[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 38 (Monday, February 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7101-7102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4260]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5429-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 
3507(a)(1)(D)), this notice announces that the Information Collection 
Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes 
the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and 
burden; where appropriate, it includes the actual data collection 
instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 27, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 1772.01.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Information Collection Activities Associated with EPA's 
Energy Star Buildings Program; EPA ICR No. 1772.01. This is a new 
collection.
    Abstract: EPA's Energy Star Buildings Program is a voluntary 
program for increasing the energy efficiency of existing commercial and 
industrial buildings. The program encourages businesses, state and 
local governments, and other organizations to participate in a 
partnership with EPA to make cost-effective energy-efficiency 
improvements in their buildings. In return, EPA provides technical 
support to help program participants apply proven technologies to 
achieve maximum efficiency at the lowest cost. EPA also publicly 
recognizes participants for their efforts and publicizes their 
achievements. The goal of the program is to reduce utility-generated 
emissions by reducing the energy consumed in commercial and industrial 
buildings.
    Participation in the program is initiated by signing an Energy Star 
Buildings Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU is used to 
establish participation in the program and agreement to the terms of 
participation. Other than the name of the organization, signature, and 
date, no other information is requested on the MOU. The Energy Star 
Buildings MOU is an addendum to the Green Lights MOU, which requests 
more detailed information. The burden associated with the Green Lights 
MOU was covered in ICR No. 1614 and is not covered in this ICR.
    As a condition of program participation, partners agree to complete 
and submit to EPA an annual facility report on each building undergoing 
energy efficiency improvements. On the annual reports, partners provide 
information such as building name, building use, building size, stage 
of project completion, project cost, and historical and current energy 
use and cost. EPA uses the annual facility reports to track project 
implementation efforts and to obtain data on the costs and benefits of 
the energy efficiency improvements made. This information is used to 
calculate the amount of utility-generated emissions prevented, evaluate 
program effectiveness, and publicize partner achievements and program 
results.
    EPA will also collect additional technical information from some 
partners concerning the specific energy-efficiency improvements made. 
This collection will include information such as systems upgraded, 
technologies used, equipment costs, building age and construction, 
utility and fuel rates, financial and economic criteria used to 
evaluate and select energy-efficiency upgrades, types and sources of 
project financing, and rates of return. EPA will use this information 
to evaluate and refine its technical strategies and implementation 
support tools. 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 number 
for EPA's regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9. The Federal Register 
Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this 
collection of information was published on November 17, 1995 and no 
comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 7.25 
hours for the MOU, 4.8 hours for the Annual Facility Report, and 8 
hours for the Additional Technical Information. These estimates include 
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.

MOU

    Respondents/Affected Entities: Those entities who voluntarily join 
the EPA Energy Star Buildings program.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 191.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,385 hours.
    
[[Page 7102]]

    Frequency of Collection: One time per respondent.

Annual Facility Report

    Respondents/Affected Entities: Participants in the EPA Energy Star 
Buildings program.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 353.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,697 hours.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.

Additional Technical Information

    Respondents/Affected Entities: Selected participants in the EPA 
Energy Star Buildings program.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 35.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 280 hours.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.

Total Number of Respondents and Hours

    Total Number of Responses: 579.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,362 hours.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1772.01 and OMB Control No. 2060-XXXX in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE, 
Regulatory Information Division (2136), 401 M. Street, SW, Washington, 
DC 20460 and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503

    Dated: February 20, 1996.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 96-4260 Filed 2-23-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M