New regs for Friday: Toys, elephant trophies, energy

Friday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new testing requirements for children’s toys, energy conservation standards for air conditioners, and a prohibition on importing certain African elephant trophies.

Here’s what is happening:

Toys: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is loosening the testing requirements for children’s toys.

{mosads}Manufacturers will not be required to test unfinished and untreated wood found in toys for heavy elements. 

The direct final rule goes into effect in 60 days.

Efficiency: The Department of Energy is moving forward with new energy conservation standards for certain air conditioners, heat pumps and water heaters.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is issuing the new efficiency rules that apply to “small three-phase commercial air-cooled air conditioners and heat pumps less than 65,000 Btu/h; water-source heat pumps; and commercial oil-fired storage water heaters.”

The changes go into effect in 60 days.

Elephants: The Fish and Wildlife Service will uphold rules that block hunters from importing African elephant trophies taken in Zimbabwe.

The agency expressed an “inability to determine that the killing of the animal whose trophy is intended for import into the United States would enhance the survival of the species in the wild.”

Drugs: The Food and Drug Administration is issuing a draft guidance for measuring the “testicular toxicity” of drugs.

The draft guidance will help drug manufacturers “identify nonclinical signals of testicular toxicity and to evaluate the potential for such toxicity in humans,” the agency wrote. 

The public has 90 days to comment.