  
  
G/TBT/N/USA/1639/Rev.1  
23 July 2021  
(21-5779) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
Revision  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (OEERE), 
Department of Energy (DOE)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regard ing the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [   ], other :   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading.  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  
Showerheads; Vocabularies (ICS 01.040), Quality (ICS 03.120), Environmental protection 
(ICS 13.020), Valves (ICS 23.060), Installations in buildings (ICS 91.140)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Energy 
Conservation Prog ram: Definition of Showerhead (14 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice of proposed rulemaking and announcement of public 
meeting  
In this notice of proposed rulemaking ("NOPR"), the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") 
proposes to revise the  current definition of "showerhead" adopted in the 16 December 
2020 final rule ("December 2020 Final Rule") by reinstating the prior definition of 
"showerhead." This reinstatement of the prior definition is consistent with the purposes 
of the Energy Policy  and Conservation Act ("EPCA"). Further, DOE has tentatively 
determined that, in reinstating the prior definition of "showerhead," all showerheads 
within a product containing multiple showerheads will be considered part of a single 
showerhead for determini ng compliance with the 2.5 gallons per minute ("gpm") 
standard. In addition, DOE proposes to remove the current definition of "body spray" 
adopted in the December 2020 Final Rule. Finally, DOE does not propose any changes to 
the definition of "safety showe r showerhead" adopted in the December 2020 Final Rule. 
DOE invites comment on all aspects of this proposal, including data and information to 
assist in evaluating whether the definition of "showerhead" from the October 2013 Final 
Rule should be reinstated,  and announces a webinar to collect comments and data on its 
proposal.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Consumer information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and 
consumer protection; Protection of the environment; Quality requirements   G/TBT/N/USA/1639/Rev.1  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:  86 Federal Register (FR) 38594, 22 July 2021; Title 10 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CF R) Part 430:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2021-07-22/html/2021 -15528.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2021-07-22/pdf/2021 -15528.pdf  
This notice of proposed rulemaking and announcement of  public meeting is identified by 
Docket Number  EERE-2021-BT-STD-0016. The Docket Folder is available on 
Regulations.gov  at: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE -2021-BT-STD-
0016/document  and provides access to primary documents as well as comments received. 
Documents are also accessib le from  Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket 
Number.   WTO Members and their stakeholders are asked to submit comments to the  USA 
TBT Enquiry Poin t. Comments received by the USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO Members 
and their stakeholders will be shared with the regulator and will also be submitted to 
the Docket on Regulations.gov  if received within the comment period.  
Previous actions notified under the symbol G/TBT/N/USA/1639  are identified by Docket 
Number EERE -2020-BT-TP-0002. The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE -2020-BT-TP-0002/document  and provides 
access to primary and supporting documents as well as comments received. Documents 
are also accessible from Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  20 September 2021  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone or fax 
numbers  and email and website address es, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/USA/21_4808_00_e.pdf  
 