The Department of Energy on February 6 issued a pre-publication Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Process Rule, establishing proposed parameters for how efficiency standard rulemakings will be handled in the future.
This news was delivered to AHRI members by Francis Dietz, Vice President, public affairs, Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute.
AHRI is still reviewing the proposed rule and will have additional information for members shortly, but AHRI President & CEO Stephen Yurek said in a statement that,
“…we are pleased that it includes one of our most important priorities: Requiring the establishment of equipment test procedures prior to updating efficiency standards. That step alone is a significant improvement over prior practice, but the enhanced transparency and predictability for manufacturers, along with a long-overdue standard for evaluating the economic justification for rulemakings, are also very welcome.”
AHRI will, after consultation with the membership, submit comments on the rule by the deadline specified when the rule in published in the Federal Register.
Full statement by Stephen Yurek:
As the trade association representing manufacturers of HVACR and water heating equipment, we work closely with the Department of Energy as it fulfills its Congressionally mandated duty to set America's appliance energy efficiency standards.
We are very pleased that DOE has issued a NOPR to update the Process Rule — a rule that is critical to making the efficiency rulemaking process transparent, predictable, and timely.
While we are still reviewing the proposed rule issued today, we are pleased that it includes one of our most important priorities: Requiring the establishment of equipment test procedures prior to updating efficiency standards. That step alone is a significant improvement over prior practice, but the enhanced transparency and predictability for manufacturers, along with a long–overdue standard for evaluating the economic justification for rulemakings, are also very welcome.
We appreciate the issuance of this NOPR, and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to make this rule the best it can be – for manufacturers, for energy efficiency, and for consumers.
AHRI and its member companies remain committed to energy efficiency standards established through a transparent, predictable, and timely process.