Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedures for Refrigerators, Refrigerator-Freezers, and Freezers

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Energy 10 CFR Parts 429 and 430 [Docket No. EERE-2012-BT-TP-0016] RIN 1904-AC76 AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking and public meeting. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today is issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the test procedures for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers that will be required for the testing of products starting September 15, 2014. DOE is proposing to amend the test procedure to address products with multiple compressors and to allow an alternative method for measuring and calculating energy consumption for refrigerator-freezers and refrigerators with freezer compartments. DOE is also proposing to amend certain aspects of the test procedure in order to ensure better test accuracy and repeatability. Additionally, DOE is soliciting comment on a potential test procedure to measure the energy use associated with making ice with an automatic icemaker. If adopted, that procedure would become effective in conjunction with any parallel energy conservation standards rulemaking that DOE would need to conduct pursuant to the six-year review process mandated under Federal law. DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting on July 25, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Washington, DC. The meeting will also be broadcast as a webinar. See section V, “Public Participation,” for webinar registration information, participant instructions, a…