View Rule

On November 9, 2017, the Commission published proposed rule changes containing scheduled, routine updates to the comparability ranges, and unit energy cost figures on EnergyGuide labels for dishwashers, furnaces, room air conditioners, and pool heaters. The Commission also proposed to set a compliance date for EnergyGuide labels on room air conditioner boxes. The comment period closed on December 4, 2017. On February 22, 2018, the Commission published final rule amendments that update ranges of comparability and unit energy cost figures on EnergyGuide labels for dishwashers, furnaces, room air conditioners, and pool heaters. 83 FR 7593. The effective date is May 23, 2018. The Commission also set a compliance date of October 1, 2019, for EnergyGuide labels on room air conditioner boxes and made several minor clarifications and corrections to the rule.

On December 10, 2018, the Commission announced it was issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comments on nonsubstantive amendments to improve the rule’s usability. 84 FR 9261 (March 14, 2019). The proposed amendments would organize the rule’s product descriptions to make it easier for stakeholders to identify relevant covered products, particularly for categories (such as lighting) that contain several different product types and exemptions. Next, the amendments would divide the rule’s primary labeling provision into several sections to make it easier to identify the labeling requirements for specific products. Finally, the proposed changes would remove obsolete, unneeded references to products manufactured and sold decades ago. The comment period closed on April 15, 2019. Staff anticipates further Commission action by early 2020.