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National Organic Program: 2021 and 2022 Sunset Review and Substance Renewals: 2021 and 2022 sunset review and renewals - This document announces the renewal of substances listed on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) organic regulations. This document reflects the outcome of the 2021 and 2022 sunset review processes and addresses recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), through the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) .

Energy Conservation Program for Appliance Standards: Certification for Ceiling Fan Light Kits, General Service Incandescent Lamps, Incandescent Reflector Lamps, Ceiling Fans, Consumer Furnaces and Boilers, Consumer Water Heaters, Dishwashers, Commercial Clothes Washers, Battery Chargers, and Dedicated-Purpose Pool Pumps: Notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment - The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE" or the "Department") proposes to amend the certification provisions for ceiling fan light kits ("CFLKs"), general service incandescent lamps ("GSILs"), incandescent reflector lamps ("IRLs"), ceiling fans, consumer furnaces and boilers, consumer water heaters, dishwashers, commercial clothes washers ("CCWs"), battery chargers, and dedicated-purpose pool pumps ("DPPPs") . DOE is proposing amendments to the certification and reporting provisions for these products and equipment to ensure reporting that is consistent with currently applicable energy conservation standards and to ensure DOE has the information necessary to determine the appropriate classification of products for the application of standards. DOE seeks comment from interested parties on all aspects of this proposal.

Revised 2023 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards: Proposed rule - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to revise the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for light-duty vehicles for 2023 and later model years to make the standards more stringent. On 20 January 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 13990 "Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis" directing EPA to consider whether to propose suspending, revising, or rescinding the standards previously revised under the "The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks," promulgated in April 2020. The SAFE rule significantly weakened the standards established in 2012, which in part set GHG standards for model years 2021-25. EPA believes that in light of the significant contribution of light-duty vehicles to transportation sector GHG emissions, standards more stringent than those relaxed in the SAFE rule are appropriate under the Clean Air Act. EPA is proposing to revise the GHG standards to be more stringent than the SAFE rule standards in each model year from 2023 through 2026. EPA is also proposing to include several flexibilities to incentivize the production and sale of vehicles with zero and near-zero emissions technology to reduce compliance costs and to address the lead time of the proposed standards. (...)

Hazardous Materials: Harmonization With International Standards: Notice of proposed rulemaking - PHMSA proposes to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations to maintain alignment with international regulations and standards by adopting various amendments, including changes to proper shipping names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging authorizations, air transport quantity limitations, and vessel stowage requirements. Additionally, PHMSA proposes an amendment to the Hazardous Materials Regulations that would allow for better alignment with Transport Canada's Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations.

Energy Conservation Program: Product Classes for Residential Dishwashers, Residential Clothes Washers, and Consumer Clothes Dryers: Notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment - On 30 October 2020 ( G/TBT/N/USA/1505/Add.2 ) and 16 December 2020 ( G/TBT/N/USA/1638/Add.2 ), the Department of Energy ("DOE") published two final rules that established product classes for residential dishwashers with a cycle time for the normal cycle of 60 minutes or less, top-loading residential clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers with a cycle time of less than 30 minutes, and front-loading residential clothes washers with a cycle time of less than 45 minutes ("short-cycle product classes") . The rules resulted in amended energy conservation standards for these short cycle product classes, without determining whether the relevant statutory criteria for amending standards were met. Thus, DOE proposes to revoke the two earlier rules that improperly promulgated standards and reinstate the prior product classes and applicable standards for these covered products. DOE requests written comment on its proposal and announces a public meeting to receive comment on this notice of proposed rulemaking ("NOPR") .

Transport Refrigeration Units ATCM Amendments: Proposed rule - Amends rules to achieve added public health, air quality, and climate benefits by requiring the transition of diesel-powered truck transport refrigeration units (TRUs) to zero emission technology, a PM emission standard for newly manufactured TRU engines in the remaining categories, and the use of lower global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant.

Energy Conservation Program: Definitions for General Service Lamps:Notice of proposed rulemaking and announcement of public meeting - On 19 January 2017, the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") published two final rules adopting revised definitions of general service lamp ("GSL") and general service incandescent lamp ("GSIL"), and other supplemental definitions, to go into effect 1 January 2020. Prior to that effective date, on 5 September 2019, DOE withdrew the revised definitions of GSL, GSIL, and the other supplemental definitions. Upon further review and consideration, in this notice of proposed rulemaking ("NOPR"), DOE proposes to adopt the definitions of GSL and GSIL and the associated supplemental definitions set forth in the January 2017 final rules. This document also announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed definitions.

National Organic Program; National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (2022 Sunset): Proposed rule - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service proposes amendments to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) section of the USDA's organic regulations to implement recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) . This rule proposes the removal from the National List of several substances currently allowed for various uses in organic crop production, livestock production, and manufacture of processed products.

Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards for Model Years 2024-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks: Notice of proposed rulemaking - NHTSA, on behalf of the Department of Transportation, is proposing revised fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2024-2026. On 20 January 2021, President Biden signed an Executive order (E.O.) entitled, "Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis." In it, the President directed that "The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks" (hereafter, "the 2020 final rule") be immediately reviewed for consistency with our Nation's abiding commitment to empower our workers and communities; promote and protect our public health and the environment; and conserve our national treasures and monuments, places that secure our national memory. President Biden further directed that the 2020 final rule be reviewed at once and that (in this case) the Secretary of Transportation consider "suspending, revising, or rescinding" it, via a new proposal, by July 2021. Because of the President's direction in the E.O., NHTSA re-examined the 2020 final rule under its authority to set corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards. In doing so, NHTSA tentatively concluded that the fuel economy standards set in 2020 should be revised so that they increase at a rate of 8 percent year over year for each model year from 2024 through 2026, for both passenger cars and light trucks. This responds to the agency's statutory mandate to improve energy conservation. This proposal also makes certain minor changes to fuel economy reporting requirements.

Potential Future Regulation Addressing Pyrolysis and Gasification Units: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting information and requesting comments to assist in the potential development of regulations for pyrolysis and gasification units that are used to convert solid or semi-solid feedstocks, including solid waste (e.g., municipal solid waste, commercial and industrial waste, hospital/medical/infectious waste, sewage sludge, other solid waste), biomass, plastics, tires, and organic contaminants in soils and oily sludges to useful products such as energy, fuels and chemical commodities. Pyrolysis and gasification are often described as heat induced thermal decomposition processes. Through recent requests for applicability determinations, it appears that pyrolysis and gasification processes are more widely being used to convert waste into useful products or energy.