[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 3, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 64045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30743]



[[Page 64045]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 82

[FRL-5657-9]


Protection of Stratospheric Ozone

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of response to petition.

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SUMMARY: This action notifies the public that the Agency received a 
petition pursuant to section 612(d) of the Clean Air Act, under the 
Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program, and that EPA has 
responded to the petition. The petition requested that EPA take several 
specific actions. EPA had already implemented certain requests prior to 
receipt of the petition, and will not take the other requested actions. 
SNAP implements section 612 of the amended Clean Air Act of 1990, which 
requires EPA to evaluate substitutes for ozone-depleting Substances 
(ODS) and to regulate the use of substitutes where other alternatives 
exist that reduce overall risk to human health and the environment. 
Through these evaluations, EPA generates lists of acceptable and 
unacceptable substitutes for each of the major industrial use sectors.
    EPA has listed several refrigerants as acceptable substitutes for 
CFC-12 in motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC), provided they are used 
in accordance with several requirements. We have worked with the MVAC 
industry to minimize the mixing of refrigerants and to ensure that the 
recycled supply of CFC-12 is protected from contamination. Contaminated 
refrigerant poses numerous technical problems, and may damage both the 
vehicle's air conditioner and equipment in shops that service such 
vehicles.
    The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers 
petitioned EPA to take additional steps to prevent the mixing of 
refrigerants. In general, AIAM believes that only HFC-134a should be 
used as a retrofit refrigerant. EPA has expressed the belief that HFC-
134a is a good choice when a retrofit kit exists that is warranted by 
the manufacturer. However, some kits are quite expensive, and for many 
cars, they do not even exist. Therefore, EPA's position has been that 
other alternatives have an important role to play. Therefore, we will 
continue to review alternative refrigerants and impose conditions on 
their use to eliminate the mixing of refrigerants. The petition is file 
number VI-D-197, and the response is file number VI-C-18.

ADDRESSES: Information relevant to this notice is contained in Air 
Docket A-91-42, Central Docket Section, South Conference Room 4, U.S. 
Environmental Agency, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. 
Telephone: (202) 260-7548. The docket may be inspected between 8:00 
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays. As provided in 40 CFR part 2, a reasonable 
fee may be charged for photocopying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rey Forte at (202) 233-9134 or fax 
(202) 233-9577, U.S. EPA, Stratospheric Protection Division, 401 M 
Street S.W., Mail Code 6205J, Washington, D.C. 20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Contact the Stratospheric Protection Hotline 
at 1-800-296-1996, Monday-Friday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 
4:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) weekdays.
    For more information on the Agency's process for administering the 
SNAP program or criteria for evaluation of substitutes, refer to the 
SNAP final rulemaking published in the Federal Register on March 18, 
1994 (59 FR 13044). Federal Register notices can be ordered from the 
Government Printing Office Order Desk (202) 783-3238; the citation is 
the date of publication. This notice may also be obtained on the World 
Wide Web at http://www.epa.gov/docs/ozone/title6/snap/.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 82

    Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure, 
Air pollution control, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: November 22, 1996.
Mary D. Nichols,
Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 96-30743 Filed 12-2-96; 8:45 am]
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