Rule Concerning Disclosures Regarding Energy Consumption and Water Use of Certain Home Appliances and Other Products Required Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (``Appliance Labeling Rule'')

The Federal Trade Commission (``Commission'') amends its Appliance Labeling Rule by publishing new ranges of comparability to be used on required labels for dishwashers. The Commission also announces that the current ranges of comparability for storage-type water heaters, heat pump water heaters, instantaneous water heaters, pool heaters, room air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, and split-system and single package central air conditioners and heat pumps will remain in effect until further notice. Finally, the Commission amends the portions of Appendices H (Cooling Performance and Cost for Central Air Conditioners) and I (Heating Performance and Cost for Central Air Conditioners) to Part 305 that contain cost calculation formulas. These amendments change the figures in the formulas to reflect the current Representative Average Unit Cost of Electricity that was published in November, 1996, by the Department of Energy (``DOE'').