Commission Approves Federal Register Notice Announcing Regulatory Reviews Scheduled for 2008; FTC Issues Federal Register Notice Regarding Labeling Requirements for Biodiesel Fuels

The Federal Trade Commission has approved the publication of a Federal Register notice announcing the rules and guide that it will review in 2008 under its routine regulatory review process. As detailed in the notice, which will be published soon and is available now on the FTC’s Web site and as a link to this press release, in 2008, the Commission will conduct a regulatory review of: 1) the Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (Green Guides); 2) the Rule Concerning Cooling-Off Period Sales Made at Homes or at Certain Other Locations (Cooling-Off Rule); and 3) the Power Output Claims for Amplifiers Utilized in Home Entertainment Products Rule (Amplifier Rule). The notice states that the FTC will solicit public comments on the rules and guide review, provides staff contact information for each of the regulatory reviews, and sets forth a revised regulatory review schedule for the next 10 years.

The Commission vote approving publication of the notice was 5-0. (FTC File No. P924214; the staff contact is Janice Podoll Frankle, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3022.)

The Commission has approved the publication of a Federal Register notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the labeling requirements for biodiesel fuels. As detailed in the notice, which will be published soon and is available now on the FTC’s Web site and as a link to this press release, the Commission is proposing to amend the Fuel Rating Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 306) to include rating, certification, and labeling requirements for biodiesel fuel. The proposed labeling requirements are mandated by Section 205 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Each of the proposed changes is described in the Federal Register notice, which also provides general information on the Fuel Rating Rule, the definition of “biodiesel,” questions commenters may wish to address, and how such comments should be submitted. All comments on the proposed rulemaking must be received by the FTC by April 7, 2008.

The Commission vote approving publication of the notice was 5-0. (FTC File No. R811005; the staff contacts are Hampton Newsome, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-2889 and Matthew Wilshire, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-2976.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.