Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Small Electric Motors and Electric Motors

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Final rule; delay of effective date.

SUMMARY:

This document delays the effective date of a recently published final rule amending the test procedures for small electric motors and electric motors. DOE also seeks comment on any further delay of the effective date, including the impacts of such delay, as well comment on the legal, factual, or policy issues raised by the rule.

DATES:

The effective dates of the final rule published January 4, 2021, at 86 FR 4, and the accompanying correction published January 15, 2021, at 86 FR 3747, are delayed to March 21, 2021. Written comments and information will be accepted on or before March 4, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Jeremy Dommu, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-9870. Email: ApplianceStandardsQuestions@ee.doe.gov.

Mr. Michael Kido, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Phone: (202) 586-8145. Email: Michael.Kido@hq.doe.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On January 20, 2021, the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff (“Chief of Staff”) issued a memorandum outlining the President's plan for managing the Federal regulatory process at the outset of the new Administration. In implementation of one of the measures directed by that memorandum, the United States Department of Energy (“DOE”) hereby temporarily postpones the effective date of its final rule amending the test procedures for small electric motors and electric motors published in the Federal Register on January 4, 2021 (86 FR 4) and an accompanying correction document published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2021 (86 FR 3747). The January 4, 2021 rule amends the test procedures for measuring the energy efficiency of small electric motors and electric motors. Consistent with the memorandum, DOE is temporarily postponing the effective date of the final rule by 60 days, starting from January 20, 2021. The temporary 60-day delay in effective date is necessary to give DOE officials the opportunity for further review and consideration of new regulations, consistent with the Chief of Staff's memorandum of January 20, 2021.

To the extent that 5 U.S.C. 553 applies to this action, it is exempt from notice and comment because it constitutes a rule of procedure under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A). Alternatively, DOE's implementation of this action without opportunity for public comment, effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register , is based on the good cause exceptions in 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), DOE has determined that good cause exists to forego the requirement to provide prior notice and an opportunity for public comment thereon for this rule as such procedures would be impracticable, unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. DOE is temporarily postponing for 60 days the effective date of this regulation pursuant to the previously-noted memorandum of the Chief of Staff and is exercising no discretion in implementing this specific provision of the memorandum. As a result, seeking public comment on this delay is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. For these same reasons, DOE finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effective date provided for in 5 U.S.C. 553(d). DOE is, however, seeking comment on any further delay of the effective date, including the impacts of such delay, as well comment on the legal, factual, or policy issues raised by the rule.

Signing Authority

This document of the Department of Energy was signed on January 26, 2021, by John T. Lucas, Acting General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, pursuant to delegated authority from the Acting 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.