Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 35 / Friday, February 21, 1997 / Notices 8011

its filings to all other parties. If you

want to become intervenor you must file

a motion to intervene according to Rule

214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR

385.214) (see appendix 2).

You do not need intervenor status to

have your scoping comments

considered.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–4246 Filed 2–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–5691–5]

Protection of Stratospheric Ozone:

Notice of Revocation of a Technician

Certification Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of revocation.

SUMMARY: Through this action EPA is

announcing the revocation of

Refrigerant Certification Services (RCS)

of Houston, Texas, previously approved

to provide the technician certification

exam in accordance with the regulations

promulgated at 40 CFR part 82 subpart

F. RCS was issued a letter of revocation

on February 13, 1997, that included an

explanation of the basis for EPA’s

decision.

This program has not complied with

the requirements established for

technician certification programs

pursuant to section 608 of the Clean Air

Act Amendments (the Act). In

accordance with those requirements, all

approved technician certification

programs must provide the certification

test and issue credentials consistent

with the applicable requirements.

Failure to comply with any of the

requirements may result in revocation.

RCS has been indicted for criminal

actions directly related to the

administration of the section 608

Technician Certification Program.

In accordance with 40 CFR 82.161(e),

EPA revoked approval of RCS to offer

the section 608 Technician Certification

Program on February 13, 1997. RCS is

no longer authorized to certify

technicians or issue valid certification

credentials.

The criminal indictment against RCS

and the three related indictments

against RCS representatives are based on

information regarding administration of

certification test and inappropriate

issuance of credentials. Therefore, most

technicians certified by RCS during the

period that the program operated an

EPA-approved program will remain

certified in accordance with 40 CFR

section 82.161(a). Technicians that were

not properly certified by RCS and/or

were issued credentials indicating that

such certification did occur properly

will be contacted by EPA. Technicians

that comprise this subset either

participated in testing events proctored

by Herman E Brodzenski or were in

contact with Mr. Brodzenski regarding

the issuance of certification credentials.

EPA would like to clarify that not every

technician that participated in testing

events administered by Mr. Brodzenski

may be contacted by EPA. However, a

group of approximately 100 technicians

that either participated in a testing event

or requested the issuance of certification

credentials from Mr. Brodzenski will be

contacted regarding whether or not

these individuals are properly certified.

DATE: Refrigerant Certification Services

had their approval to offer a technician

certification program revoked, effective

February 13, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sue

Stendebach, Program Implementation

Branch, Stratospheric Protection

Division, Office of Atmospheric

Programs, Office of Air and Radiation

(6205–J), 401 M Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20460, 202/233–9117.

The Stratospheric Ozone Information

Hotline at 1–800–296–1996 can also be

contacted for further information.

Dated: February 13, 1997.

Paul M. Stolpman,

Director, Office Of Atmospheric Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–4331 Filed 2–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

[FRL–5692–5]

Proposed Settlement Agreement,

Clean Air Act Suit

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency.

ACTION: Notice of proposed settlement;

request for public comment.

SUMMARY: In accordance with section

113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as amended,

(‘‘CAA’’), notice is hereby given of a

proposed settlement agreement, which

was lodged with the United States

District Court for the District of

Columbia by the United States

Environmental Protection Agency

(‘‘EPA’’) on January 31, 1997, in a

lawsuit filed by the Washington Legal

Foundation. A number of United States

Senators and Representatives are coplaintiffs. This lawsuit concerns, among

other things, EPA’s alleged failure to

meet mandatory deadlines under

section 312 of the CAA to provide to

Congress (1) a Cost/Benefit Report

regarding the costs and benefits of past

compliance with certain CAA standards

(‘‘Retrospective Report’’) and (2) the first

Cost/Benefit Report making projections

into the future regarding expected costs,

benefits and other effects of compliance

with CAA standards (‘‘Prospective

Report’’). The proposed settlement

agreement provides that EPA shall

promulgate the Retrospective Report to

Congress no later than October 15, 1997

and the first Prospective Report no later

than August 30, 1999.

For a period of thirty (30) days

following the date of publication of this

notice, the Agency will accept written

comments relating to the proposed

settlement agreement from persons who

were not named as parties to the

litigation in question. In accordance

with section 113(g) of the CAA, EPA or

the Department of Justice may withhold

or withdraw consent to the proposed

settlement agreement if the comments

disclose facts or circumstances that

indicate that such consent is

inappropriate, improper, inadequate, or

inconsistent with the requirements of

the Act. Unless EPA or the Department

of Justice determines, following the

comment period, that consent is

inappropriate, the parties intend that

the CAA provisions of the final

settlement agreement, including the

deadlines for the promulgation of the

reports provided for in § 312, will be

incorporated into an appropriate order

of the court.

A copy of the proposed settlement

agreement was lodged with the Clerk of

the United States District Court for the

District of Columbia on January 31,

1997. Copies are also available from

Samantha Hooks (2344), Air and

Radiation Division, Office of General

Counsel, U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, 401 M Street, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20460, (202) 260–

7620. Written comments should be sent

to Hale Hawbecker at the above address

and must be submitted on or before

March 24, 1997.

Dated: February 10, 1997.

Scott C. Fulton,

Acting General Counsel.

[FR Doc. 97–4322 Filed 2–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–M