PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Filed February 28, 2022, 11:33 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Potential change in effective date of WAC 194-24-180 requiring a modular communications port (CTA-2045) on new water heaters.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 19.260.070(7), 19.260.080(2).

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Department of commerce (commerce) adopted an emergency rule suspending the effective date of WAC 194-24-180 Electric storage water heaters, due to an inability of manufacturers to obtain parts required for the required modular communications port (CTA-2045). The inability is caused by supply chain disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the currently adopted emergency rule, the suspension is effective until March 1, 2022. In light of continuing economic and supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, commerce has determined that a further delay to the effective date is warranted. Commerce is issuing this notice of intent to amend WAC 194-24-180 to establish a reasonable effective date for WAC 194-24-180 on a permanent basis.

Process for Developing New Rule: Standard rule-making process.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Liz Reichart, P.O. Box 42525, Olympia, WA 98504, phone 360-515-8194, email appliances@commerce.wa.gov, website commerce.wa.gov/appliances.

Additional comments: Commerce maintains an email distribution list for communication with stakeholders. Interested parties may add their names to the distribution list by visiting the web page listed above.