80 FR 62441 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedures for Clothes Washers; Correcting Amendments

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 200 (October 16, 2015)

On August 5, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a final rule amending the test procedures for clothes washers. This correction addresses several cross-reference numbering errors, in which the cross-references were inadvertently not updated to reflect the revised section numbering resulting from the final rule amendments. In addition, this correction republishes several amendments from the final rule that could not be incorporated into the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) due to inaccurate amendatory instructions, and clarifies several of the amendatory instructions in the final rule to remove certain sections of the test procedures. Furthermore, this correction reinstates three sections of the clothes washer test procedure that were inadvertently removed from the CFR starting with the 2013 annual edition. Neither the errors nor the corrections in this document affect the substance of the rulemaking or any of the conclusions reached in support of either of these final rules.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 200 (Friday, October 16, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 62441-62443]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25963]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EERE-2013-BT-TP-0009]
RIN 1904-AC97


Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test 
Procedures for Clothes Washers; Correcting Amendments

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

ACTION: Final rule; correcting amendments.

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SUMMARY: On August 5, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 
published a final rule amending the test procedures for clothes 
washers. This correction addresses several cross-reference numbering 
errors, in which the cross-references were inadvertently not updated to 
reflect the revised section numbering resulting from the final rule 
amendments. In addition, this correction republishes several amendments 
from the final rule that could not be incorporated into the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) due to inaccurate amendatory instructions, 
and clarifies several of the amendatory instructions in the final rule 
to remove certain sections of the test procedures. Furthermore, this 
correction reinstates three sections of the clothes washer test 
procedure that were inadvertently removed from the CFR starting with 
the 2013 annual edition. Neither the errors nor the corrections in this 
document affect the substance of the rulemaking or any of the 
conclusions reached in support of either of these final rules.

DATES: Effective Date: October 16, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building 
Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-0371. Email: 
[email protected].
    Mr. Eric Stas, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General 
Counsel,

[[Page 62442]]

GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. 
Telephone: (202) 586-9507. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE published a final rule in the Federal 
Register on August 5, 2015 (the ``August 2015 final rule''), amending 
the test procedures for clothes washers. 80 FR 46729. In the rule, 
several section number cross-references were inadvertently not updated 
to reflect the revised section numbering resulting from the final rule 
amendments. These errors apply to both Appendix J1 and Appendix J2 to 
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. Table 1 summarizes the affected sections 
and the associated corrections.

         Table 1--Corrections to Section Number Cross-References
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Appendix J1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 2.7............................  Existing reference to section
Section 4.2.3..........................   3.1.5 updated to 3.1.6.
Section 4.4............................
Section 3.6............................  Existing reference to section
                                          1.18 updated to 1.20.
Section 3.7.1..........................  Existing reference to section
Section 3.7.2..........................   3.5.2.3 updated to 3.5.3.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Appendix J2
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 3.8.2.6........................  Existing reference to ``section
                                          6.3 of this appendix'' updated
                                          to ``section 7 of appendix J3
                                          to 10 CFR part 430, subpart
                                          B.''
Section 3.8.3.2........................  Existing reference to ``section
Section 3.8.3.4........................   6.2.1 of this appendix''
                                          updated to ``section 6.1 of
                                          appendix J3 to 10 CFR part
                                          430, subpart B.''
Section 4.2.4..........................  Existing reference to section
                                          3.7 updated to 3.6.
Section 4.2.5..........................  Existing reference to section
                                          3.6 updated to 3.7.
Section 4.2.12.........................  Existing reference to section
Section 4.2.13.........................   3.1.6 updated to 3.1.7.
Section 4.5............................
Section 4.6............................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, this final rule republishes the amendments to sections 
2.6.5.1 and 2.6.5.2. It also clarifies that sections 2.6.5.3 (including 
its subsections), 2.6.5.4, 2.6.6.1, 2.6.6.2, 2.6.7.1, and 2.6.7.2 of 
Appendix J1 are to be removed.
    Finally, in a test procedure final rule published on March 7, 2012 
(the ``March 2012 final rule''), DOE amended section 3.6 of Appendix J1 
and intended for sections 3.6.1 through 3.6.3 to remain unchanged. 77 
FR 13888. In the January 1, 2013 version of the CFR, sections 3.6.1 
through 3.6.3 of Appendix J1 were inadvertently removed. Section 3.6 
requires measuring water and electrical energy consumption for the Cold 
Wash temperature selection using the water fill levels and test load 
sizes specified in sections 3.6.1 through 3.6.3. As was the case prior 
to the inadvertent deletion and as reinstated, sections 3.6.1 through 
3.6.3 provide these specifications and also define the variables 
associated with each measurement. This final rule correction reinstates 
these sections as they appeared in the January 1, 2012 version of the 
CFR, except that the word ``adaptive'' in section 3.6.3 is changed to 
``automatic,'' as described in the August 2015 final rule.

Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review

    The regulatory reviews conducted for this rulemaking are those set 
forth in the March 2012 final rule and August 2015 final rule that 
originally codified the respective amendments to DOE's test procedures 
for clothes washers. The amendments in the March 2012 final rule became 
effective April 6, 2012, and the amendments in the August 2015 final 
rule became effective September 4, 2015.
    Pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 553(b), DOE 
has determined that notice and prior opportunity for comment on this 
rule are unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Neither the 
errors nor the corrections in this document affect the substance of the 
rulemakings or any of the conclusions reached in support of either of 
these final rules. For these reasons, DOE has also determined that 
there is good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effective date.

List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 430

    Administrative practice and procedure, Confidential business 
information, Energy conservation, Household appliances, Imports, 
Intergovernmental relations, Small businesses.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 5, 2015.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, part 430 of title 10 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations is corrected by making the following 
correcting amendments:

PART 430--ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS

0
1. The authority citation for part 430 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291-6309; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note.


0
2. Appendix J1 to subpart B of part 430 is amended by:
0
a. Revising sections 2.6.5.1 and 2.6.5.2;
0
b. Removing sections 2.6.5.3, 2.6.5.3.1 through 2.6.5.3.6, 2.6.5.4, 
2.6.6.1, 2.6.6.2, 2.6.7.1, and 2.6.7.2;
0
c. Revising sections 2.7, 3.6, 3.7.1, 3.7.2, 4.2.3, and 4.4; and
0
d. Adding sections 3.6.1, 3.6.2, and 3.6.3.
    The revisions and additions read as follows:

Appendix J1 to Subpart B of Part 430--Uniform Test Method for Measuring 
the Energy Consumption of Automatic and Semi-Automatic Clothes Washers

* * * * *
    2.6.5.1 Using the coefficients A and B calculated in Appendix J3 
to 10 CFR part 430, subpart B:

RMCcorr = A x RMC + B

    2.6.5.2 Substitute RMCcorr values in calculations in 
section 3.8 of this appendix.
* * * * *
    2.7 Test Load Sizes. Maximum, minimum, and, when required, 
average test load sizes shall be determined using Table 5.1 of this 
appendix and the clothes container capacity as measured in sections 
3.1.1 through 3.1.6 of this appendix. Test loads shall consist of 
energy test cloths, except that adjustments to the test loads to 
achieve proper weight can be made by the use of energy stuffer 
cloths with no more than 5 stuffer cloths per load.
* * * * *
    3.6 ``Cold Wash'' (Minimum Wash Temperature Selection). Water 
and electrical energy consumption shall be measured for each water 
fill level or test load size as specified in sections 3.6.1 through 
3.6.3 of this appendix for the coldest wash temperature selection 
available. For a clothes washer that offers two or more wash 
temperature settings labeled as cold, such as ``Cold'' and ``Tap 
Cold,'' the setting with the minimum wash temperature shall be 
considered the cold wash. If any of the other cold wash temperature 
settings add hot water to raise the wash temperature above the cold 
water supply temperature, as defined in section 2.3 of this 
appendix, those setting(s) shall be considered warm wash setting(s), 
as defined in section 1.20 of this appendix. If none of the cold 
wash temperature settings add hot water for any of the water fill 
levels or test load sizes required for the energy test cycle, the 
wash temperature setting labeled as ``Cold'' shall be considered the 
cold wash, and the other wash temperature setting(s) labeled as cold 
shall not be required for testing.
    3.6.1 Maximum test load and water fill. Hot water consumption 
(Hcx), cold water consumption (Ccx), and 
electrical energy consumption (Ecx) shall be measured for 
a cold wash/cold rinse energy test cycle, with the controls set for 
the maximum water fill level. The maximum test load size is to be 
used and shall be determined per Table 5.1 of this appendix.
    3.6.2 Minimum test load and water fill. Hot water consumption 
(Hcn), cold water

[[Page 62443]]

consumption (Ccn), and electrical energy consumption 
(Ecn) shall be measured for a cold wash/cold rinse energy 
test cycle, with the controls set for the minimum water fill level. 
The minimum test load size is to be used and shall be determined per 
Table 5.1 of this appendix.
    3.6.3 Average test load and water fill. For clothes washers with 
an automatic water fill control system, measure the values for hot 
water consumption (Hca), cold water consumption 
(Cca), and electrical energy consumption (Eca) 
for a cold wash/cold rinse energy test cycle, with an average test 
load size as determined per Table 5.1 of this appendix.
* * * * *
    3.7.1 For the rinse only, measure the amount of hot water 
consumed by the clothes washer including all deep and spray rinses, 
for the maximum (Rx), minimum (Rn), and, if 
required by section 3.5.3 of this appendix, average (Ra) 
test load sizes or water fill levels.
    3.7.2 Measure the amount of electrical energy consumed by the 
clothes washer to heat the rinse water only, including all deep and 
spray rinses, for the maximum (ERx), minimum 
(ERn), and, if required by section 3.5.3 of this 
appendix, average (ERa) test load sizes or water fill 
levels.
* * * * *
    4.2.3 Water factor. Calculate the water factor, WF, expressed in 
gallons per cycle per cubic foot (or liters per cycle per liter), 
as:

WF = QT/C

where:

QT = As defined in section 4.2.2 of this appendix.
C = As defined in section 3.1.6 of this appendix.
* * * * *
    4.4 Modified energy factor. Calculate the modified energy 
factor, MEF, expressed in cubic feet per kilowatt-hour per cycle (or 
liters per kilowatt-hour per cycle) and defined as:

MEF = C/(ETE + DE)

where:

C = As defined in section 3.1.6 of this appendix.
ETE = As defined in section 4.1.7 of this appendix.
DE = As defined in section 4.3 of this appendix.
* * * * *

0
3. Appendix J2 to subpart B of part 430 is amended by revising sections 
3.8.2.6, 3.8.3.2, 3.8.3.4, 4.2.4, 4.2.5, 4.2.12, 4.2.13, 4.5, and 4.6 
to read as follows:

Appendix J2 to Subpart B of Part 430--Uniform Test Method for Measuring 
the Energy Consumption of Automatic and Semi-Automatic Clothes Washers

* * * * *
    3.8.2.6 Apply the RMC correction curve described in section 7 of 
appendix J3 to this subpart to calculate the corrected remaining 
moisture content, RMCcorr, expressed as a percentage as 
follows:

RMCcorr = (A x RMCx + B) x 100%

where:

A and B are the coefficients of the RMC correction curve as defined 
in section 6.1 of appendix J3 to this subpart.

RMCx = As defined in section 3.8.2.5 of this appendix.
* * * * *
    3.8.3.2 Apply the RMC correction curve described in section 7 of 
appendix J3 to this subpart to calculate the corrected remaining 
moisture content for Cold Wash/Cold Rinse, RMCCOLD,corr, 
expressed as a percentage, as follows:

RMCCOLD,corr = (A x RMCCOLD + B) x 100%

where:

A and B are the coefficients of the RMC correction curve as defined 
in section 6.1 of appendix J3 to this subpart.

RMCCOLD = As defined in section 3.8.3.1 of this appendix.
* * * * *
    3.8.3.4 Apply the RMC correction curve described in section 7 of 
appendix J3 to this subpart to calculate the corrected remaining 
moisture content for Warm Wash/Warm Rinse, RMCWARM,corr, 
expressed as a percentage, as follows:

RMCWARM,corr = (A x RMCWARM + B) x 100%

where:

A and B are the coefficients of the RMC correction curve as defined 
in section 6.1 of appendix J3 to this subpart.

RMCWARM = As defined in section 3.8.3.3 of this appendix.
* * * * *
    4.2.4 Per-cycle water consumption for Warm Wash/Warm Rinse. 
Calculate the maximum, average, and minimum total water consumption, 
expressed in gallons per cycle (or liters per cycle), for the Warm 
Wash/Warm Rinse cycle and defined as:

Qwwmax = [Hwwx + Cwwx]
Qwwavg = [Hwwa + Cwwa]
Qwwmin = [Hwwn + Cwwn]

where:

Hwwx, Cwwx, Hwwa, Cwwa, 
Hwwn, and Cwwn are defined in section 3.6 of 
this appendix.

    4.2.5 Per-cycle water consumption for Cold Wash/Cold Rinse. 
Calculate the maximum, average, and minimum total water consumption, 
expressed in gallons per cycle (or liters per cycle), for the Cold 
Wash/Cold Rinse cycle and defined as:

Qcmax = [Hcx + Ccx]
Qcavg = [Hca + Cca]
Qcmin = [Hcn + Ccn]

where:

Hcx, Ccx, Hca, Cca, 
Hcn, and Ccn are defined in section 3.7 of 
this appendix.
* * * * *
    4.2.12 Water factor. Calculate the water factor, WF, expressed 
in gallons per cycle per cubic foot (or liters per cycle per liter), 
as:

WF = QcT/C

where:

QcT = As defined in section 4.2.10 of this appendix.
C = As defined in section 3.1.7 of this appendix.

    4.2.13 Integrated water factor. Calculate the integrated water 
factor, IWF, expressed in gallons per cycle per cubic foot (or 
liters per cycle per liter), as:

IWF = QT/C

where:

QT = As defined in section 4.2.11 of this appendix.
C = As defined in section 3.1.7 of this appendix.
* * * * *
    4.5 Modified energy factor. Calculate the modified energy 
factor, MEF, expressed in cubic feet per kilowatt-hour per cycle (or 
liters per kilowatt-hour per cycle) and defined as:

MEF = C/(ETE + DE)

where:

C = As defined in section 3.1.7 of this appendix.
ETE = As defined in section 4.1.7 of this appendix.
DE = As defined in section 4.3 of this appendix.

    4.6 Integrated modified energy factor. Calculate the integrated 
modified energy factor, IMEF, expressed in cubic feet per kilowatt-
hour per cycle (or liters per kilowatt-hour per cycle) and defined 
as:

IMEF = C/(ETE + DE + ETLP)

where:

C = As defined in section 3.1.7 of this appendix.
ETE = As defined in section 4.1.7 of this appendix.
DE = As defined in section 4.3 of this appendix.
ETLP = As defined in section 4.4 of this appendix.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2015-25963 Filed 10-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P