Search Results for keywords:"U.S. Department of Energy"

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has extended the public comment period for the 2024 LNG Export Study from 60 days to 90 days, allowing submissions until March 20, 2025. This extension provides more time for the public to review and comment on how U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports impact the economy, energy, and environment. The DOE has received a large volume of comments and believes the extended timeframe will benefit stakeholders by giving them additional opportunity to provide feedback. Comments can be submitted electronically or by mail, but electronic submissions are encouraged to ensure timely receipt.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an amendment to extend the operations of the high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) demonstration program at the American Centrifuge Plant until June 30, 2025, with a possibility of further extension if the contract with the U.S. Department of Energy is extended. The NRC issued an environmental assessment and determined there would be no significant environmental impacts from this proposed action, meaning a more detailed environmental impact statement is unnecessary. The extended operations would adhere to current safety regulations without major changes to the facility or processes, and would not significantly affect air quality, public health, or waste management.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has finalized changes to the test procedures for residential and commercial clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers. These updates include adjustments to the specifications of test cloth used in test procedures, such as clarifying the requirements for fabric weight and thread count, adding an alternative type of test cloth, and streamlining test cloth specifications for both washers and dryers. These changes, which aim to improve test consistency and adaptability to fabric availability, will be effective on February 18, 2025. Importantly, these amendments are not expected to increase testing costs or burdens on manufacturers.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reviewed the test procedure for commercial warm air furnaces (CWAFs) after a court remand regarding the thermal efficiency two (TE2) metric. The DOE determined that the industry test procedure for measuring energy efficiency during a typical use cycle, considering jacket losses and part-load operation, is inadequate. Consequently, the DOE reaffirmed its new test procedure, which accounts for these factors, ensuring that energy efficiency is accurately measured. This revised procedure will help provide clearer information for consumers and manufacturers when new energy standards are set.

Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) has applied to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for permission to transmit electricity from the United States to Canada for ten years. The DOE will review the application to ensure it won't negatively affect the U.S. electricity supply and evaluate its environmental impacts. Public comments or motions to intervene regarding the application are due by March 22, 2021. The application can be accessed on the DOE website, and further inquiries can be directed to Matt Aronoff at DOE.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced a schedule for upcoming meetings, taking place during the weeks of March 3, 2025, through April 7, 2025. Meetings are scheduled for March 4 and March 6, and the public can attend in person at the Commissioners' Hearing Room in Rockville, Maryland, or watch live via webcast. No other meetings are planned for the subsequent weeks. The meetings will discuss several topics, including the ADVANCE Act activities and issues related to the U.S. Department of Energy's high-level waste repository. Anyone needing accommodations for disabilities should contact NRC's Disability Program Specialist.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a final rule to amend the definition of a showerhead but needed to correct an error in the regulatory text instruction for 10 CFR 430.3 due to an inaccurate instruction. This correction, published on January 8, 2021, does not change the substance or conclusions of the original rule. The effective date for this update is January 15, 2021, and it was signed by DOE's Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

XTS LLC has applied to the U.S. Department of Energy for permission to export electricity from the United States to Mexico, as per the Federal Power Act. XTS is a power marketer operating in Texas, and it plans to buy electricity from various suppliers and sell it to customers. The application states that XTS does not own any power generation facilities and will ensure its activities do not affect the reliability of U.S. electric power supplies. People can comment on the application by January 21, 2025, and the Department of Energy will evaluate its environmental impact and the effect on U.S. power supply before making a decision.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing a meeting for the Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee, scheduled for February 25, 2025. This virtual meeting is open to the public, and details for participation via Zoom will be available on the NSF website. The meeting aims to discuss and provide advice to the NSF, NASA, and the U.S. Department of Energy on topics related to astronomy and astrophysics, as well as to prepare an annual report. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Dr. Daniel Fabrycky is the contact person for more information.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting public comments on a draft environmental assessment and a draft finding of no significant impact related to resuming power operations at the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan. This includes considering requests for exemption, license transfer, and amendments. The U.S. Department of Energy, as a cooperating agency, is also evaluating federal financial support for refueling the plant. The NRC's preliminary assessment indicates that the actions would not significantly impact the environment, and comments are accepted until March 3, 2025.