[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 42 (Thursday, March 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11777-11779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4776]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0033; FRL-9275-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; EPA's ENERGY STAR[supreg] Product 
Labeling (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection 
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the 
nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before April 4, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2003-0033 to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3a5b175b545e1748175e5559515f4e7a5f4a5b145d554c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="88e9a5e9e6eca5faa5ece7ebe3edfcc8edf8e9a6efe7fe">[email protected]</span></a> or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket, 
Mailcode 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and 
(2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Kent, Climate Protection 
Partnership Division, Office of Air and Radiation, Mailcode 6202J, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-343-9046; fax number: 202-
343-2200; email address; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cfa4aaa1bbe1aca7bda6bcbba0bfa7aabd8faabfaee1a8a0b9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1e757b706a307d766c776d6a716e767b6c5e7b6e7f30797168">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On October 5, 2010 (75 FR 61481), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any 
additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB 
within 30 days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0033, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person

[[Page 11778]]

viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. 
The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number 
for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the telephone number for the 
Air and Radiation Docket is 202-566-1742.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public 
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made 
available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov as EPA 
receives them and without change, unless the comment contains 
copyrighted material, confidential business information (CBI), or other 
information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For 
further information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Title: EPA's ENERGY STAR[supreg] Product Labeling (Renewal)
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2078.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0528.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2011. 
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor 
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 
An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a collection of information, unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations 
in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when 
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, and are displayed either by 
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such 
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The 
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is 
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: ENERGY STAR is a voluntary program developed in 
collaboration with industry to create a self-sustaining market for 
energy efficient products. The center piece of the program is the 
ENERGY STAR label, a registered certification label that helps 
consumers identify products that save energy, save money, and help 
protect the environment without sacrificing quality or performance. In 
order to protect the integrity of the label and enhance its 
effectiveness in the marketplace, EPA must ensure that products 
carrying the label meet appropriate program requirements.
    The ENERGY STAR program has determined it necessary to shift from a 
self-certification program to one in which we have an enhanced 
qualification and verification process with all testing being done in 
EPA recognized, accredited labs and partners participating in product 
specific certification programs. These changes are an effort to 
preserve the consumer confidence in the ENERGY STAR label and to 
protect the significant value it offers program partners. EPA believes 
that the new requirements will mean that leadership companies' 
participation and the ENERGY STAR label will become even more 
meaningful in the market. Maintaining the value of this brand requires 
ensuring products labeled with the ENERGY STAR deliver on their promise 
to the consumer. Beginning in January 2011, manufacturers must obtain 
third party certification for new products labeled with the ENERGY STAR 
mark. As with previous program requirements, program participants 
submit signed Partnership Agreements indicating that they will adhere 
to logo-use guidelines and that participating products meet specified 
energy performance criteria based on a standard test method.
    As part of our contribution to the overall success of the program, 
EPA has agreed to facilitate the sale of qualifying products by 
providing consumers with easy-to-use information about the products. To 
be effective, EPA and its relevant recognized certification body must 
receive qualifying product information from participating 
manufacturers. Partners need to provide qualifying information prior to 
labeling so as to ensure that EPA information is recent and accurate. 
The information will be compiled by the certification body which will 
then provide EPA with the appropriate data so the product may be 
incorporated into a complete qualifying products list per product 
category, posted on the ENERGY STAR Web site, and supplied to those 
purchasers who request it via phone, fax, or e-mail.
    In order to monitor progress and support the best allocation of 
resources, EPA also asks manufacturers to submit annual shipment data 
for their ENERGY STAR qualifying products. EPA is flexible as to the 
methods by which manufacturers may submit unit shipment data. For 
example, if manufacturers already submit this type of information to a 
third party, such as a trade association, they are given the option of 
arranging for shipment data to be sent to EPA via this third party to 
avoid duplication of efforts and to ensure confidentiality. In using 
any shipment data received directly from a partner, EPA will mask the 
source of the data so as to protect confidentiality.
    Finally, Partners that wish to receive recognition for their 
efforts in ENERGY STAR may submit an application for the Partner of the 
Year Award.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 28 
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or 
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This 
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, 
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of 
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and 
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; 
adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable 
instructions and requirements which have subsequently changed; train 
personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search 
data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and 
transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Respondents for this information 
collection request include Partners in ENERGY STAR. Partners are 
product manufacturers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2050.
    Frequency of Response: Initially/one-time and annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 65,338 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $4,344,125, that includes $32,543 in 
Operations and Maintenance Costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 31,750 hours in 
the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of 
Approved ICR Burdens. There are several reasons for the change in 
reporting burden. EPA has changed the ENERGY STAR program from a self-
certification program to an enhanced qualification process with all 
partners participating in product specific certification programs. 
Partners no longer report directly to EPA to qualify their models but 
instead work with third party certification bodies who will provide 
EPA, on a regular basis, with a list of certified models that EPA will 
post on our web site EPA increased the estimated number of

[[Page 11779]]

respondents for Partnership Agreements, Unit Shipment data, and Award 
applications based on improved and updated data and analysis.

    Dated: February 25, 2011.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2011-4776 Filed 3-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


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