WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) intends to establish a rulemaking working group under the Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC) to negotiate proposed regional energy efficiency standards. Two HVAC professionals have been announced as participants in this group.

In April, the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit approved a settlement rescinding DOE’s regional standards for non-weatherized gas furnaces. The working group restarts the negotiated rulemaking process.

The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) announced that Chuck White, the organization’s vice president of Technical & Code Services, has been elected to participate. “As the only contractor in this group, Chuck will bring the practical concerns of the installing contractors — the front-line players — to the table in an effort to craft a program that saves energy in an economically feasible manner,” said Gerry Kennedy, PHCC executive vice president.

Heating, Air-conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) announced that distributors will be represented on the working group by the organization’s Government Affairs co-chair, Steve Porter, of Johnstone Supply.

The deadline for negotiating a proposed rule and submitting it to ASRAC is Oct. 30, 2014

For more information on the DOE rulemaking action, click here

Publication date: 7/14/2014

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