Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0664-0074
Agency: epa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: New Substitute in the Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning Sector Under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program
Posted Date: 2009-12-28T05:00Z

[Federal Register: December 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 247)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 68558]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28de09-31]                         

[[Page 68558]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 82

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0664; FRL-9095-6]

 
Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: New Substitute in the Motor 
Vehicle Air Conditioning Sector Under the Significant New Alternatives 
Policy (SNAP) Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: EPA issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register of October 
19, 2009, proposing to find HFO-1234yf acceptable, subject to use 
conditions as a substitute for CFC-12 in motor vehicle air 
conditioning. The proposed substitute is a non-ozone-depleting 
substance and consequently does not contribute to stratospheric ozone 
depletion. In response to requests from several stakeholders and to 
allow comments on new supporting materials, this action reopens the 
public comment period through February 1, 2010.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published October 19, 
2009 (74 FR 53445), is reopened. Comments, identified by docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0664, must be received on or 
before February 1, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0664 by one 
of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
on-line instructions for submitting comments.
    E-mail: a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov.
    Mail: Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), 
Mailcode 6102T, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0664, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    Hand Delivery: Public Reading Room, Room 3334, EPA West Building, 
1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only 
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special 
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2008-0664. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://
www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site 
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your 
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of 
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the http://
www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such 
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy.
    Publicly available docket materials are available either 
electronically in http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Air 
Docket, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC. This Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone 
number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone 
number for the Air Docket is (202) 566-1742.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margaret Sheppard, Stratospheric 
Protection Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs; Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 6205J, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9163; fax number, 
(202)343-2338; e-mail address: sheppard.margaret@epa.gov. Notices and 
rulemakings under the SNAP program are available on EPA's Stratospheric 
Ozone Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ozone/snap/regulations.html. For 
copies of the full list of SNAP decisions in all industrial sectors, 
contact the EPA Stratospheric Protection Hotline at (800) 296-1996.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The statutory and regulatory background is described in detail in 
the Federal Register proposed rule of October 19, 2009 (74 FR 53445). 
In that document, EPA proposed to find HFO-1234yf acceptable as an 
alternative refrigerant for motor vehicle air conditioning, subject to 
use conditions. The refrigerant discussed in the proposed action, for 
which the comment period is reopened, is a non-ozone-depleting 
substance.

This Action

    EPA has received a request for an extension to the December 18, 
2009, comment deadline specified in the October 19, 2009, proposed 
rule.
    This action reopens the comment period. The Agency will consider 
additional comments we receive through February 1, 2010 in response to 
this action. Note that additional information is available in the 
public docket, EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0664, since publication of the October 
19, 2009 proposed rule. EPA will also consider comments received by 
February 1, 2010 in response to the previous Federal Register 
publication [EPA-OAR-2008-0664] before issuing a final regulatory 
determination for HFO-1234yf. We intend to issue a regulatory 
determination as expeditiously as possible following consideration of 
the comments and information we receive.

    Dated: December 18, 2009.
Janet G. McCabe,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. E9-30629 Filed 12-24-09; 8:45 am]

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