[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5546-5549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3193]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5421-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities Up for Renewal: National 
Recycling and Emissions Reduction Program, OMB Number: 2060-0256

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request 
(ICR): National Recycling and Emissions Reduction Program, OMB Number: 
2060-0256, EPA Control Number: 1626.03, is coming up for renewal. 
Before submitting the renewal package to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the 
collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted in duplicate to the attention 
of Air Docket No. A-92-01 VIII.J at: Environmental Protection Agency, 
401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 20460. The Air and Radiation Docket 
and Information Center is located in Room M-1500, Waterside Mall 
(Ground Floor), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20460. Dockets may be inspected from 8:30 a.m. to 
5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. A reasonable fee may be charged for 
copying docket materials.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Ottinger, (202) 233-9149. 
Facsimile number: (202) 233-9577. For questions only, you may use the 
electronic address: [email protected]. All comments must 
be sent to the docket.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Affected entities: Entities affected by this 
action are refrigeration and air conditioning service and repair shops, 
plumbing, heating, and air conditioning contractors, refrigerated 
transport service dealers, scrap metal recyclers, and automobile 
dismantlers and recyclers. Additional entities affected include Clean 
Air Act Section 608 technician certification programs, equipment 
certification programs, refrigerant wholesalers and reclaimers, and 
other establishments that perform refrigerant removal at service and 
disposal.
    Title: ``National Recycling and Emissions Reduction Program'' OMB 
Control Number: 2060-0256. EPA Control Number: 1626.03. Expiration 
Date: May 31, 1996.
    Abstract: In 1993, EPA promulgated regulations under Section 608 of 
the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Act) for the recycling of CFCs 
and HCFCs in air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment. These 
regulations were published in 58 FR 28660, and are codified at 40 CFR 
Subpart F (Sec. 82.150 et seq.). The reasons the information is being 
collected, the way the information is to be used, and whether the 
requirements are mandatory, voluntary, or required to obtain a benefit, 
are described below. The ICR renewal does not include any burden for 
third-party or public disclosures not previously reviewed and approved 
by 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 are listed in 40 CFR Part 9.
    Equipment Testing Organizations. Equipment testing organizations 
must apply to EPA to become approved. Approved equipment testing 
organizations must maintain records of the tests performed and their 
results, and must submit a list of all certified equipment to EPA 
annually. Testing organizations must notify EPA whenever a new model of 
equipment is certified or whenever an existing certified models fails a 
recertification test. Information collected from equipment certifiers 
is required to ensure that recycling and recovery equipment meets the 
performance standards of the regulation and that all approved testing 
laboratories have the equipment and expertise to test equipment to 
these standards.
    Servicing and Disposal Establishments. Persons maintaining, 
servicing, repairing, or disposing of appliances must certify to EPA 
that they have acquired certified recycling or recovery equipment and 
are complying with the requirements of the rule. This certification 
must be renewed in the event of a change of ownership of the service or 
disposal establishment. In addition, service establishments are 
required to maintain adequate documentation of technician 
certification. These requirements help the Agency to target its 
enforcement efforts.
    Reclaimers. Refrigerant reclaimers must maintain records of the 
names and addresses of persons sending them material for reclamation as 
well as the quantity of the material (the combined mass of refrigerant 
and contaminants) sent. In addition, reclaimers must maintain records 
of the mass of refrigerant reclaimed and the mass of waste products. 
Reclaimers must report this information (total quantities) to the 
Agency annually. This information helps the Agency track refrigerant 
use to insure that no refrigerant is vented at service or disposal.
    Refrigerant Wholesalers. Wholesalers must maintain records 
indicating the names of purchasers, dates of sales, and quantities of 
refrigerant purchased. This information helps the Agency to track 
refrigerant use and identify points of noncompliance. The Agency 
believes that wholesalers already maintain such records. In addition to 
normal business records, wholesalers have to maintain records verifying 
that purchasers of refrigerant are properly certified. These records 
will be used by EPA inspectors to ensure that refrigerants are only 
sold to certified technicians. This is to guarantee that individuals 
who purchase refrigerant are aware of the legal restrictions on its 
use.
    Disposers. Persons disposing of small appliances, room air 
conditioners, and MVACs must maintain copies of signed statements 
attesting that the refrigerant has been removed prior to final disposal 
of each appliance. This information helps EPA to verify that 
refrigerant is recovered at some point during the disposal process even 
if the final 

[[Page 5547]]
disposer does not have recovery equipment.
    Technicians. In order for technicians to use recycling and recovery 
equipment, they have to pass a certification test. Technicians have to 
maintain a wallet-sized certification card. The test is necessary to 
ensure that technicians understand refrigerant recovery procedures and 
regulations. The card is necessary to ensure that only certified 
technicians perform work on air conditioning and refrigeration 
equipment or purchase refrigerants.
    Technician Certification Programs. Organizations operating 
technician certification programs have to apply to EPA to have their 
program approved. Approved technician certification programs have to 
maintain records including the names of certified technicians and the 
unique numbers assigned to each technician certified through their 
programs. Approved technician certification programs also have to 
submit a report to EPA every six months including the pass/fail rate 
and testing schedules.
    The application process ensures that the technician certification 
programs meet minimum standards for generating, tracking, and grading 
tests, and keeping records. Record maintenance allows both the Agency 
and the certification program to verify certification claims and 
monitor the certification process. The semiannual reports give the 
Agency the ability to evaluate certification programs and modify the 
certification test if necessary.
    Refrigeration and air conditioning equipment owners. Owners of 
refrigeration or air conditioning equipment that contain more than 50 
pounds of refrigerant must maintain records of the quantity of 
refrigerant used during each service procedure performed for the 
equipment. This ensures that owners can determine when they are subject 
to leak repair requirements. In addition, equipment owners who decided 
not to repair leaks must develop and maintain a record of a plan that 
states that the equipment will be either retired, replaced or 
retrofitted. The development of such a plan ensures that equipment 
owners intend to take action to reduce emissions.
    Owners of Industrial Process Refrigeration. Under an amendment to 
the section 608 rule that was promulgated on August 8, 1995 (60 FR 
40420), owners of industrial process refrigeration equipment who wish 
to receive an extension or exclusion under the leak repair amendment 
are subject to the following reporting and recordkeeping requirements. 
(The Office of Management and Budget approved the amendment to the ICR 
reflecting this amendment on September 28, 1995.)
    (1) Those persons wishing to extend leak repair compliance beyond 
the required 30 days must maintain and submit to EPA information 
identifying the facility, the leak rate, the method used to determine 
the leak rate and full charge, the date a leak rate greater than 
allowable was discovered, the location of the leaks, any repair work 
completed thus far and date completed, a plan to fix other outstanding 
leaks to achieve allowable leak rate, reasons why greater than 30 days 
is needed, and an estimate of when repair work will be completed. Any 
dates and results of static and dynamic tests must also be maintained 
and submitted to EPA.
    (2) Those persons wishing to extend retrofit compliance beyond the 
required one year must maintain and submit to EPA information 
identifying the facility, the leak rate, the method used to determine 
the leak rate and full charge, the date a leak rate of greater than the 
allowable rate was discovered, the location of leaks, any repair work 
that has been completed thus far and date completed, a plan to complete 
the retrofit or replacement of the system, the reasons why more than 
one year is necessary, the date of notification to EPA, an estimate of 
when retrofit or replacement work will be completed, if time changes 
for original estimates occur, documentation of the reason why, and the 
date of notification to EPA regarding a change in the estimate of when 
the work will be completed.
    (3) Those persons wishing to exclude purged refrigerants that are 
destroyed from the annual leak rate calculations must maintain records 
on-site to support the amount of refrigerant claimed sent for 
destruction. These records must include flow rate, quantity or 
concentration of the refrigerant in the vent stream, and periods of 
purge flow.
    (4) Those persons wishing to calculate the full charge of an 
affected appliance by establishing a range based on the best available 
data, regarding the normal operating characteristics and conditions for 
the appliance, must maintain records on-site to support the methodology 
used in selecting or modifying the particular range.
    The sum of these changes represents an increase in reporting 
requirements only for those persons wishing to receive an extension or 
exclusion under the leak repair amendment.
    These reporting and recordkeeping requirements allow determinations 
to be made regarding requested extensions and exclusions under the 
amendments to the leak repair provisions, which were written in 
response to industry concerns and with the concurrence of industry. 
Specifically, the amendments allow for persons to extend their 
compliance deadlines, to exclude destroyed purged refrigerants from 
leak rate calculations, or to use a range rather than calculate the 
full charge, when certain circumstances exist. EPA would be unable to 
make determinations as to the viability of a claim regarding the need 
for an extension without the information under the recordkeeping and 
reporting requirements. In negotiating the settlement agreement with 
members of CMA, those members agreed with the proposed recordkeeping 
and reporting requirements.
    The EPA would like to solicit comments to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information;
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Burden Statement: The annual burden is reported in this Notice by 
annual respondent burden. The burden hours shown have been 
significantly reduced from the original ICR because most of the burden 
hours in the original ICR (technician certification, certification by 
service establishments, applications by equipment and technician 
certifiers) were associated with the start-up of the program. This 
estimate 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; 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.

[[Page 5548]]


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Burden  
                   Collection activities                        hours   
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i. Equipment Testing Organizations:                                     
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Submit to EPA annual list of all equipment                      
         previously certified..............................            1
        Notify EPA of certification of new models..........            5
        Maintain records of equipment tested and its                    
         performance.......................................            0
        Notify EPA of equipment failing retests or                      
         inspections.......................................            2
Total Annual Burden: Hour total (8) x Number of Respondents             
 (2)=16 hours.                                                          
ii. Certification by Service Establishments that Change                 
 Ownership or Enter the Market:                                         
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Compile information, complete certification                     
         requirements......................................          .25
        Maintain proof of employee certification...........          .25
Total Annual Burden: Hour total (.5) x Number of                        
 Respondents (2,250)=1125 hours.                                        
iii. Certification by Disposal Establishments that Change               
 Ownership or Enter the Market:                                         
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Compile information, complete certification                     
         requirements......................................          .25
        Maintain proof of employee certification...........          .25
Total Annual Burden: Hour total (.5) x Number of                        
 Respondents (25)=12.5 hours.                                           
iv. Maintenance of copies of signed statements by disposal              
 establishments:                                                        
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Maintain copies of signed statements verifying                  
         evacuation of refrigerant.........................           20
Total Annual Burden: Hour total (20) x Number of                        
 Respondents (500)=10,000 hours.                                        
v. Certification by Refrigerant Reclaimers that Change                  
 Ownership or Enter the Market:                                         
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Completing certification and submitting it to EPA               
         Headquarters......................................            2
Total Annual Burden: Hour Total (2) x Number of respondents             
 (20)=40.                                                               
vi. Reclaimer Reporting:                                                
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Compiling information and submitting it to EPA                  
         Headquarters......................................            5
Total Annual Burden: Hour Total (5) x Number of respondents             
 (80)=400.                                                              
vii. Refrigerant Wholesalers:                                           
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Maintain usual business records of refrigerant                  
         sales transactions................................            0
        Maintain normal invoices...........................            0
        Maintain records of technician certification.......            8
Total Annual Burden: Hour total (8) x Number of respondents             
 (5,000)=40,000.                                                        
viii. Technician Certification Programs Applying for                    
 Approval:                                                              
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Compiling information to become approved and                    
         submitting it to EPA Headquarters.................           30
Total Annual Burden: Hour Total (30) x Number of                        
 respondents (10)=300.                                                  
ix. Recordkeeping by Existing Technician Certification                  
 Programs:                                                              
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Maintain records of certified technicians,                      
         individuals taking the tests, test scores,                     
         locations, and dates of tests.....................            0
        Submit report to EPA every 6 months................           16
Total Annual Burden: Hour Total (16) x Number of                        
 respondents (100)=1600 hours.                                          
x. Technicians Acquiring Certification and Maintaining                  
 Certification Cards:                                                   
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Register and take certification test...............            3
        Maintain certification card........................          .02
Total Annual Burden: Hour Total (3) x Number of respondents             
 (30,000)=90,000 hours.                                                 
Hour Total (.02) x Number of respondents (300,000)=6,000                
 hours.                                                                 
Total: 96,000 hours.                                                    
xi. Owners of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Equipment:             
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Keep records of the quantity of refrigerant used                
         during service procedures.........................           .1
        Develop and maintain plan to retire, replace, or                
         retrofit equipment................................            2
Total Annual Burden: Hour Total (.1) x Number of                        
 respondents (1,968,000)= 196,800.                                      
Hour Total (2) x Number of respondents (35,850)=71,700.                 
Total: 268,500 hours.                                                   
xii. Owners of Industrial Process Refrigeration Equipment:              
    Annual Respondent Burden:                                           
        Prepare requests for 30-day extensions.............            5
        Prepare requests for retrofit extensions...........            8
        Maintain information on purged and destroyed                    
         refrigerant.......................................            4
        Maintain information on the calculation of the full             
         charge using a range..............................            4
        Perform and document results of static and dynamic              
         tests.............................................            4
Total Annual Burden (same order as above):                              
Hour total (5) x Number of respondents (30)=150.                        
Hour total (8) x Number of respondents (30)=240.                        
Hour total (4) x Number of respondents (60)=240.                        
Hour total (4) x Number of respondents (30)=120.                        
Hour total (4) x Number of respondents (60)=240.                        
Total: 990 hours.                                                       
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[[Page 5549]]

    Send comments regarding these matters, or any other aspects of the 
information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, 
to the address listed above under ADDRESSES near the top of this 
Notice.

    Dated: February 6, 1996.
Paul M. Stolpman,
Director, Office of Atmospheric Programs.
[FR Doc. 96-3193 Filed 2-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P