Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-1016-0007
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: National Refrigerant Recycling and Emissions Reduction Program
Posted Date: 2014-10-30T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 210 (Thursday, October 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64590-64591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25753]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-1016; FRL-9918-64-OEI]

Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; The National Refrigerant Recycling and 
Emissions Reduction Program (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), ``The National Refrigerant 
Recycling and Emissions Reduction Program'' (EPA ICR No. 1626.12, OMB 
Control No. 2060-0256) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is 
currently approved through November 30, 2014. Public comments were 
previously requested via the Federal Register 79 FR 40753 on July 14, 
2014 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an 
additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR 
is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 
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.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before December 1, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2010-1016 to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by email to: a-and-r-

[[Page 64591]]

docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to 
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Burchard, Stratospheric Program 
Division, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number (202) 343-9126; fax number: 
(202) 343-2338; email address: burchard.robert@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents, which explain in 
detail the information that the EPA will be collecting, are available 
in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: EPA developed regulations under the Clean Air Act 
Amendments of 1990 (CAA) regarding the use and disposal of class I and 
class II ozone-depleting substances used as refrigerants during the 
service, maintenance, repair, or disposal of refrigeration and air-
conditioning equipment. Section 608(c) of the CAA states that it is 
unlawful for any person in the course of maintaining, servicing, 
repairing, or disposing of refrigeration or air-conditioning equipment 
to knowingly vent or otherwise knowingly release or dispose of a class 
I or class II substance used as a refrigerant in the equipment in a 
manner which permits the substance to enter the environment.
    In 1993, EPA promulgated regulations under section 608 of the CAA 
for the recycling of ozone-depleting refrigerants recovered during 
servicing and disposal of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment 
(40 CFR part 82). The regulations require persons servicing 
refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment to observe service 
practices that reduce emissions of ozone depleting refrigerants. The 
regulations also establish certification programs for technicians, 
recycling and recovery equipment, and off-site refrigerant reclaimers. 
In addition, EPA requires that ozone depleting refrigerants contained 
``in bulk'' in appliances be removed prior to disposal of the 
appliances, and that all refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment 
(except for small appliances and room air conditioners) be provided 
with a servicing aperture that facilitates recovery of the refrigerant. 
Moreover, the Agency requires that substantial refrigerant leaks in 
equipment be repaired when discovered. These regulations significantly 
reduce emissions of ozone depleting refrigerants and therefore aid 
efforts to minimize damage to the ozone layer.
    To facilitate compliance with section 608, EPA requires reporting 
and record keeping for technicians; technician certification programs; 
equipment testing organizations; refrigerant wholesalers and 
purchasers; refrigerant reclaimers; refrigeration and air-conditioning 
equipment owners; and other establishments that perform refrigerant 
removal, service, or disposal. These reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements help EPA evaluate the effectiveness of refrigerant 
regulations and reduce emissions of ozone-depleting substances.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities that recover, recycle, 
reclaim, sell or distribute in interstate commerce ozone-depleting 
refrigerants that contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or 
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs); those that service, maintain, repair, 
or dispose of appliances containing CFC or HCFC refrigerants; and those 
that own or operate appliances containing more than 50 pounds of CFC or 
HCFC refrigerants.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory.
    Estimated number of respondents: 883,680.
    Frequency of response: Primarily annually, with the exception of 
technician testing organizations that are required to report 
biannually.
    Total estimated burden: 320,537 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $14,202,991, which includes no capital or O&M 
costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a slight increase in the average 
annual burden hours currently identified in the current OMB Inventory 
of Approved ICR Burdens due to a change in the estimates.

Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2014-25753 Filed 10-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P