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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 183 / Friday, September 24, 2021 / Proposed Rules
and date is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on September 21, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett, Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S.
Department of Energy.
FR Doc. 202120756 Filed 92321; 8:45 am BILLING CODE 645001P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Parts 430 and 431
EERE2018BTSTD0018
RIN 1904AE39

Energy Conservation Program for Appliance Standards: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Furnaces and Commercial Water Heaters: Notification of Proposed Interpretive Rule Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notification of proposed interpretive rule; extension of public comment period.
AGENCY:

On January 15, 2021, the U.S.
Department of Energy DOE or the Department published in the Federal Register a final interpretive rule determining that, in the context of residential furnaces, commercial water heaters, and similarly-situated products or equipment, use of non-condensing technology and associated venting constitutes a performance-related feature under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended EPCA, that cannot be eliminated through the adoption of an energy conservation standard. On August 27, 2021, DOE
published in the Federal Register a notification of proposed interpretive rule NOPIR that proposes to return to its previous and long-standing interpretation, under which the technology used to supply heated air or hot water is not a performance related feature that provides a distinct consumer utility under EPCA. The NOPIR provided an opportunity for submission of written comments, data,
SUMMARY:

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and information to the DOE no later than September 27, 2021. Prior to the end of that comment period, several stakeholders submitted a joint request seeking additional time to consider the issues raised in the NOPIR. In light of this request, DOE is extending the comment period on the subject NOPIR
for an additional 15 days.
The comment period for the NOPIR published in the Federal Register on August 27, 2021 86 FR
48049 is extended to October 12, 2021.
Written comments, data, and information are requested and will be accepted on and before October 12, 2021.

DATES:

Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Alternatively, interested persons may submit comments by email to the following address: Email: ResFurnace CommWaterHeater2018STD0018@
ee.doe.gov. Include docket number EERE2018BTSTD0018 and/or RIN
1904AE39 in the subject line of the message. Submit electronic comments in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or ASCII file format, and avoid the use of special characters or any form of encryption. No telefacsimiles faxes will be accepted.
Although DOE has routinely accepted public comment submissions through a variety of mechanisms, including postal mail and hand delivery/courier, the Department has found it necessary to make temporary modifications to the comment submission process in light of the ongoing COVID19 pandemic. DOE
is currently accepting only electronic submissions at this time. If a commenter finds that this change poses an undue hardship, please contact Appliance Standards Program staff at 202 586
1445 to discuss the need for alternative arrangements. Once the COVID19
pandemic health emergency is resolved, DOE anticipates resuming all of its regular options for public comment submission, including postal mail and hand delivery/courier.
Docket: The docket for this activity, which includes Federal Register notices, comments, and other supporting documents/materials, is available for review at www.regulations.gov. All documents in the docket are listed in the www.regulations.gov index. However, some documents listed in the index, such as those containing information that is exempt from public disclosure, may not be publicly available.

ADDRESSES:

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The docket web page can be found at:
www.regulations.gov/
!docketDetail;D=EERE-2018-BT-STD0018. The docket web page contains instructions on how to access all documents, including public comments, in the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Catherine Rivest, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, EE5B, 1000
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585 0121. Telephone: 202 586
7335. Email:
ApplianceStandardsQuestions@
ee.doe.gov.
Mr. Eric Stas, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, GC33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 205850121.
Telephone: 202 5865827. Email:
Eric.Stas@hq.doe.gov.
For further information on how to submit a comment or review other public comments and the docket, contact the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program staff at 202 287
1445 or by email:
ApplianceStandardsQuestions@
ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 15, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy DOE or the Department published in the Federal Register a final interpretive rule determining that, in the context of residential furnaces, commercial water heaters, and similarly-situated products or equipment, use of non-condensing technology and associated venting constitutes a performance-related feature under EPCA 42 U.S.C. 6291
et seq., as amended, that cannot be eliminated through the adoption of an energy conservation standard. 86 FR
4776. On August 27, 2021, DOE
published in the Federal Register a NOPIR that proposes to return to its previous and long-standing interpretation in effect prior to the January 2021 final interpretive rule, under which the technology used to supply heated air or hot water is not a performance related feature that provides a distinct consumer utility under EPCA. 86 FR 48049. The NOPIR
provided an opportunity for submission of written comments, data, and information to the Department no later than September 27, 2021.
Prior to the end of the comment period for the NOPIR, DOE received a joint comment from the American Gas Association AGA, the American Public Gas Association APGA, Spire Inc. and Spire Missouri Spire, and the National Propane Gas Association NPGA,
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