Adoption of Energy Efficiency Standards for New Construction of HUD- and USDA-Financed Housing: Preliminary Determination and Solicitation of Comment; Extension of Comment Period

Résumé

On May 18, 2023, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published in the Federal Register a notice of preliminary determination entitled "Adoption of Energy Efficiency Standards for New Construction of HUD- and USDA-Financed Housing: Preliminary Determination and of Comment," announcing the two agencies' joint preliminary determination, as required under section 481(d)(1) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), that adoption of the 2021 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2019 code standards will not negatively affect the affordability and availability of housing for new construction of HUD and USDA housing covered by EISA and seeking public comment on the preliminary determination. The preliminary determination is the first step to ultimately requiring compliance with these standards in HUD and USDA housing covered by EISA. The notice provided for a 60-day comment period, which would have ended July 17, 2023. HUD has determined that a 21-day extension of the comment period, until August 7, 2023, is appropriate. This extension will allow interested persons additional time to analyze the preliminary determination and