Comments to DOE on Request for Information on Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs

VIA ELECTRONIC FILING

To: U.S. Department of Energy
Office of the General Counsel
1000 Independence Ave SW, Room 6A245
Washington, DC 20585
(Regulatory.Review@hq.doe.gov)

Re: Request for Information on Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs; Federal Register Vol. 82, No. 102 (Tuesday, May 30, 2017)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Chamber), the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations, and dedicated to promoting, protecting, and defending America’s free enterprise system, offers these comments in response to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) May 30, 2017, request for information (RFI) to identify existing regulations, paperwork requirements, and other regulatory obligations that can be modified or repealed, consistent with law, to achieve meaningful burden reduction.

The Chamber has identified regulations that it believes the Department of Energy should repeal or modify. These regulations are particularly onerous to the business community, reducing investment and curtailing economic growth and job creation. In addition, the Chamber has identified regulatory policy at DOE that should be reformed in order to ensure that the associated regulatory provisions achieve their original intent. Finally, the Chamber believes it is important to stress the importance of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs) and recognize DOE’s leadership in ensuring that these programs continue to deliver benefits to the federal government while creating jobs and helping to grow the economy...