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Rulemaking for Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products Standard

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The Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating a rulemaking to develop a potential test procedure and energy conservation standard for miscellaneous residential refrigeration products, which include wine chillers and other products that are not currently covered as residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, or freezers.

Recent Updates

DOE has published a Federal Register notice of supplemental determination pertaining to miscellaneous refrigeration products. 81 FR 11454 (March 4, 2016). DOE is proposing to treat certain miscellaneous refrigeration products (MREFs), which include coolers and combination cooler refrigeration products, as covered products.

Public Meeting Information

There is no public meeting scheduled at this time.

Submitting Public Comments

The comment period closes April 4, 2016.

Interested persons may submit comments, identified by docket number EERE-2011-BT-DET-0072 and/or Regulation Identification Number (RIN) 1904-AC51, by any of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal:

1. www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

2. Email: Non-CompressorResRefrigProd-2011-DET-0072@ee.doe.gov. Include the docket number EERE-2011-BT-DET-0072 and/or RIN 1904-AC51 in the subject line of the message.

3. Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. If possible, please submit all items on a compact disc (CD), in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies. Please note that comments and CDs sent by mail are often delayed and may be damaged by mail screening processes.

4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 950 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone (202) 586-2945. If possible, please submit all items on CD, in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies.

Milestones and Documents

The residential wine chillers and other residential refrigeration products energy conservation standards rulemaking docket EERE-2011-BT-DET-0072 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents. For the latest information on the planned timing of future DOE regulatory milestones, see the current Office of Management and Budget Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. All planned dates are preliminary and subject to change.

Framework	Notice of Public Meeting, Federal Register, 77 FR 7547 (February 13, 2012) Framework Document Public Meeting: 02/22/2012 Public Meeting Presentation Public Meeting Transcript Comment deadline: Closed
Preliminary Technical Support Document	Notice of Public Meeting (December 3, 2014) Preliminary Technical Support Document Notice of Reopening Comment Period, Federal Register, 80 FR 7550 (February 11, 2015) Public Meeting: 01/09/2015 Comment deadline: Closed
Notice of Data Availability and Request for Information Supplemental Notice of Determination	Notice of Data Availability and Request for Information, 80 FR 77589, (December 15, 2015) Comment deadline: January 14, 2016. Supplemental Notice of Determination, Federal Register, 81 FR 11454 (March 4, 2016) Comment Deadline: April 4, 2016

Related Rulemakings

DOE published a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding test procedures for miscellaneous refrigeration products. 79 FR 74893 (December 16, 2014). For more information, please see the rulemaking webpage.

DOE published a proposed determination that certain types of miscellaneous residential refrigeration equipment qualify as covered products under EPCA. 76 FR 69147 (November 8, 2011).

DOE also published a supplemental proposed determination regarding miscellaneous residential refrigeration products as covered products under EPCA. 78 FR 65223 (October 31, 2013). The comment deadline is December 2, 2013. Docket No.

Statutory Authority

EPCA sets forth various provisions designed to improve energy efficiency. Part A of Title III of EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6291–6309 ) established the "Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles," which covers consumer products and certain commercial products (hereafter referred to as "covered products").

In addition to specifying a list of covered residential and commercial products, EPCA contains provisions that enable the Secretary of Energy to classify additional types of consumer products as covered products.

For the Secretary to prescribe an energy conservation standard pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6295(o) and (p),/a> for covered products added pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6292(b)(1) , he must also determine that the products meeting certain additional criteria.

DOE would determine if miscellaneous residential refrigeration products, among any that are currently uncovered by DOE statutory coverage, satisfy the provisions of 42 U.S.C. 6295(l)(1) during the course of the energy conservation standards rulemaking.

Contact Information

For more information related to this rulemaking, please email:

refrigerators_and_freezers@ee.doe.gov