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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes amending its test procedures for small electric motors. First, DOE proposes further harmonizing its procedures with industry practice by incorporating a new industry standard manufacturers would be permitted to use in addition to the industry standards currently incorporated by reference as options for use when testing small electric motor efficiency. Second, with respect to electric motors, DOE proposes further harmonizing its test procedures by incorporating an additional industry standard to the two that are already incorporated by reference as options when testing the efficiency of this equipment. Each of these changes is expected to reduce testing burdens on manufacturers. Finally, DOE proposes to adopt industry provisions related to the test conditions to ensure the comparability of test results for small electric motors. None of these proposed changes would affect the measured average full-load efficiency of small electric motors or the measured nominal full-load efficiency of electric motors when compared to the current test procedures.

In this document, the Commission's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) sought comment on updating the Commission's rules and procedures to reflect recent changes to two standards: (1) ANSI C63.4a- 2017 "American National Standard for Methods of Measurement of Radio- Noise Emissions from Low-Voltage Electrical and Electronic Equipment in the Range of 9 kHz to 40 GHz, Amendment 1: Test Site Validation;" and (2) ISO/IEC 17025:2017(E) "General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories."

The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") proposes clarifying amendments to the test procedure for distribution transformers to revise and add definitions of certain terms, to incorporate revisions based on the latest versions of relevant Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) industry standards, and to specify the basis for voluntary representations at additional per-unit loads (PULs) and additional reference temperatures. The proposals in this NOPR are minor revisions that do not significantly change the test procedure. Therefore, none of the revisions would pose undue burden on manufacturers. DOE is seeking comment from interested parties on the proposal.

Amends rules to save water by providing statewide performance standards for spray sprinkler bodies in the appliance efficiency regulations.

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Standards
Establishes rules to address consumer access to publicly available Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) . The California Air Resources Board proposes to add and adopt the California Code of Regulations, Title 13, Chapter 8.3, Section 2360, to establish hardware and software standards for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE).

EPA is proposing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 8 chemical substances which are the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) . This action would require persons to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or processing of any of these 8 chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this proposed rule. If this proposed rule is made final, persons may not commence manufacture or processing for the significant new use until they have submitted a Significant New Use Notice, and EPA has conducted a review of the notice, made an appropriate determination on the notice, and has taken any actions as are required as a result of that determination.

The control of hazardous energy is regulated under OSHA's control of hazardous energy (Lockout/Tagout) standard. The standard's purpose is to protect workers from the dangers of hazardous energy. This RFI seeks information regarding two areas where modernizing the Lockout/Tagout standard might better promote worker safety without additional burdens to employers: control circuit type devices and robotics. OSHA's Lockout/Tagout standard currently requires that all sources of energy, including energy stored in the machine itself, be controlled during servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment using an energy-isolating device (EID) . Control circuit type devices are specifically excluded from OSHA's definition of an EID and are thus not a compliant method of controlling hazardous energy during service and maintenance activities. But technological advances since the standard was issued in 1989 suggest that, at least in some circumstances, control circuit type devices may be at least as safe as EIDs. OSHA requests information, data, and comments that would assist the agency in determining under what conditions control circuit type devices could safely be used for the control of hazardous energy. OSHA may also consider changes to the Lockout/Tagout standard that address hazardous energy control for new robotics technologies. Employers are increasingly using robots and robotic components in their workplaces. OSHA would like to know more about what hazards and benefits this presents with respect to control of hazardous energy, safeguards that can be used, increased efficiencies that result, and any other information related to ensuring employee safety in interfacing with robots. OSHA will use the information received in response to this RFI to determine what action, if any, it may take to reduce regulatory burdens while maintaining worker safety.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing amendments to the Standards of Performance for Stationary Compression Ignition Internal Combustion Engines. (...) that revises the emission standards for particulate matter for new stationary compression ignition (CI) engines (...)

EPA is proposing significant new use rules (SNURs) for 3 chemical substances which are the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs). (…)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) received a petition from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) to define a new product class under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (EPCA), for residential dishwashers. The new product class would cover dishwashers with a cycle time for the normal cycle of less than one hour from washing through drying. DOE published this petition and request for comments in the Federal Register on 24 April 2018. Based upon its evaluation of the petition and careful consideration of the public comments, DOE has decided to grant this petition for rulemaking and propose a dishwasher product class with a cycle time for the normal cycle of less than one hour. DOE intends to consider appropriate energy and water use limits for such a product class, if adopted, in a separate rulemaking.