Fall 2013

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE)

Statement of Regulatory and Deregulatory Priorities

The Department of Energy (Department or DOE) makes vital contributions to the Nation's welfare through its activities focused on improving national security, energy supply, energy efficiency, environmental remediation, and energy research. The Department's mission is to:

• Promote dependable, affordable and environmentally sound production and distribution of energy;

• Advance energy efficiency and conservation;

• Provide responsible stewardship of the Nation's nuclear weapons;

• Provide a responsible resolution to the environmental legacy of nuclear weapons production; and

• Strengthen U.S. scientific discovery, economic competitiveness, and improve quality of life through innovations in science and technology.

The Department's regulatory activities are essential to achieving its critical mission and to implementing major initiatives of the President's National Energy Policy. Among other things, the Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda contain the rulemakings the Department will be engaged in during the coming year to fulfill the Department's commitment to meeting deadlines for issuance of energy conservation standards and related test procedures. The Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda also reflect the Department's continuing commitment to cut costs, reduce regulatory burden, and increase responsiveness to the public.

Retrospective Review of Existing Regulations.

Pursuant to section 6 of Executive Order 13563 "Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review" (Jan. 18, 2011), the following Regulatory Identifier Numbers (RINs) have been identified as associated with retrospective review and analysis in the Department's final retrospective review of regulations plan. Some of these entries on this list may be completed actions, which do not appear in The Regulatory Plan. However, more information can be found about these completed rulemakings in past publications of the Unified Agenda on Reginfo.gov in the Completed Actions section for that agency. These rulemakings can also be found on Regulations.gov. The final agency plan can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/other/2011-regulatory-action-plans/departmentofenergyregulatoryreformplanaugust2011.pdf.

Rulemakings Subject to Retrospective Analysis

Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products and Commercial Equipment

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) requires DOE to set appliance efficiency standards at levels that achieve the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and economically justified. The Distribution Transformer and Microwave Oven standards, which were already published in 2013, have an estimated net benefit to the nation of up to $16.3 billion over 30 years. By 2045, these standards are estimated to save enough energy to operate the current inventory of all U.S. homes for about three months.

The Department continues to follow its schedule for setting new appliance efficiency standards. These rulemakings are expected to save American consumers billions of dollars in energy costs.

The overall plan for implementing the schedule is contained in the Report to Congress under section 141 of EPACT 2005, which was released on January 31, 2006. This plan was last updated in the August 2012 report to Congress and now includes the requirements of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007). The reports to Congress are posted at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/schedule_setting.html.

Estimate of Combined Aggregate Costs and Benefits

The regulatory actions included in this Regulatory Plan for battery chargers and external power supplies, walk-in coolers and freezers, metal halide lamp fixtures, manufactured housing, commercial refrigeration equipment, residential furnace fans, and commercial and industrial electric motors may provide significant benefits to the Nation. DOE believes that the benefits to the Nation of the proposed energy standards for metal halide lamp fixtures, commercial refrigeration equipment and walk-in coolers and freezers (energy savings, consumer average lifecycle cost savings, increase in national net present value, and emission reductions) outweigh the costs (loss of industry net present value and life-cycle cost increases for some consumers). In the proposed rulemakings, DOE estimated that these regulations would produce energy savings of 7.19 to 7.49quads over thirty years. The net benefit to the Nation was estimated to be between $11.16 billion (seven-percent discount rate) and $31.57 billion (three-percent discount rate). DOE believes that the proposed energy standards for external power supplies, residential furnace fans, and commercial and industrial electric motors will also be beneficial to the Nation. However, because DOE has not yet proposed candidate standard levels for this equipment, DOE cannot provide an estimate of combined aggregate costs and benefits for this action. DOE will, however, in compliance with all applicable law, issue standards that provide the maximum energy savings that are technologically feasible and economically justified. Estimates of energy savings will be provided when DOE issues the notice of proposed rulemakings for external power supplies, residential furnace fans, and commercial and industrial electric motors.

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