Letter to The Honorable Jennifer M. Granholm, Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy (June 22, 2023)

Summary

The House Committee on Small Business writes to Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm of the U.S. Department of Energy to inquire about a recent proposed rule change to energy conservation standards for battery chargers. The letter says the rule would amend the standards for four categories of battery chargers manufactured in, or imported into, the United States, and would compel small businesses to redesign products and retool production lines, increasing capital expenditures by up to 75 percent annually over the following two years. It says it appears the Department of Energy may not have properly considered small entities. The Committee requests information no later than July 6, 2023, and the signature block names Roger Williams, Chairman, and Blaine Luetkemeyer, Vice Chairman.

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Full text

                                               June 22, 2023

The Honorable Jennifer M. Granholm
Secretary
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, D.C. 20585

Dear Secretary Granholm:

       The House Committee on Small Business writes to inquire about the recent proposed rule
change to energy conservation standards for battery chargers. This rule would amend the energy
conservation standards for four categories of battery chargers that are manufactured in, or
imported into, the United States.1 It would compel small businesses to redesign their products
and incur the cost of retooling their production lines, increasing capital expenditures for
impacted small businesses by up to 75 percent annually over the following two years.2 It appears
that Department of Energy may not have properly considered small entities during this
rulemaking process.

       It is important for agencies to analyze small businesses interests, which make up 99.9
percent of all businesses in the United States, when passing any new rule. America’s small
businesses deserve to have their voices heard and considered. We therefore request the following
information as soon as possible but no later than July 6, 2023:

    1. What are your statutory requirements to examine this rule’s impact on small businesses?

    2. How many small businesses will be impacted by this rule?

    3. What additional compliance costs on small businesses are associated with this new rule?

    4. Where can small businesses go to examine your analysis on the impacts this rule will
       have on their operations?

    5. What alternatives have been considered to lessen the impacts on small businesses?



1
  Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Battery Chargers, 88 Fed. Reg. 16112 (2023)
(to be codified at 10 CFR 430).
2
  Id. at 16136.
The Honorable Jennifer M. Granholm
June 22, 2023
Page 2 of 2

       To schedule the delivery of your response or ask any related follow-up questions, please
contact Committee on Small Business Majority Staff at (202) 225-5821. The Committee on
Small Business has broad authority to investigate “problems of all types of small business” under
House Rule X. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this inquiry.”

                                           Sincerely,




__________________________                          __________________________
Roger Williams                                      Blaine Luetkemeyer
Chairman                                            Vice Chairman
Committee on Small Business                         Committee on Small Business




cc:    The Honorable Nydia M. Velasquez, Ranking Member
       Committee on Small Business


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