[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 46 (Monday, March 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11389-11390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5617]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7462-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; ``Clean Air Act Section 608-National Refrigerant 
Recycling and Emissions Reduction Program''

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): ``National Recycling and Emissions 
Reduction Program,'' EPA ICR Number: 1626.08, OMB Control Number: 2060-
0256, expiration date--07/31/2003. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for 
review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of 
the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 9, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Follow the detailed instructions in SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julius Banks, Global Programs 
Division, U.S. EPA (6205J), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, 
DC 20460; phone: (202) 564-9870; facsimile: (202) 566-2155; Email 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OAR-2003-0018, which is available for public 
viewing at the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) Docket in the EPA 
Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, 
and the telephone number for the OAR Docket is (202) 566-1741. An 
electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA 
Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to obtain 
a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public 
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public 
docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are 
available electronically. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then 
key in the docket ID number identified above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB 
within 60 days of this notice, and according to the following detailed 
instructions: Submit your comments to EPA online using EDOCKET (our 
preferred method), by email to [email protected], or by mail to: 
EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and 
Radiation, Mail Code 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 
20460.
    EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted 
electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing 
in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment 
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public 
disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment 
containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that 
material in the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The 
entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be 
available in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the 
official docket, information claimed as

[[Page 11390]]

CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not 
included in the official public docket, and will not be available for 
public viewing in EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic 
docket, see EPA's Federal Register notice describing the electronic 
docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to www.epa.gov/edocket.
    Affected Entities: Entities potentially 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; 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, service, and/or 
disposal.
    Title: ``National Refrigerant Recycling and Emissions Reduction 
Program'' (OMB Control No. 2060-0256; EPA ICR No. 1626.08) expiring 7/
31/03.
    Abstract: In 1993, EPA promulgated regulations under section 608 of 
the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 for the recycling of ozone 
depleting refrigerants, specifically chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and 
hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs), in air-conditioning and refrigeration 
equipment. These regulations were published on May 14, 1993 (58 FR 
28660) and codified in 40 CFR subpart F (Sec.  82.150 et seq.).
    The mandatory reporting and recordkeeping requirements are found at 
40 CFR 82.166, and are used to judge the effectiveness of EPA 
regulations aimed at reducing emissions of ozone-depleting substances 
and meet the Unites States' obligation under the Montreal Protocol to 
reduce the use and emissions of ozone depleting substances (ODSs) to 
the lowest achievable level. The reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements affect persons who sell or distribute any class I or class 
II substance for use as a refrigerant; purchasers of any class I or 
class II refrigerants who employ certified technicians; EPA-approved 
refrigerant recovery equipment testing organizations; EPA-approved 
technician certification programs; EPA-certified refrigerant 
reclaimers; persons disposing (including metal scrap recyclers) of 
small appliances, motor vehicle air-conditioners (MVACs), and MVAC-like 
appliances; persons servicing appliances normally containing 50 or more 
pounds of refrigerant; owners/operators of appliances normally 
containing 50 or more pounds of refrigerant; and service technicians 
certified under 40 CFR 82.161.
    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 and 48 CFR chapter 15.
    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, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used;
    (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 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    Burden Statement: Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or 
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This 
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.
    The annual burden is reported in this notice by annual respondent 
burden. 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. This ICR renewal does not include any burden 
for third-party or public disclosures that were not previously reviewed 
and approved by OMB.
    The annual burden hours for this collection of information are 
estimated as follows: 16 hours for the two EPA-approved equipment 
testing organizations; 1,125 hours for an estimated 2,250 service 
establishments that will change ownership or enter the market; 12.5 
hours for an estimated 25 disposal establishments that change ownership 
or enter the market; 10,000 hours for the maintenance of copies of 
signed statements by an estimated 500 disposal establishments; 40 hours 
for certification of an estimated 20 refrigerant reclaimers that change 
ownership or enter the market; 400 hours for reclaimer reporting from 
an estimated 70 respondents; 40,000 hours for an estimated 5,000 
refrigerant wholesalers to maintain records of refrigerant sales 
transactions; 300 hours for an estimated 10 technician certification 
programs applying for first-time approval; 1,600 hours for 100 
technician certification programs to maintain records; 96,000 hours for 
an estimated 330,000 technicians acquiring certification and 
maintaining certification cards; 268,500 hours for an estimated 
2,003,850 owners of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment to 
maintain records on refrigerant and equipment; and 990 hours for an 
estimated 210 owners of industrial process refrigeration equipment.

    Dated: March 4, 2003.
Drusilla Hufford,
Division Director, Global Programs Division.
[FR Doc. 03-5617 Filed 3-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P