(a) This subpart establishes procedures for the submission and disposition of applications filed by manufacturers of covered consumer products with annual gross revenues that do not exceed $8 million to exempt them temporarily from all or part of energy conservation standards or water conservation standards (in the case of faucets, showerheads, water closets, and urinals) established by this part.

(b) The purpose of this subpart is to provide content and format requirements for manufacturers of covered consumer products with low annual gross revenues who desire to apply for temporary exemptions from applicable energy conservation standards or water conservation standards (in the case of faucets, showerheads, water closets, and urinals) .

Any manufacturer of a covered product with annual gross revenues that do not exceed $8,000,000 from all its operations (including the manufacture and sale of covered products) for the 12-month period preceding the date of application may apply for an exemption. In determining the annual gross revenues of any manufacturer under this subpart, the annual gross revenue of any other person who controls, is controlled, by, or is under common control with, such manufacturer shall be taken into account.

(a) Each application filed under this subpart shall be submitted in triplicate to: U.S. Department of Energy, Small Business Exemptions, Appliance Efficiency Standards, Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Renewable Energy, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585.

(b) An application shall be in writing and shall include the following:

(1) Name and mailing address of applicant;

(2) Whether the applicant controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another manufacturer, and if so, the nature of that control relationship;

(3) The text or substance of the standard or portion thereof for which the exemption is sought and the length of time desired for the exemption;

(4) Information showing the annual gross revenue of the applicant for the preceding 12-month period from all of its operations (including the manufacture and sale of covered products):

(5) Information to show that failure to grant an exemption is likely to result in a lessening of competition;

(6) Such other information, if any, believed to be pertinent by the petitioner; and

(7) Such other information as the Secretary may require.

(a) The applicant shall serve a copy of the application, all supporting documents and all subsequent submissions, or a copy from which confidential information has been deleted pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, to the Secretary, which may be made available for public review.

(b) Within fifteen (15) days of the receipt of an application, the Secretary will either accept it for filing or reject it, and the applicant will be so notified in writing. Only such applications which conform to the requirements of this subpart and which contain sufficient information for the purposes of a substantive decision will be accepted for filing. Applications which do not so conform will be rejected and an explanation provided to the applicant in writing.

(c) For the purpose of this subpart, an application is deemed to be filed on the date it is accepted for filing.

(d) Promptly after receipt of an application and its acceptance for filing, notice of such application shall be published in the Federal Register. The notice shall set forth the availability for public review of data and information available, and shall solicit comments, data and information with respect to the determination on the application. Except as may otherwise be specified, the period for public comment shall be 60 days after the notice appears in the Federal Register.

(e) The Secretary on his own initiative may convene a hearing if, in his discretion, he considers such hearing will advance his evaluation of the application.

Notice of the application for exemption under this subpart shall be transmitted to the Attorney General by the Secretary and shall contain (a) a statement of the facts and of the reasons for the exemption, and (b) copies of all documents submitted.

The Secretary shall grant an application for exemption submitted under this subpart if the Secretary finds, after obtaining the written views of the Attorney General, that a failure to allow an exemption would likely result in a lessening of competition.

(a) Upon consideration of the application and other relevant information received or obtained, the Secretary shall issue an order granting or denying the application.

(b) The order shall include a written statement setting forth the relevant facts and the legal basis of the order.

(c) The Secretary shall serve a copy of the order upon the applicant and upon any other person readily identifiable by the Secretary as one who is interested in or aggrieved by such order. The Secretary also shall publish in the Federal Register a notice of the grant or denial of the order and the reason therefor.

A temporary exemption terminates according to its terms but not later than twenty-four months after the affective date of the rule for which the exemption is allowed.