2026-15211: Energy Conservation Program: Procedures, Interpretations, and Policies for Consideration of New or Revised Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial/Industrial Equipment; Extension of Public Comment Period

Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 143 (Tuesday, July 28, 2026) [Federal Register Volume 91, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 28, 2026)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 47155-47156] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-15211] ======================================================================== Proposed Rules Federal Register ________________________________________________________________________ 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. ======================================================================== Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 143 / Tuesday, July 28, 2026 / Proposed Rules [[Page 47155]] DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 10 CFR Part 430 [EERE-2025-BT-STD-0001] RIN 1904-AF72 Energy Conservation Program: Procedures, Interpretations, and Policies for Consideration of New or Revised Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial/Industrial Equipment; Extension of Public Comment Period

Agency

Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, Department of Energy.

Action

Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of public comment period. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

On July 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') and announcement of webinar proposing to update the Department's current rulemaking methodology titled, ``Procedures, Interpretations, and Policies for Consideration of New or Revised Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial/Industrial Equipment.'' The notice provided an opportunity for submitting written comments by August 6, 2026. On July 13, 2026, DOE received a joint request from multiple trade organizations to extend the public comment period to September 8, 2026. DOE has reviewed this request and is granting a 15-day extension of the public comment period so as to allow public comments to be submitted until August 21, 2026.

Dates

The comment period for the NOPR published on July 7, 2026 (91 FR 42034) is extended. DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this NOPR received no later than August 21, 2026.

Addresses

Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov under docket number EERE-2025-BT-STD-0001. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Alternatively, interested persons may submit comments, identified by docket number EERE-2025-BT-STD-0001 and/or regulatory identification number (``RIN'') 1904-AF72, by any of the following methods: (1) Email: [email protected]. Include the docket number EERE-2025-BT-STD-0001 and/or RIN 1904-AF72 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. (2) Postal Mail: Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop CM-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 287-1445. If possible, please submit all items on a compact disc (``CD''), in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies. (3) Hand Delivery/Courier: Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 287-1445. If possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies. No telefacsimiles (``faxes'') will be accepted. Docket: The docket for this activity, which includes Federal Register notices, public meeting attendee lists and transcripts, 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, not all documents listed in the index may be publicly available, such as information that is exempt from public disclosure. The docket web page can be found at www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2025-BT-STD-0001. The docket web page contains instructions on how to access all documents, including public comments, in the docket.

For Further Information Contact

Appliance Standards Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, Building Technologies Office, CM-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Email: [email protected]. Mr. Pete Cochran, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-4798. Email: [email protected]. 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: [email protected]. A plain language summary of the rule is also available on the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov.

Supplementary Information

On July 7, 2026, DOE published a NOPR and announcement of webinar proposing to update the Department's current rulemaking methodology titled, ``Procedures, Interpretations, and Policies for Consideration of New or Revised Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial/Industrial Equipment'' (aka the ``Process Rule''). The notice provided an opportunity for submitting written comments by August 6, 2026. 91 FR 42034. On July 13, 2026, DOE received a joint request from the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute; Air Movement and Control Association International; Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers; North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers; National Electrical Manufacturers Association; and Plumbing Manufacturers International (collectively, the ``Joint Commenters'') to extend the written comment period to September 8, 2026. (Joint Commenters, No. 42 at p. 1) The Joint Commenters stated that the scope and complexity of the proposed revisions required additional time for a thorough analysis. (Joint Commenters, No. 42 at p. 2) Additionally, the Joint Commenters stated that the NOPR is closely related to DOE's concurrently issued Analytical Methodology Request [[Page 47156]] for Information,\1\ which provided an opportunity for submitting written comments by September 8, 2026. The Joint Commenters requested that the two comment periods be aligned so that stakeholders can develop and submit consistent comments across both dockets. Id. Several of these comments also reiterated their request for comment extension during the course of the Process Rule NOPR webinar held on July 15, 2026. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Energy Conservation Program: Review of DOE's Analytic Methods for Setting Energy Conservation Standards; Docket No. EERE- 2022-BT-OT-0004. 91 FR 41578 (July 7, 2026). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOE has reviewed the request and considered the benefit of allowing interested parties additional time to submit comments regarding the July 7, 2026 NOPR for DOE's consideration. Accordingly, DOE has determined that an extension of the public comment period is appropriate and is hereby extending the comment period by 15 days, until August 21, 2026. Signing Authority This document of the Department of Energy was signed on July 23, 2026, by Audrey Robertson, Assistant Secretary (EERE) for Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document with the original signature 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 July 23, 2026. Jennifer Hartzell, Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy. [FR Doc. 2026-15211 Filed 7-27-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P