The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) filed in the Federal Register on April 16, 2010, its final rule to amend the existing energy conservation standards for gas-fired direct heating equipment, and other items. This final rule contains an input limitation on Decorative Gas Appliances of 9,000 Btu's per hour. HPBA and its gas hearth members are completely opposed to this limitation, as no limitation was expected in the final rule and the one presented is simply not reasonable. In fact, it is so unreasonable that it has the potential to eliminate Decorative Gas Appliances and gas log sets from the marketplace.

Prior to DOE's filing of the final rule, HPBA proposed that DOE create the efficiency definition of products by using language of CSA Z21.88 for heating products, CSA Z21.50 for log sets and CSA Z21.60 for decorative products. DOE chose to ignore our comments and instead chose the technically unsupportable and unacceptable limit of 9,000 Btu's per hour.

HPBA is now preparing to fight this final rule from DOE. Below you will find several links to items related to this final rule. The site will be updated regularly as actions occur.

DOE Member Portal

Click the link above for access to member-exclusive content.

Briefs

All briefs associated with the DOE Challenge can be found by following this link.

News

• Comments on the DOE Regulatory Action, Featuring Leslie Bortz, President of the Robert H. Peterson Company - February 22, 2012
• HPBA Responds to DOE's Reducing Regulatory Burden Request for Information - January 4, 2012
• HPBA Files Opening Brief in the Case of HPBA v. U.S. DOE - January 3, 2012
• HPBA Board Members Meet with Members of Congress - October 19, 2011
• HPBA Staff, Members, and others Submit NOPR Comments to DOE - October 14, 2011
• The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) Applauds Cathy McMorris Rodgers' Letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu - October 7, 2011
• HPBA sends a letter to DOE Secretary Chu in addition to a memo urging members to submit comments and contact their U.S. Representative - September 30, 2011
• HPBA Staff and Member Companies submit Testimony at a DOE Hearing on Direct Heating Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards Notice of Proposed Ruling (NOPR) - September 1, 2011
• DOE Press Release on Residential Heating Appliances Rule - April 1, 2010
• DOE Sets Tough New Standards on Home Water Heaters and other products - April 7, 2010

Written Comments

Throughout the process, HPBA has filed written comments on this issue. Please see the links below.

HPBA RFI Comments to DOE on Reducing Regulatory Burdens - January 4, 2012

HPBA AFUE Comments to DOE and Appendix - November 2011

HPBA's Analysis of DOE's Second Final Rule - November 2011

HPBA Comments on Definition of Vented Hearth Heater - February 2010

Formal comments to DOE regarding Vented Hearth Products - February 2007

Links/ Other Information

Department of Energy (DOE)

• Frequently Asked Questions - Vented Hearth Heaters - April 19, 2010
• Residential Direct Heating Equipment

This page describes rulemaking activities and regulations regarding energy efficiency for residential direct heating equipment.

• Residential Heating Products Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

This page presents information on the notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) analyses conducted as part of the current energy conservation standards rulemaking for residential heating products.