Rule Concerning Disclosures Regarding Energy Consumption and Water use of Certain Home Appliances and Other Products Required Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (``Appliance Labeling Rule'')
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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 16 CFR Part 305 Rule Concerning Disclosures Regarding Energy Consumption and Water use of Certain Home Appliances and Other Products Required Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (‘‘Appliance Labeling Rule’’) AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission. ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY: The Federal Trade Commission amends its Appliance Labeling Rule by publishing new ranges of comparability to be used on required labels for clothes washers. EFFECTIVE DATE: September 11, 1996. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Mills, Attorney, Division of Enforcement, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580 (202–326–3035).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 324 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (‘‘EPCA’’) 1 requires the Federal Trade Commission (‘‘Commission’’) to consider labeling rules for the disclosure of estimated annual energy cost or alternative energy consumption information for at least thirteen categories of appliances. Clothes washers are included in those categories. The statute also requires the Department of Energy (‘‘DOE’’) to develop test procedures that measure how much energy the appliances use. In addition, DOE is required to determine the representative average cost a consumer pays for the different types of energy available.
On November 19, 1979, the Commission issued a final rule covering seven of the thirteen appliance categories that were then covered by DOE test procedures: refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers, freezers, dishwashers, water heaters, clothes washers, room air conditioners and furnaces (this category includes boilers).2 The Commission has extended the coverage of the Appliance Labeling Rule (’’Rule’’) four times since it originally issued the Rule: in 1987 (central air conditioners, heat pumps, and pulse combustion and condensing furnaces); 3 1989 (fluorescent lamp ballasts); 4 1993 (certain plumbing products 5), and 1994 (certain lighting products 6). On July 1, 1994, the Commission amended the Rule to make certain improvements, including making the label format more ‘‘userfriendly,’’ changing the energy usage descriptors required on labels, and adopting new product sub-categories for ranges of comparability purposes.7 In addition to the new format, which applies to labels for all products, the changes for clothes washer labels are the requirement to disclose kilowatt-hour use per year (instead of estimated annual operating cost) for the primary energy usage disclosure and ranges of comparability, and the addition of the ‘‘front-loading’’ and ‘‘top-loading’’ subcategories to the ‘‘standard’’ and ‘‘compact’’ categories. Section 305.8(b) of the Rule requires manufacturers, after filing an initial report, to report annually by specified dates for each product type.8 These reports, which are to assist the Commission in preparing the ranges of comparability, contain the estimated annual energy consumption or energy efficiency ratings for the appliances derived from tests performed pursuant to the DOE test procedures. Because manufacturers regularly add new models to their lines, improve existing models, and drop others, the data base from which the ranges of comparability are calculated is constantly changing. To keep the required information consistent with these changes, under Section 305.10 of the Rule of Commission will publish new ranges (but not more often than annually) if an analysis of the new information indicates that the upper or lower limits of the ranges have changed by more than 15%. Otherwise, the Commission will publish a statement that the prior ranges remain in effect for the next year. The annual submissions of data for clothes washers have been made and have been analyzed by the Commission. The Commission has found a significant number of the upper and lower limits of the ranges have changed by more than 15%. Accordingly, the Commission is publishing new ranges of comparability for the clothes washer category. These ranges will supersede the current ranges for clothes washers, which were published on May 25, 1995.9 In consideration of the foregoing, the Commission revises Appendix F of its Appliance Labeling Rule by publishing the following ranges of comparability for use in required disclosures (including labeling) for clothes washers manufactured on or after September 11, 1996. In addition, as of this effective date, the disclosures of estimated annual operating cost required at the bottom of the EnergyGuide for clothes washers must be based on the 1996 Representative Average Unit Costs of Energy for electricity (8.6 cents per kilowatt-hour) and natural gas (62.6 cents per therm) that were published by
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29940 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 115 / Thursday, June 13, 1996 / Rules and Regulations 10 61 FR 1366.
11 61 FR 5679.
DOE on January 19, 1996,10 and by the Commission on February 14, 1996.11 List of Subjects of 16 CFR Part 305 Advertising, Energy conservation, Household appliances, Labeling, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Accordingly, 16 CFR Part 305 is amended as follows:
PART 305—[AMENDED] 1. The authority citation for Part 305 continues to read as follows: Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6294. 2. Appendix F to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:
Appendix F to Part 305—Clothes Washers Range Information ‘‘Compact’’ includes all household clothes washers with a tub capacity of less than 1.6 cu. ft. or 13 gallons of water. ‘‘Standard’’ includes all household clothes washers with a tub capacity of 1.6 cu. ft. or 13 gallons of water or more. Capacity Range of estimated annual energy consumption (kWh/ yr.) Low High Compact:
Top Loading .................. Front Loading ................ (*) (*) Standard:
Top Loading .................. Front Loading ................ (*) No data submitted.
By direction of the Commission. Donald S. Clark, Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96–15022 Filed 6–12–96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6750–01–M DEPARTMENT OF STATE Bureau of Consular Affairs 22 CFR Part 51 [Public Notice Number 2401] Passports AGENCY: Bureau of Consular Affairs, State.
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY: This rule amends the regulations at 22 CFR Part 51, Subpart B to eliminate obsolete language regarding release of passport information.
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 13, 1996. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Willaim B. Wharton, Director, Office of Passport Policy and Advisory Services, telephone (202) 955–0231. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Present regulations provide for the release of passport information in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act and applicable provisions of 22 CFR Part 171 and Part 172. This rule is not expected to have significant impact on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. In addition, this rule does not impose information collection requirements under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980. This rule has been reviewed as required by E.O. 12778 and certified to be in compliance therewith. This rule is exempt from review under E.O. 12866, but has been reviewed internally by the Department to ensure consistency with the objectives thereof. In addition, as this amendment involves ‘‘a matter relating to agency management,’’ it is exempt from the requirement of notice and comment pursuant to section 553(a)(2) of the Administrative Procedures Act; and, accordingly, it may be promulgated as a final rule. List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 51 Passports and visas, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements. For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 22 CFR Part 51 is amended as follows:
PART 51—PASSPORTS Subpart B—Application 1. The authority citation for section 51.33 is revised to read as follows: Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2658 and 3926; 5 U.S.C. 552, 552a.
2. Section 51.33 is revised to read as follows:
§ 51.33 Release of passport information. Information in passport files is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act. Release of this information may be requested in accordance with the implementing regulations set forth in Subchapter R, Part 171 or Part 172 of this title.
Dated: May 20, 1996.
Mary A. Ryan, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96–14825 Filed 6–12–96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4710–06–M 22 CFR Parts 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, and 88 [Public Notice 2406] Shipping and Seamen AGENCY: Bureau of Consular Affairs, State.
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY: As part of the President’s Regulatory Reinvention Initiative, the Bureau of Consular Affairs is repealing all of its regulations on Shipping and Seamen, which are found at 22 CFR Parts 81 through 88. Several of the current regulations are obsolete and some of the regulations are merely word-for-word repetitions of existing statutes. At the same time, most of the procedural aspects of consular work relating to shipping and seamen are covered in the Foreign Affairs Manual, which provides guidance and instructions to consuls performing these responsibilities worldwide, and do not need to be covered in regulations. The Bureau is currently considering whether to propose a replacement section, to be designated as 22 CFR Part 80. If the Bureau decides that such regulations are necessary, it will propose new regulations that will be up to date and more appropriate in scope and content. In the interim, the Department will rely directly on its statutory authorities in this area and the procedures in the Foreign Affairs Manual to perform shipping and seamen functions. EFFECTIVE DATE: June 13, 1996. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmen A. DiPlacido, or Michael Meszaros, Overseas Citizens Services, Department of State, 202–647–3666 or 202–647–4994.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This rule eliminates Parts 81 through 88 of the Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations. These rules relate to consular services provided to seamen and in connection with U.S. registered vessels. In recent years, the number of U.S. citizens serving as merchant seamen has declined. Also, the number of merchant vessels registered in the United States has declined. Proportionately, the quantity of consular services provided to U.S. seamen has also declined. Currently, very few foreign service posts are called upon to