Office of Management and Budget (OMB)  Issues Spring 2021 Uniform Agenda for DOE Appliance Efficiency Regulations – Impacted Gas Appliance Listed.
The OMB has issues the Spring 2021 Uniform Agenda (attached) for federal agencies including the Department of Energy that provides the status of rulemakings that apply to the efficiency regulations underway at DOE.  There are a substantial number of rulemakings that impact the potential efficiency requirements for residential and commercial gas appliances. The Uniform Agenda provides an update on the status of rulemakings by the following categories  Final Rule Stage, Proposed Rule Stage and Pre-Rule Stage. It also provides an anticipated schedule for each rulemaking. Note that AGA has provided comments on a number of these rulemakings including the proposed standards for Direct Heating Equipment (Room Heaters, Wall Furnaces and Floor Heaters) ,  Residential Non Weatherize Gas Furnaces, Commercial Gas Water Heaters, Gas Cooking Appliances,  Residential Gas Water Heaters, Commercial Gas Heaters, Consumer Gas Boilers and Commercial Packaged Boilers. In addition , DOE lists the status of proposed changes to it Process Rule and  DOE’s determination that there should be separate product classes between non-condensing and condensing types of vented natural gas heating and water heating appliances and equipment. These last two items where favorably finalized  during the last DOE’s administrations actions and are now under reversal with the current DOE administration. BECS Committee members are requested to review the Uniform Agenda and provide us with feedback on each of the gas appliance rulemakings. We will be reviewing all of the DOE proposed rulemakings as they are issued and it is expected that under the current administration, proposals will substantially have a negative impact on the availability many types of natural gas appliances and equipment.
DOE to Host Future of Energy Codes Workshop on June 22nd and 24rd.
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Building Technologies Office  announced in the Federal Register (attached)  that it will hold a stakeholder workshop to “highlight leading advancements in energy codes, bringing together key stakeholders from across the design and construction industry to discuss recent code updates, upcoming trends, as well as opportunities and challenges that states and local governments face in code implementation. This two-part workshop will be held in a virtual format on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 and Thursday, June 24, 2021, each day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Each session will be a combination of presentations, panel discussions, and moderated discussion.”  Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share feedback with the group. Advanced registration is required and registration information is provided in the Federal Register Notice. Registrants will receive a confirmation email with call-in and webinar login information after they have been accepted. Person interested in attending this virtual workshop must register online by Monday, June 21, 2021.  BECS Committee members are encouraged to sign in and participate in the workshop specifically to gain information on the discussions that impact the direct use of natural gas in homes and businesses.

State Codes Activity Update.
Attached  is a weekly feature of the “Friday Update” covering state code calendar activities as presented by the online utility “Fiscal Note,” which is sponsored by APGA and AGA Code and Standards. Please review the update and determine if there are state code activities that impact your service territory or organization.