The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a Federal Register notice of Direct Final Rule (DFR) pertaining to energy conservation standards for consumer clothes dryers. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, (EPCA), prescribes standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including consumer clothes dryers. In this DFR, DOE is adopting amended standards for consumer clothes dryers. DOE has determined that the amended standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy and are technologically feasible and economically justified.

• The effective date of this rule is July 10, 2024.
• If adverse comments are received by July 1, 2024 and DOE determines that such comments may provide a reasonable basis for withdrawal of the direct final rule under 42 U.S.C. 6295(o), a timely withdrawal of this rule will be published in the Federal Register. If no such adverse comments are received, compliance with the new and amended standards established for consumer clothes dryers in this direct final rule is required on and after March 1, 2028.
• Comments regarding the likely competitive impact of the standards contained in this direct final rule should be sent to the Department of Justice on or before April 11, 2024.

DOE has also published a Federal Register notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) that proposes amended standards for consumer clothes dryers identical to those set forth in the direct final rule. If DOE receives adverse comment and determines that such comment may provide a reasonable basis for withdrawal of the direct final rule, DOE will publish a notice of withdrawal rule and will proceed with this proposed rule.

• DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding the NOPR no later than July 1, 2024.
• Interested persons may submit comments identified by docket number (EERE-2014-BT-STD-0058) by email (ResClothesDryers2014STD0058@ee.doe.gov), Federal eRulemaking portal (http://www.regulations.gov).

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a Federal Register notice pertaining to energy conservation standards for dishwashers, consumer clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers. In light of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently granting a petition for review of a final rule published by the DOE on January 19, 2022, and remanding the matter to DOE for further proceedings, DOE is initiating an information and data gathering effort on whether “short cycle” product classes for dishwashers, residential clothes washers, and consumer clothes dryers are warranted under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. In this request for information (RFI), DOE solicits data and information from the public to help DOE in its rulemaking to evaluate whether: products with a “short cycle” as the normal cycle are available in the market; and products with a “short cycle” as the normal cycle should be subject to different standards than products without a “short cycle” as the normal cycle.

• DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this RFI until April 10, 2024.
• Interested persons may submit comments identified by docket number EERE-2024-BT-STD-0002, by email (ShortCycle2024STD0002@ee.doe.gov), Federal eRulemaking portal (http://www.regulations.gov).

Residential Clothes Dryers manufactured and distributed in commerce, as defined by 42 U.S.C. 6291(16), must meet the energy conservation standards specified in the Code of Federal Regulations at 10 CFR 430.32(h).

To determine that Residential Clothes Dryers that are currently manufactured or distributed into commerce are in compliance with DOE standards, manufacturers must follow the test procedure methods specified at 10 CFR 430, Subpart B, Appendix D1.

Alternatively, manufacturers may use the test procedure methods specified at 10 CFR 430, Subpart B, Appendix D2 to demonstrate compliance.