Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2022-0708-0009
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: National Refrigerant Recycling and Emissions Reduction Program (Renewal)
Posted Date: 2023-04-27T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 81 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25638-25639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08872]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2022-0708: FRL-10931-01-OMS]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; National Refrigerant Recycling and Emissions Reduction Program 
(Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), National Refrigerant Recycling 
and Emissions Reduction Program'' (EPA ICR Number 1626.18, OMB Control 
Number 2060-0256) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. 
This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved 
through April 30, 2023. Public comments were previously requested via 
the Federal Register on September 19, 2022 during a 60-day comment 
period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments.

DATES: Comments may be submitted on or before May 30, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2022-0708, to EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. 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.
    Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed 
information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Burchard, Stratospheric 
Protection Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs, 6205A, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9126; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a proposed extension of the ICR, 
which is currently approved through April 30, 2023. 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.

[[Page 25639]]

    Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register 
on September 19, 2022, during a 60-day comment period (87 FR 57194). 
This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. 
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: Section 608 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), also known as the 
National Recycling and Emission Reduction Program (the Program), 
directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue regulations 
governing the use of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), including 
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), during 
the maintenance, service, repair, or disposal of air-conditioning and 
refrigeration appliances. Section 608 also prohibits knowingly venting 
or releasing ozone-depleting and substitute refrigerants in the course 
of maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of appliances or 
industrial process refrigeration except for de minimis releases 
associated with good faith attempts to recycle or recover refrigerants. 
The regulations require persons servicing refrigeration and air-
conditioning appliances to follow certain service practices that reduce 
emissions of refrigerants. The regulations also establish certification 
programs for technicians, recovery/recycling equipment, and refrigerant 
reclamation. In addition, EPA requires that refrigerants contained in 
appliances be removed prior to disposal of the appliances and that all 
refrigeration and air-conditioning appliances be provided with a 
servicing aperture that facilitates recovery of the refrigerant. The 
Agency requires that substantial refrigerant leaks in appliances 
containing ozone-depleting refrigerant be repaired when they are 
discovered.
    Form Numbers: 5900-404, 5900-405, 5900-407.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities required to comply with 
reporting and recordkeeping requirements include technicians; 
technician certification programs; refrigerant wholesalers; refrigerant 
reclaimers; refrigerant recovery equipment certification programs; 
certain refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment owners and/or 
operators; and other establishments that perform refrigerant removal, 
service, or disposal.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (40 CFR part 82, 
subpart F).
    Estimated number of respondents: 572,727 (total).
    Frequency of response: The frequency of responses varies from once 
a year to daily.
    Total estimated burden: 425,514 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: $31,432,946 (per year), includes $0 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 8,845 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease is due to adjusted respondent estimates 
for appliance leak repair and retrofit or retirement plan extension 
requests based on recently available industry data and reported 
activity.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2023-08872 Filed 4-26-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P