipment are technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in the significant conservation of energy.

On July 21, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy published a final rule amending energy conservation standards for packaged terminal air conditioners and packaged terminal heat pumps. 80 FR 43162. This correction addresses a table labeling error in that final rule.

On August 11, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to amend the test procedure for refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machines (beverage vending machines or BVMs). That proposed rulemaking serves as the basis for the final rule. In this final rule, DOE is reorganizing its test procedure for beverage vending machines into an Appendix A, which will be mandatory for equipment testing beginning 180 days after the final rule is published in the Federal Register, and an Appendix B, which will be mandatory for equipment testing to demonstrate compliance with any amended energy conservation standards arising out of DOE's ongoing BVM energy conservation standards rulemaking. Specifically, Appendix A includes amendments that update the referenced test method to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 32.1-2010, eliminate the requirement to test at the 90 °F ambient test condition, establish a provision for testing at the lowest application product temperature, and adopt several amendments and clarifications to the DOE test procedure to improve the repeatability and remove ambiguity from the current BVM test procedure, as established by DOE in the 2006 BVM test procedure final rule. Appendix B contains all the amendments included in Appendix A and, in addition, incorporates provisions to account for the impact of low power modes on measured daily energy consumption (DEC). Finally, DOE is adopting in this final rule several clarifications regarding the certification and reporting requirements for beverage vending machines.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) and packaged terminal heat pump (PTHP) equipment. EPCA requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more-stringent standards for PTACs and PTHPs would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this final rule, DOE is adopting amended energy conservation standards for PTACs equivalent to the PTAC standards in American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Standard 90.1-2013. DOE is not amending the current energy conservation standards for PTHPs, which are already equivalent to the PTHP standards in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013. DOE has determined that adoption of PTAC and PTHP standards more stringent than ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013 is not economically justified.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is amending its energy conservation standards for small three-phase commercial air-cooled air conditioners (single package only) and heat pumps (single package and split system) less than 65,000 Btu/h; water-source heat pumps; and commercial oil-fired storage water heaters. Pursuant to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, DOE must assess whether the uniform national standards for these covered equipment need to be updated each time the corresponding industry standard—the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Standard 90.1 (ASHRAE Standard 90.1)—is amended, which most recently occurred on October 9, 2013. Under EPCA, DOE may only adopt more stringent standards if there is clear and convincing evidence showing that more stringent amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant additional amount of energy. The levels DOE is adopting are the same as the efficiency levels specified in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013. DOE has determined that the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 efficiency levels for the equipment types listed above are more stringent than existing Federal energy conservation standards and will result in economic and energy savings compared existing energy conservation standards. Furthermore, DOE has concluded that clear and convincing evidence does not exist that would justify more-stringent standard levels than the efficiency levels in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 for any of the equipment classes. DOE has also determined that the standards for small three-phase commercial air-cooled air conditioners (split system) do not need to be amended. DOE is also updating the current Federal test procedure for commercial warm-air furnaces to incorporate by reference the most current version of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z21.47, Gas-fired central furnaces, specified in ASHRAE Standard 90.1, and the most current version of ASHRAE 103, Method of Testing for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency of Residential Central Furnaces and Boilers.

On March 13, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to amend the test procedures for packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs) and packaged terminal heat pumps (PTHPs). That NOPR serves as the basis for this final rule regarding the test method for PTACs and PTHPs. The amendments adopted here do not affect measured energy use. These changes incorporate by reference certain sections of the latest versions of industry test procedures AHRI Standard 310/380-2014, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 16-1983 (RA 2014), ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009, and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 58-1986 (RA 2014), and specify additional testing provisions that must be followed including an optional break-in period, require that cooling capacity tests be conducted using electricity measuring instruments accurate to +/− 0.5% of reading, explicitly require that wall sleeves be sealed, allow for the pre-filling of the condensate drain pan, and require testing with 14-inch deep wall sleeves and the filter option most representative of a typical installation.

On June 3, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a final rule adopting conservation standards for some classes of walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer components. The final rule was published with typographical errors to some of the reported values. DOE is providing corrections to address these errors. Neither the errors nor the corrections in this document affect the substance of the rulemaking or any of the conclusions reached in support of the final rule.

On May 16, 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a final rule in the Federal Register that amended the energy conservation standards and test procedures for certain commercial heating, air-conditioning, and water-heating equipment. Due to a drafting error, there was a typographical error ( i.e., an incorrect symbol) for one equipment class of computer room air conditioners in a table to the applicable test procedure provision. This final rule rectifies this error.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) make a determination on the impact, if any, on the lessening of competition likely to result from a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposed rule for energy conservation standards and that DOE publish the determination in the Federal Register . DOE published its final rule for energy conservation standards for walk-in coolers and freezers on June 3, 2014, and is today publishing DOJ's determination on such proposed rule.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including automatic commercial icemakers (ACIM). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more-stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this final rule, DOE is adopting more-stringent energy conservation standards for some classes of automatic commercial ice makers as well as establishing energy conservation standards for other classes of automatic commercial ice makers. It has determined that the amended energy conservation standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is withdrawing and republishing the Notice of Data Availability (NODA) published in the Federal Register on November 12, 2015 (80 FR 69888) due to errors in that published document. DOE is republishing this document in its entirety. DOE published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) for the commercial prerinse spray valve (CPSV) energy conservation standards rulemaking on July 9, 2015. In response to comments on the NOPR, DOE has revised its analyses. This NODA announces the availability of those updated analyses and results, and gives interested parties an opportunity to comment on these analyses and submit additional data. The NODA analysis is publicly available on the DOE Web site.

On August 19, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) in the Federal Register regarding energy conservation standards for refrigerated beverage vending machines (BVM ECS NOPR). DOE also held a public meeting on September 29, 2015. The comment period was scheduled to end October 19, 2015. After receiving a request for additional time to prepare and submit comments, DOE has decided to reopen the comment period for submitting comments regarding the BVM ECS NOPR. The comment period is reopened through November 23, 2015.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including single package vertical air conditioner (SPVAC) and single package vertical heat pump (SPVHP) equipment (collectively referred to as single package vertical units or SPVUs). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more-stringent standards for SPVACs and SPVHPs would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this final rule, DOE is adopting standards equivalent to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Standard 90.1-2013 levels for four SPVU equipment classes, and adopting amended energy conservation standards for two other equipment classes of single package vertical units more stringent than the SPVU standards in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013. DOE has determined that the amended energy conservation standards for this equipment are technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in the significant conservation of energy.

On July 21, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy published a final rule amending energy conservation standards for packaged terminal air conditioners and packaged terminal heat pumps. 80 FR 43162. This correction addresses a table labeling error in that final rule.

On August 6, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy proposed to reaffirm that the currently prescribed test procedure must be used when measuring the energy efficiency ratio, integrated energy efficiency ratio, and coefficient of performance for small, large, and very large air-cooled commercial unitary air conditioners (CUAC) and commercial unitary heat pumps (CUHP). DOE noted that it would hold a public meeting to discuss the proposal at the request of interested parties. DOE has since received such a request and is holding a public meeting on September 4, 2015.

This document announces an extension of the time period for submitting comments, data, and information concerning the notice of proposed rulemaking for commercial prerinse spray valves, published on July 9, 2015. The comment period is extended to September 22, 2015.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) withdraws its August 13, 2013, notice of proposed determination that natural draft commercial packaged boilers meet the criteria for covered equipment under Part A-1 of Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended. 78 FR 49202. DOE is taking this action after consideration of comments received in response to the notice of proposed determination and other relevant rulemakings that indicate a common and long-standing understanding from interested parties that natural draft commercial packaged boilers are and have been covered equipment under part A-1 of Title III of EPCA.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machines (beverage vending machine). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to periodically determine whether more-stringent, amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this NOPR, DOE proposes amended energy conservation standards for Class A and Class B beverage vending machines. DOE is also proposing to amend the definition for Class A equipment to more clearly differentiate Class A and Class B equipment, as well as to amend the definition of combination vending machine. In addition, DOE proposes to establish definitions and new energy conservations standards for Combination A and Combination B classes of beverage vending machines. This NOPR also announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed standards and associated analyses and results, and announces the availability of the NOPR technical support document (TSD).

In this notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to reaffirm that the currently prescribed test procedure must be used when measuring the energy efficiency ratio, integrated energy efficiency ratio, and coefficient of performance for small, large, and very large air-cooled commercial unitary air conditioners (CUAC) and commercial unitary heat pumps (CUHP). With this test procedure rulemaking, DOE fulfills its obligation under EPCA to review its test procedures for covered equipment at least once every seven years and either amend the applicable test procedures or publish a determination in the Federal Register not to amend them. The proposed amendments would limit the incorporation by reference of the industry test procedure AHRI Standard 340/360-2007, “2007 Standard for Performance Rating of Commercial and Industrial Unitary Air-Conditioning and Heat Pump Equipment” to certain sections and addenda; specify requirements for indoor airflow tolerance and adjustment to meet other rating conditions; clarify requirements for condenser head pressure controls; clarify units of measurement for airflow; and establish a tolerance on part-load rating points. DOE also proposes to amend the certification, compliance, and enforcement provisions for CUACs and CUHPs to specify additional reporting requirements for indoor airflow and add enforcement provisions for verifying the rated cooling capacity, as the rated cooling capacity determines which class of equipment the product belongs to and also determines certain testing conditions.

On August 11, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to amend the test procedure for refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machines (beverage vending machines or BVMs). That proposed rulemaking serves as the basis for the final rule. In this final rule, DOE is reorganizing its test procedure for beverage vending machines into an Appendix A, which will be mandatory for equipment testing beginning 180 days after the final rule is published in the Federal Register, and an Appendix B, which will be mandatory for equipment testing to demonstrate compliance with any amended energy conservation standards arising out of DOE's ongoing BVM energy conservation standards rulemaking. Specifically, Appendix A includes amendments that update the referenced test method to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 32.1-2010, eliminate the requirement to test at the 90 °F ambient test condition, establish a provision for testing at the lowest application product temperature, and adopt several amendments and clarifications to the DOE test procedure to improve the repeatability and remove ambiguity from the current BVM test procedure, as established by DOE in the 2006 BVM test procedure final rule. Appendix B contains all the amendments included in Appendix A and, in addition, incorporates provisions to account for the impact of low power modes on measured daily energy consumption (DEC). Finally, DOE is adopting in this final rule several clarifications regarding the certification and reporting requirements for beverage vending machines.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) make a determination on the impact, if any, on the lessening of competition likely to result from a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposed rule for energy conservation standards and that DOE publish the determination in the Federal Register . DOE published its final rule for energy conservation standards for commercial refrigeration equipment on March 28, 2014, and is publishing DOJ's November 25, 2013 determination on such proposed rule.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) and packaged terminal heat pump (PTHP) equipment. EPCA requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more-stringent standards for PTACs and PTHPs would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this final rule, DOE is adopting amended energy conservation standards for PTACs equivalent to the PTAC standards in American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Standard 90.1-2013. DOE is not amending the current energy conservation standards for PTHPs, which are already equivalent to the PTHP standards in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013. DOE has determined that adoption of PTAC and PTHP standards more stringent than ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013 is not economically justified.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is amending its energy conservation standards for small three-phase commercial air-cooled air conditioners (single package only) and heat pumps (single package and split system) less than 65,000 Btu/h; water-source heat pumps; and commercial oil-fired storage water heaters. Pursuant to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, DOE must assess whether the uniform national standards for these covered equipment need to be updated each time the corresponding industry standard—the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Standard 90.1 (ASHRAE Standard 90.1)—is amended, which most recently occurred on October 9, 2013. Under EPCA, DOE may only adopt more stringent standards if there is clear and convincing evidence showing that more stringent amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant additional amount of energy. The levels DOE is adopting are the same as the efficiency levels specified in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013. DOE has determined that the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 efficiency levels for the equipment types listed above are more stringent than existing Federal energy conservation standards and will result in economic and energy savings compared existing energy conservation standards. Furthermore, DOE has concluded that clear and convincing evidence does not exist that would justify more-stringent standard levels than the efficiency levels in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 for any of the equipment classes. DOE has also determined that the standards for small three-phase commercial air-cooled air conditioners (split system) do not need to be amended. DOE is also updating the current Federal test procedure for commercial warm-air furnaces to incorporate by reference the most current version of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z21.47, Gas-fired central furnaces, specified in ASHRAE Standard 90.1, and the most current version of ASHRAE 103, Method of Testing for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency of Residential Central Furnaces and Boilers.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including commercial prerinse spray valves (CPSVs). 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. In this notice, DOE proposes amended energy conservation standards for commercial prerinse spray valves. The notice also announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed standards and associated analyses and results.

On May 8, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published in the Federal Register (80 FR 26475) a Request for Information (RFI) that requests information regarding potential energy efficiency standards for pool pumps established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. DOE published the RFI to solicit information to help DOE determine the feasibility of developing energy conservation standards and an appropriate test procedure for this equipment. The RFI outlines the potential scope that could be involved in regulating dedicated-purpose pool pumps, possible industry-based testing methods that could be used to evaluate the efficiency of this equipment, and the types of information that would be needed in analyzing the potential for setting standards for this equipment. It also solicits the public for information to help inform DOE's efforts in evaluating the prospect of regulating this equipment. The comment period for the RFI pertaining to the subject dedicated-purpose pool pumps was scheduled to end June 22, 2015. After receiving a request for additional time to comment, DOE has decided to reopen the comment period for the RFI pertaining to the potential energy efficiency standards for pool pumps until August 17, 2015.

On March 13, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to amend the test procedures for packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs) and packaged terminal heat pumps (PTHPs). That NOPR serves as the basis for this final rule regarding the test method for PTACs and PTHPs. The amendments adopted here do not affect measured energy use. These changes incorporate by reference certain sections of the latest versions of industry test procedures AHRI Standard 310/380-2014, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 16-1983 (RA 2014), ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009, and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 58-1986 (RA 2014), and specify additional testing provisions that must be followed including an optional break-in period, require that cooling capacity tests be conducted using electricity measuring instruments accurate to +/− 0.5% of reading, explicitly require that wall sleeves be sealed, allow for the pre-filling of the condensate drain pan, and require testing with 14-inch deep wall sleeves and the filter option most representative of a typical installation.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to amend the test procedures for commercial prerinse spray valves to consider the latest version of the industry standard that is incorporated by reference and to consider a procedure for measuring the spray force. DOE also proposes to revise the definition of commercial prerinse spray valve and the current test procedure as they relate to various spray valves currently on the market, including those with multiple spray patterns. DOE does not believe the proposed changes will affect the measured water use. As part of this proposal, DOE is announcing a public meeting to collect comments and data on its proposal.

On April 14, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) that proposes mathematical conversion factors for converting from the current efficiency metrics ( i.e., energy factor for residential water heaters, and thermal efficiency and standby loss for commercial water heaters) to the uniform efficiency descriptor ( i.e., uniform energy factor metric). The comment period for the NOPR pertaining to the test procedures for water heaters was scheduled to end May 14, 2015. After receiving a request for additional time to comment for stakeholders, DOE is reopening the comment period for the NOPR for the Conversion Factor for Test Procedures for Consumer and Certain Commercial Water Heaters to June 15, 2015. Additionally, at the request of stakeholders, DOE is announcing a public meeting to discuss the conversion factors for consumer and commercial water heaters.

DOE announces a series of meetings of the Fans and Blowers Working Group. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that agencies publish notice of an advisory committee meeting in the Federal Register .

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is requesting information to inform a potential rulemaking to consider new energy conservation standards for dedicated-purpose pool pumps. Pumps, which are already covered equipment under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, as amended (EPCA), come in a variety of forms—including dedicated-purpose pool pumps. This RFI seeks to solicit information to help DOE determine the feasibility of developing energy conservation standards and an appropriate test procedure for this equipment. This RFI outlines the potential scope that could be involved in regulating dedicated-purpose pool pumps, possible industry-based testing methods that could be used to evaluate the efficiency of this equipment, and the types of information that would be needed in analyzing the potential for setting standards for this equipment. This RFI also solicits the public for information to help inform DOE's efforts in evaluating the prospect of regulating this equipment.

This document announces a series of meetings of the Commercial Package Air Conditioners and Commercial Warm Air Furnaces Working Group (CAUC CWAF Working Group). The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that agencies publish notice of an advisory committee meeting in the Federal Register .

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has completed a provisional analysis of the potential economic impacts and energy savings that could result from promulgating an energy conservation standard for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. This analysis incorporates information and comments received after the completion of an analysis presented in a notice of data availability (NODA) published in December 2014. At this time, DOE is not proposing an energy conservation standard for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. This analysis may be used in support of the Appliance Standards Federal Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ASRAC) commercial and industrial fans working group negotiations to develop a recommendation for regulating commercial and industrial fans. DOE encourages stakeholders to provide any additional data or information that may improve the analysis and to present comments submitted to this NODA and to the NODA published in December 2014 to the working group.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, sets forth a variety of provisions designed to improve energy efficiency. Part C of Title III, which for editorial reasons was re-designated as Part A-1 upon incorporation into the U.S. Code, establishes the “Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment.” The covered equipment includes pumps. In this document, DOE proposes to establish new energy conservation standards for pumps and announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed standards and associated analyses and results.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating an effort to determine whether to amend the current energy conservation standards for residential clothes dryers. According to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act's 6-year review requirement, DOE must publish a notice of proposed rulemaking to propose amended standards for residential clothes dryers or a notice of determination that the existing standards do not need to be amended by August 24, 2017. This notice seeks to solicit information from the public to help DOE determine whether amended standards for residential clothes dryers would result in a significant amount of additional energy savings and whether those standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified.

On June 3, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a final rule adopting conservation standards for some classes of walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer components. The final rule was published with typographical errors to some of the reported values. DOE is providing corrections to address these errors. Neither the errors nor the corrections in this document affect the substance of the rulemaking or any of the conclusions reached in support of the final rule.

On May 16, 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a final rule in the Federal Register that amended the energy conservation standards and test procedures for certain commercial heating, air-conditioning, and water-heating equipment. Due to a drafting error, there was a typographical error ( i.e., an incorrect symbol) for one equipment class of computer room air conditioners in a table to the applicable test procedure provision. This final rule rectifies this error.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) make a determination on the impact, if any, on the lessening of competition likely to result from a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposed rule for energy conservation standards and that DOE publish the determination in the Federal Register . DOE published its final rule for energy conservation standards for walk-in coolers and freezers on June 3, 2014, and is today publishing DOJ's determination on such proposed rule.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including automatic commercial icemakers (ACIM). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more-stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this final rule, DOE is adopting more-stringent energy conservation standards for some classes of automatic commercial ice makers as well as establishing energy conservation standards for other classes of automatic commercial ice makers. It has determined that the amended energy conservation standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) make a determination on the impact, if any, on the lessening of competition likely to result from a U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) proposed rule for energy conservation standards and that DOE publish the determination in the Federal Register . DOE published its final rule for energy conservation standards for commercial clothes washers on December 15, 2014, and is publishing the determination that DOJ made on the proposed rule.

On December 10, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of data availability (NODA) which presented a provisional analysis that estimates the potential economic impacts and energy savings that could result from promulgating a regulatory energy conservation standard for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. DOE did not propose any energy conservation standard for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. However, DOE published its analysis and the underlying assumptions and calculations, which may ultimately support a proposed standard, for stakeholder review. In response to requests by stakeholders, the comment period for the NODA is being extended to February 25, 2015.