Trendpublic

⚖️Notice of Regulatory Application by Alabama Power Company

⚡Updates on Energy Conservation Standards and Compliance Requirements

The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") is publishing a final rule to amend and correct certain energy conservation standards and test procedures of consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment, as described in sections I and II of this document. The changes addressed in this document are technical in nature, and neither the errors nor the corrections in this document affect the substance of any rulemaking or any conclusions reached in support of any final rule.

🔧New DOE Regulations on Commercial Warm Air Furnaces

On June 2, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE" or the "Department") published a test procedure final rule which established test procedures for commercial warm air furnaces ("CWAFs"). On August 1, 2023, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute ("AHRI") filed a petition for review of the final rule in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In a February 6, 2024, order, the Fourth Circuit granted a voluntary remand of the final rule to the Department of Energy ("DOE") to determine whether establishment of the test procedure for the thermal efficiency two ("TE2") metric is supported by the specific provisions applicable to CWAFs under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ("EPCA"). More specifically, DOE agreed in this voluntary remand to not enforce the TE2 test procedure unless and until the Department determines that the TE2 test procedure is consistent with the amended industry test procedure, or determines, supported by clear and convincing evidence, that the amended industry test procedure fails to satisfy the statutory requirements. This document provides DOE's determination that the amended industry test procedure fails to satisfy EPCA's statutory requirements.

⚙️DOE Amendments to Compressor Test Procedures

The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") is amending the test procedure for compressors to correct an error and to ensure that pressure ratio is expressed in terms of absolute pressure. DOE is also correcting the formula for isentropic efficiency and specific energy consumption of the packaged compressor by incorporating a K<INF>6</INF> correction factor to correct for differences in pressure ratio when testing at differing elevations. Finally, DOE is amending the definition of "air compressor" to include a minor clarification and revise a typographical error.

🏛️Notice of Environmental Management Advisory Board Meeting in Nevada

This notice announces an in-person/virtual hybrid meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Nevada. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

⚡Notice of Electric Corporate Filings and Regulatory Requirements 2025

⚖️New Compliance Rules for Clothes Washer and Dryer Testing 2024

In this final rule, the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") is amending the test procedures for residential and commercial clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers to update the test cloth specifications. DOE is also reorganizing the test procedures for improved readability. DOE is conducting this rulemaking to address specific issues and to make minor corrections to the current test procedures. This rulemaking does not satisfy the statutory requirement that, at least once every 7 years, DOE review the test procedures for clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers.

⚡DOE Withdraws Proposed Energy Standards for Battery Chargers

This document withdraws a proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on March 15, 2023. The proposed rule would have established amended energy conservation standards for battery chargers.

🌍Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Grain Belt Express Project

The Loan Programs Office (LPO), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), announces the availability of the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed Phase 1 of the Grain Belt Express Transmission Project (Project), and a Notice of Proposed Floodplain Action. The DEIS analyzes the impacts associated with providing potential financial assistance (a Federal loan guarantee) to Grain Belt Express, LLC, for construction and energization of the Project. This notice of availability (NOA) announces the start of the public review and comment period, as well as the dates and times for public meetings on the DEIS. After DOE LPO holds the public meetings and addresses public comments submitted during the review period, DOE LPO will publish a final environmental impact statement. Because the Project may include activities within floodplains, this NOA also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain action.

⚖️DOE Withdraws Proposed Energy Standards for Consumer Boilers

This document withdraws a proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2023. The proposed rule would have amended energy conservation standards for consumer boilers.