DOE Issues a Notice of Data Availability, Public Meeting on September 6 and Comment Extension to October 6 Pertaining to Standards for Consumer Furnaces.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)  issued a pre-publication Federal Register notice pertaining to energy conservation standards for consumer furnaces. As previously reported, on July 7, 2022, DOE published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) for amending the standards for certain consumer furnaces, specifically non-weatherized gas furnaces (NWGF) and mobile home gas furnaces (MHGF). In response to requests by several interested parties for a workshop on technical concerns with the DOE model used to develop the proposal and to extend the comment period from September 6, 2022 including AGA, the American Public Gas Association (“APGA”), the National Propane Gas Association (“NPGA”), Spire Inc., Spire Missouri Inc., Spire Alabama Inc., and Atmos Energy Corporation (attached), DOE is making available a revised version of the life-cycle-cost (LCC) spreadsheet supporting that NOPR and announcing a public meeting webinar to assist stakeholders with the operation of the LCC spreadsheet. Regarding the request for extension, the  NOPR (originally set to close September 6, 2022), DOE has decided to extend the public comment period until October 6, 2022.  Thus, DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this NOPR until October 6, 2022 and all interested persons may submit comments identified by docket number EERE-2014-BT-STD-0031, and by email at the following site ([email protected].gov), Federal eRulemaking portal (http://www.regulations.gov). DOE will hold a webinar on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, from 1:00p.m. to 3:00 p.m. BECS Committee members are encouraged to register for the webinar.  Click here to register.  The  LCC Spreadsheet is available via the docket. Additional webinar registration information, participant instructions, and information about the capabilities available to webinar participants will be published on DOE’s website:https://energy.gov/eere/buildings/public-meetings-and-comment-deadlines. In preparation for the September 6  DOE workshop, AGA staff is in the process of developing  draft questions on concerns with the technical aspects that the DOE model that produced the justification of the DOE proposed minimum efficiency requirement of 95% AFUE and will share those questions and concerns with the membership prior to the September 6 workshop. We are continuing to work on the response to the DOE consumer furnace proposal that is now do on October 6 and will provide that response when available and will include any information that comes out after the September 6 workshop and with information obtained from working with other stakeholders supporting the position that the DOE proposal needs to be revised. Please don’t hesitate to contact with us if you have any questions on the DOE proposed consumer furnace rulemaking.