Consistent with the requirements under the Energy policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is examining whether to amend the current energy conservation standards for direct heating equipment found at 10 CFR 430.32(i).  To this end, DOE must determine whether national standards more stringent than those currently in place would result in a significant amount of energy savings and whether such amended national standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified.  As a result of this effort, DOE may propose and adopt more stringent standards or issue a determination that no amendments to the current standards are required. Once completed, this rulemaking will fulfill DOE’s statutory obligation to either propose amended standards for this product or to determine that the existing standards do not need to be amended.