Supporting the Standards Rulemaking Process

The Standards Rulemaking Process

Our department works together with other DOE contractors to support DOE in meeting the statutory and procedural demands of the standard-setting process. We focus on analyses designed to assess the impacts of potential standards on consumers and to estimate national energy savings and economic costs and benefits (see chart below). We additionally support DOE’s efforts to develop or revise the testing methods required to administer the appliance and equipment standards program.

A typical rulemaking occurs over several years in distinct phases, with multiple opportunities for public comment along the way, culminating in either a final determination not to amend standards or in a final rule adopting amended standards. The analyses underlying the proposed standards and proposed test procedures receive feedback through, and are revised in response to, public comment by stakeholders such as appliance and equipment manufacturers, electric and gas utilities, energy efficiency advocates and environmental organizations, and state agencies.