[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 482 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 482
To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide a uniform
efficiency descriptor for covered water heaters.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 26, 2011
Mr. Cooper (for himself and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide a uniform
efficiency descriptor for covered water heaters.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Water Heater Rating Improvement Act
of 2011''.
SEC. 2. UNIFORM EFFICIENCY DESCRIPTOR FOR COVERED WATER HEATERS.
Section 325(e) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C.
6295(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Uniform efficiency descriptor for covered water
heaters.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Covered water heater.--The term
`covered water heater' means--
``(I) a water heater; and
``(II) a storage water heater,
instantaneous water heater, and unfired
water storage tank (as defined in
section 340).
``(ii) Final rule.--The term `final rule'
means the final rule published under this
paragraph.
``(B) Publication of final rule.--Not later than
180 days after the date of enactment of this paragraph,
the Secretary shall publish a final rule that
establishes a uniform efficiency descriptor and
accompanying test methods for covered water heaters.
``(C) Purpose.--The purpose of the final rule shall
be to replace with a uniform efficiency descriptor--
``(i) the energy factor descriptor for
water heaters established under this
subsection; and
``(ii) the thermal efficiency and standby
loss descriptors for storage water heaters,
instantaneous water heaters, and unfired water
storage tanks established under section
342(a)(5).
``(D) Effect of final rule.--
``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of this title, effective
beginning on the effective date of the final
rule, the efficiency standard for covered water
heaters shall be denominated according to the
efficiency descriptor established by the final
rule.
``(ii) Effective date.--The final rule
shall take effect 1 year after the date of
publication of the final rule under
subparagraph (B).
``(E) Conversion factor.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall
develop a mathematical conversion factor for
converting the measurement of efficiency for
covered water heaters from the test procedures
in effect on the date of enactment of this
paragraph to the new energy descriptor
established under the final rule.
``(ii) Application.--The conversion factor
shall apply to models of covered water heaters
affected by the final rule and tested prior to
the effective date of the final rule.
``(iii) Effect on efficiency
requirements.--The conversion factor shall not
affect the minimum efficiency requirements for
covered water heaters otherwise established
under this title.
``(iv) Use.--During the period described in
clause (v), a manufacturer may apply the
conversion factor established by the Secretary
to rerate existing models of covered water
heaters that are in existence prior to the
effective date of the rule described in clause
(v)(II) to comply with the new efficiency
descriptor.
``(v) Period.--Subclause (E) shall apply
during the period--
``(I) beginning on the date of
publication of the conversion factor in
the Federal Register; and
``(II) ending on April 16, 2015.
``(F) Exclusions.--The final rule may exclude a
specific category of covered water heaters from the
uniform efficiency descriptor established under this
paragraph if the Secretary determines that the category
of water heaters--
``(i) does not have a residential use and
can be clearly described in the final rule; and
``(ii) are effectively rated using the
thermal efficiency and standby loss descriptors
applied (as of the date of enactment of this
paragraph) to the category under section
342(a)(5).
``(G) Options.--The descriptor set by the final
rule may be--
``(i) a revised version of the energy
factor descriptor in use as of the date of
enactment of this paragraph;
``(ii) the thermal efficiency and standby
loss descriptors in use as of that date;
``(iii) a revised version of the thermal
efficiency and standby loss descriptors;
``(iv) a hybrid of descriptors; or
``(v) a new approach.
``(H) Application.--The efficiency descriptor and
accompanying test method established under the final
rule shall apply, to the maximum extent practicable, to
all water heating technologies in use as of the date of
enactment of this paragraph and to future water heating
technologies.
``(I) Participation.--The Secretary shall invite
interested stakeholders to participate in the
rulemaking process used to establish the final rule.
``(J) Testing of alternative descriptors.--In
establishing the final rule, the Secretary shall
contract with the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, as necessary, to conduct testing and
simulation of alternative descriptors identified for
consideration.
``(K) Existing covered water heaters.--A covered
water heater shall be considered to comply with the
final rule on and after the effective date of the final
rule and with any revised labeling requirements
established by the Federal Trade Commission to carry
out the final rule if the covered water heater--
``(i) was manufactured prior to the
effective date of the final rule; and
``(ii) complied with the efficiency
standards and labeling requirements in effect
prior to the final rule.''.
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