[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 13 (Thursday, January 21, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3272-3273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1336]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 82

[FRL-6222-6]
RIN 2060-AG12


Protection of Stratospheric Ozone

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of denial of 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 is 
denying the petition. 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 that use ODS, including the refrigeration and 
air-conditioning sector.
    OZ Technology, Inc. submitted Hydrocarbon Blend B, or HC-
12a, as a CFC-12 substitute in a variety of end-uses on 
July 19, 1994. In a June 13, 1995 final SNAP rulemaking (60 FR 31092), 
EPA found the use of Hydrocarbon Blend B unacceptable as a substitute 
for CFC-12 in all end-uses other than industrial process refrigeration. 
This determination was based on a lack of adequate data demonstrating 
that Hydrocarbon Blend B could be used safely in these end-uses. In 
addition, numerous other acceptable alternatives to ODS exist in these 
end-uses.

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, SW, Washington, DC 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: Jeffrey Levy by telephone at (202) 
564-9727, by fax at (202) 565-2096, by e-mail at [email protected], 
or by mail at U.S. EPA, Stratospheric Protection Division, 401 M 
Street, SW, Mail Code 6205J, Washington, DC 20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since the publication of this 
unacceptability determination, OZ Technology has petitioned EPA three 
times. The following table provides information about each of the 
previous petitions and EPA's denials.

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                                                                           Docket location
             Item                                 Date                    (within docket A-       FR notice
                                                                               91-42)
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OZ Petition 1................  November 4, 1994.........................  VI-D-75           n/a.
EPA Denial of Petition 1.....  July 25, 1995............................  VI-C-7            60 FR 49407.
OZ Petition 2................  December 5, 1995.........................  VI-D-135          n/a.
EPA Denial of Petition 2.....  August 30, 1996..........................  VI-C-20           61 FR 51018.
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    On May 1, 1998, OZ Technology, Inc. petitioned EPA for the third 
time. In this instance, OZ again requested that EPA remove Hydrocarbon 
Blend B from the unacceptable list and add it to the acceptable list as 
a substitute used in all

[[Page 3273]]

new refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. The petition is in 
Air Docket A-91-42, file number VI-D-229. On November 13, 1998, EPA 
denied the petition on the basis that the information included in the 
petition did not adequately address safety issues regarding the use of 
Hydrocarbon Blend B as a CFC-12 substitute in new equipment. The denial 
and the accompanying documentation are in Air Docket A-91-42, file 
number VI-C-28. This Notice publicizes EPA's denial of the third 
petition.
    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 
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: January 14, 1999.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-1336 Filed 1-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P