The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating an effort to consider amending energy conservation standards for central air conditioners and heat pumps. Once completed, this rulemaking will fulfill DOE’s statutory obligation to either propose amended energy conservation standards for these products or to determine that the existing standards do not need to be amended. To this end, DOE must determine whether standards more stringent than those currently in place would result in a significant amount of energy savings and whether such amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified. Any rulemaking action will be consistent with the President's direction in Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, to preserve consumer choice as well as DOE's statutory obligation to preserve appliance features in the market.