Rules and Regulations. Notice of proposed rulemaking

Agency: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy
Action: Notice of proposed rulemaking
Citation: 68 FR (No. 211) · FR Doc. 03-27469 · RIN 1904-AB43 · Docket No. EE-RM/TP-03-100 · 10 CFR 430

Summary

This notice of proposed rulemaking contains an amendment to the test procedure for measuring the energy consumption of clothes washers. The amendment changes one of the spin cycles required for testing the cloth used in the extraction phase of the test procedure by replacing the lowest spin cycle of 50 gravitation (g) force with a spin cycle of 100g. The 50g spin cycle produced inconsistent and unreliable test results. This amendment also includes an additional statistical analysis as a criterion to establish the acceptance of a future lot of the test cloth when it is submitted for testing. These changes will improve the reliability of the test cloth data and the repeatability of the clothes washer test procedure. Because the Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) does not expect this proposed amendment to the rule to receive any significant adverse comments, it is also issuing the amendment as a direct final rule in the “Rules and Regulations” section of this Federal Register .

Dates

Public comments on the amendment proposed herein will be accepted until December 1, 2003.

Supplementary Information

In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR), DOE proposes an amendment to the test procedure for measuring the energy consumption of clothes washers. The proposed amendment replaces the 50g force spin cycle required for testing the cloth used in the extraction phase of the test procedure with a spin cycle of 100g. Recent tests have disclosed that the slow 50g spin cycle, unlike the test cycles at spin speeds of 100g and above, produced inconsistent results and unreliable data. In this NOPR, DOE also proposes to require the use of a statistical procedure, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), that can detect the interactive effect between test lots and spin speeds and improve consistency with the baseline data. Today, the Department is also publishing, elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register , a direct final rule that makes the change to this test procedure that DOE is proposing in this NOPR. As DOE explains in the preamble of the direct final rule, the Department considers this amendment to be uncontroversial and unlikely to generate any significant adverse comments. If the Department receives no significant adverse comments on the amendment, the direct final rule will become effective on the date specified in that rule, and there will be no further action on this proposal. If DOE receives significant adverse comments on the direct final rule, DOE will withdraw the direct final rule. DOE will then address the public comments in a subsequent final rule based on the rule proposed in this NOPR (which is the same as the rule set forth in the direct final rule). Because the Department will not institute a second comment period on this proposed rule, any parties interested in commenting should do so during this comment period. For further supplemental information, the detailed rationale, and the rule amendment, see the information provided in the direct final rule in this Federal Register . List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 430 Administrative practice and procedure, Energy conservation, Household appliances. Issued in Washington, DC, on October 27, 2003. David K. Garman, Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. [FR Doc. 03-27469 Filed 10-30-03; 8:45 am]