[Federal Register: October 31, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 211)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 62205]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31oc03-29]                         



[[Page 62205]]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EE-RM/TP-03-100]
RIN 1904-AB43

 
Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure 
for Clothes Washers

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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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.

ADDRESSES: The Department will accept comments, data and information 
regarding the proposed rule no later than the date provided in the 
DATES section. Please submit comments, data and information 
electronically to the following Internet address: clotheswashertestclothtp@ee.doe.gov. Electronic comments must be 
submitted in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or text (ASCII) format 
file and avoid the use of special characters or any form of encryption. 
Comments in electronic format should be identified by the docket number 
EE-RM/TP-03-100, and wherever possible carry the electronic signature 
of the author. Absent an electronic signature, comments submitted 
electronically must be followed and authenticated by submitting the 
signed original paper document. No telefacsimiles (telefaxes) will be 
accepted.
    Written (paper) comments may be submitted to: Ms. Brenda Edwards-
Jones, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 
Mailstop EE-2J, Test Procedures for Clothes Washers, Docket Number: EE-
RM/TP-03-100, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. 
Telephone: (202) 586-2945. Please submit one signed copy--no 
telefacsimiles.
    You may read copies of the public comments received in the resource 
room of the appliance office of the Building Technologies Program, room 
1J-018 of the Forrestal Building at the U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC between the hours of 9 a.m. 
and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Please call 
Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at the above telephone number for additional 
information regarding visiting the resource room. Please note: The 
Department's Freedom of Information Reading Room (room 1E-190 in the 
Forrestal Building) is no longer servicing rulemakings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Twigg or Bryan Berringer, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 
EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-9611, e-mail: Barbara.Twigg@ee.doe.gov, or Bryan.Berringer@ee.doe.gov, respectively; or Francine Pinto, Esq., or 
Thomas DePriest, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General 
Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507, e-mail: Francine.Pinto@hq.doe.gov, or Thomas.DePriest@hq.doe.gov, respectively.

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]

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