Cancellation of the September 14-15, 2021 BECS Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.

As a reminder, because the recent emergence of the Covid-19 Delta Variant has caused a number of the BECS Committee members companies to reinstate or extent travel restrictions, we have to cancel the AGA BECS September 14-15, 2021 committee meeting at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek, Salt Laker City, UT.  We plan to schedule a virtual meeting on September 15th with details to follow. We are sorry for any inconvenience this cancellation may have caused you.

International Code Council (ICC) Publishes Agenda for September Public Comment  Hearings in Pittsburgh.

The ICC has published the Public Comment  Hearings schedule for the Group A Codes that will be held in Pittsburgh beginning on September 21 through September 26. Of prime interest to the natural gas industry is that the Public Comment Hearing for the International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) will be held on September 21. In April, the IFGC Code Development Committee approved the  AGA  BECS Committee proposal to reinstate provisions to allow natural gas piping to penetrate below grade applications (FG2-21) agreeing that there is no justification for the current prohibition and this installation option should be permitted as it is in the National Fuel Gas Code.   AGA has also submitted a code proposal to the International Plumbing Code (P9-21)  that was approved by the International Plumbing Committee Code Development Committee, that will require insulated copper tracer wires or another approved conductor installed for plastic sewer piping that will help in locating the buried piping and help minimize cross boring incidents with buried natural gas lines. Click here to view the 2021 Public Comment Hearings Schedule. For more information, you can  visit the Annual Conference Hearings Page.. Note that only in-person testimony will be permitted at the hearings and no virtual participation will be available. AGA staff is planning to attend the Conference and the Public Comment Hearings.  Following the hearings, all recommendations made on all  the Group A Codes will be presented to the eligible ICC voters for one line voting.  For anyone planning to attend the ICC Conference and the Public Comment Hearings you can register here .
DOE Issues a Comment Extension Notice Pertaining to The Process Rule Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
As previously reported, on July 7, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) pertaining to procedures, interpretations, and policies for consideration in new or revised energy conservation standards and test procedures for consumer products and commercial/industrial equipment. The notice provided an opportunity for submitting written comments, data, and information by August 23, 2021. On July 29, 2021, DOE received a joint comment request from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (AHAM) to extend the public comment period to September 13, 2021. DOE has reviewed this request and has issued a pre-publication Federal Register notice granting an extension of the public comment period to allow public comments to be submitted until September 13, 2021. DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this NOPR until September 13, 2021. Anyone can submit comments identified by docket number EERE-2021-BTD-STD-0003, by email ([email protected]) or Federal eRulemaking portal (http://www.regulations.gov). Include “2nd 2021 Process Rule NOPR” and docket number and/or RIN number 1904-AF13 in the subject line of the message. Also, the webinar will be held on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can Click here to register for the webinar. AGA’s BECS Committee was supportive of the changes made during the last rulemaking on the Process Rule and unfortunately, the current DOE proposals would essentially eliminate a number provisions that we believe improved the process especially eliminating the rule as “guidance” and making it an enforceable requirement. For the natural gas industry , the Process Rule is a very important procedural requirement that helps ensure that in developing minimum appliance efficiency requirements,  DOE must be  open and transparent in making available its economic and technical analysis to justify its final recommended minimum efficiency levels for gas, electric and oil appliances and equipment.
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.