Mark Your Calendar – The next BECS committee meeting will be held on May 7-8, 2025 at the “Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach Hotel”, 100 Coronado Dr, Clearwater, FL 33767 . Detailed information on hotel registration, meeting agenda, etc. will be provided next week.
AGA to File Support for the DOE Proposal to Withdrawal its Determination of Miscellaneous Gas Products as a Covered Consumer Product by the April 14, 2025 Deadline.
As a reminder, the March 14 Update on End Use Codes and Standards reported that the DOE issued a Federal Register Notice proposing to withdraw a previous determination that “miscellaneous gas products” are covered products subject to DOE minimum efficiency requirements. “Miscellaneous natural gas products” cover several indoor and outdoor “decorative” gas appliances such as fireplace log sets, gas lights, etc. as well as outdoor heaters including patio heaters. As background, on April 8, 2022, AGA and the American Public Gas Association (APGA) filed joint, timely comments (attached) on the Department of Energy’s February 7, 2022 preliminary determination that a number of miscellaneous natural gas products are covered products and therefore subject to possible minimum efficiency requirements. That notice proposed to cover the indoor and outdoor “decorative” gas appliances as well as outdoor heaters including patio heaters as outlined above. Our comments recommended that DOE implement the recommendations from the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (“NASEM report”) into all its appliance rulemakings, whether for test procedures or energy conservation standards. The NASEM report comprehensively evaluated the agency’s appliance rulemaking process and identified several key areas in which DOE can improve its rulemaking process. We urged the DOE to address these recommendations as it considers possible requirements and considers developing efficiency test procedures for these gas products. Our comments also challenge the DOE contention that these miscellaneous gas products are a “covered product” under federal legislation and that there would be the possibility of substantial energy savings with a minimum efficiency requirement. Unfortunately, DOE ignored our comments and issued a final determination on September 6, 2022 Federal Register Notice in which they determined that they could cover these products. The March 13,2025 DOE Federal Register Notice proposes to reverse that determination that would keep those natural gas products outside the list of natural gas products subject to DOE efficiency regulations. Because of the reversal by DOE on the determination, AGA is preparing comments supporting this “common sense “action essentially reiterating our original arguments from our April 8, 2022 comments and are working with the APGA and NPGA on joint comments that we intend to file by the April 14, 2025. We will provide the DOE final rule on the determination when available.
Administration Sets Up ‘Deregulation Suggestions’ Webpage.
The Trump administration is establishing a path to advance its reduced federal regulation policies through a public online submission form. The program is applicable for suggestions from the public on all federal regulations that could be used for in areas such as federal end use energy codes and standards for appliances, buildings, etc. Attached is the April 3, 2025 E&E News article that reports on the deregulation suggestion webpage including a link to the webpage. The BECS Committee may find this site helpful for making suggestions on federal regulations impacting end use codes and standards.
AGA to File Support for the DOE Proposal to Withdrawal its Determination of Miscellaneous Gas Products as a Covered Consumer Product by the April 14, 2025 Deadline.
As a reminder, the March 14 Update on End Use Codes and Standards reported that the DOE issued a Federal Register Notice proposing to withdraw a previous determination that “miscellaneous gas products” are covered products subject to DOE minimum efficiency requirements. “Miscellaneous natural gas products” cover several indoor and outdoor “decorative” gas appliances such as fireplace log sets, gas lights, etc. as well as outdoor heaters including patio heaters. As background, on April 8, 2022, AGA and the American Public Gas Association (APGA) filed joint, timely comments (attached) on the Department of Energy’s February 7, 2022 preliminary determination that a number of miscellaneous natural gas products are covered products and therefore subject to possible minimum efficiency requirements. That notice proposed to cover the indoor and outdoor “decorative” gas appliances as well as outdoor heaters including patio heaters as outlined above. Our comments recommended that DOE implement the recommendations from the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (“NASEM report”) into all its appliance rulemakings, whether for test procedures or energy conservation standards. The NASEM report comprehensively evaluated the agency’s appliance rulemaking process and identified several key areas in which DOE can improve its rulemaking process. We urged the DOE to address these recommendations as it considers possible requirements and considers developing efficiency test procedures for these gas products. Our comments also challenge the DOE contention that these miscellaneous gas products are a “covered product” under federal legislation and that there would be the possibility of substantial energy savings with a minimum efficiency requirement. Unfortunately, DOE ignored our comments and issued a final determination on September 6, 2022 Federal Register Notice in which they determined that they could cover these products. The March 13,2025 DOE Federal Register Notice proposes to reverse that determination that would keep those natural gas products outside the list of natural gas products subject to DOE efficiency regulations. Because of the reversal by DOE on the determination, AGA is preparing comments supporting this “common sense “action essentially reiterating our original arguments from our April 8, 2022 comments and are working with the APGA and NPGA on joint comments that we intend to file by the April 14, 2025. We will provide the DOE final rule on the determination when available.
Administration Sets Up ‘Deregulation Suggestions’ Webpage.
The Trump administration is establishing a path to advance its reduced federal regulation policies through a public online submission form. The program is applicable for suggestions from the public on all federal regulations that could be used for in areas such as federal end use energy codes and standards for appliances, buildings, etc. Attached is the April 3, 2025 E&E News article that reports on the deregulation suggestion webpage including a link to the webpage. The BECS Committee may find this site helpful for making suggestions on federal regulations impacting end use codes and standards.