[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 14, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 2186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-888]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 9 / Wednesday, January 14, 1998 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 2186]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket No. EE-RM-97-900]
Water Heating Standards: Design Options
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (the Department or DOE) today gives
notice that copies of the ``Technology Assessment and Screening
Analysis,'' Appendix B Supplement to the Water Heater Rulemaking
Framework, is available for review and comment.
DATES: Written comments in response to this notice must be received by
March 2, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the report may be obtained from Sandy Beall at:
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, EE-43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121,
(202) 586-7574. This document may be read at the DOE Freedom of
Information Public Reading Room, U.S. DOE, Room 1E-90, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-3142, between
the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
Written comments are welcomed. Please submit 10 copies to: U.S.
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
``Water Heater Docket No. EE-RM-97-900,'' EE-43, Room 1J-018, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Terrence Logee, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Mail Station
EE-43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, Phone:
(202) 586-1689, Fax: (202) 586-4617, or Ms. Sandy Beall, U.S.
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
Mail Station EE-43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-
0121, Phone: (202) 586-7574.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy has initiated an
extensive standards rulemaking process improvement effort to expedite
and improve the procedures for developing appliance efficiency
standards. This effort includes priority setting for various products,
and the Department has determined that water heater standards
rulemaking be assigned a ``High Priority.'' The new process is
described in the July 15, 1996, Federal Register, and includes a
planning and prioritization process, data collection and analysis
procedures, and decision-making criteria. (61 FR 36973).
The following report is available for review and comment:
``Technology Assessment and Screening Analysis,'' Appendix B Supplement
to the Water Heater Rulemaking Framework. This report discusses various
design options for improving the energy efficiency and/or reducing the
standby losses of gas-fired, oil-fired, and electric storage-type water
heaters, and addresses Section 2.3 of the Water Heater Rulemaking
Framework document (dated June 11, 1997) that was distributed at the
Water Heater Standards Rulemaking Workshop held in Washington, DC, on
June 24, 1997. Based on written comments and discussions at the
workshop, the design options have been screened and pared down to a
list of options that will be used by the Department for the engineering
analysis. Eight design options are being considered for engineering
analysis because they are currently being applied to commercial or
residential water heaters and pass all of the screening criteria. The
design options are: Heat Traps, Plastic Tanks, Increased Jacket
Insulation, Improved Flue Baffles/Forced Draft, Increased Heat
Exchanger Surface Area, Flue Damper (Electromechanical), Side-Arm
Heater, and Electronic (or Interrupted) Ignition. The Air-Atomized
Burner (Oil-Fired Only) design option is being considered because
prototype units are available and field tests are planned in the near
future.
The Department will use the information in this report and the
written comments it receives to guide its approach to development of
new efficiency standards for water heaters. The next step in the
development of new efficiency standards for water heaters is a
preliminary engineering and life-cycle cost analysis.
A copy of the above-mentioned document, comments received, and this
notice are available at the DOE Freedom of Information Public Reading
Room.
Issued in Washington, DC, on January 8, 1998.
Dan W. Reicher,
Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 98-888 Filed 1-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P