[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 143 (Thursday, July 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41070-41072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14479]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0014; FRL-8445-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Refrigerant Recycling 
and Emissions Reduction Program; EPA ICR No. 1626.10, OMB Control No. 
2060-0256

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an 
existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, 
describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated 
burden and cost.

[[Page 41071]]


DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before August 27, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2007-0014 to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by e-mail to [email protected] or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: 
Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julius Banks; Stratospheric Protection 
Division, Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Atmospheric Programs; 
Mail Code 6205J; Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9870; fax 
number: (202) 343-2338; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On March 14, 2007 (72 FR 11864), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments during the 
comment period. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted 
to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0014, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and 
Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 
3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public 
Reading Room is open from 8 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 Office of Air and 
Radiation Docket is 202-566-1742.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public 
comments, whether submitted electronically or on paper, will be made 
available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov as EPA 
receives them and without change, unless the comment contains 
copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public disclosure 
is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Title: National Refrigerant Recycling and Emissions Reduction 
Program.
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1626.10, OMB Control No. 2060-0256.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on July 31, 2007. Under 
OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the 
collection of information while this submission is pending at 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 
in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when 
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by 
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such 
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The 
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is 
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: EPA has developed regulations under the Clean Air Act 
Amendments of 1990 (the Act) establishing standards and requirements 
regarding the use and disposal of class I and class II ozone-depleting 
substances used as refrigerants during the service, maintenance, 
repair, or disposal of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. 
Section 608(c) of the Act states that effective July 1, 1992 it is 
unlawful for any person in the course of maintaining, servicing, 
repairing, or disposing of refrigeration or air-conditioning equipment 
to knowingly vent or otherwise knowingly release or dispose of any 
class I or class II substance used as a refrigerant in the equipment in 
a manner which permits the substance to enter the environment.
    In 1993, EPA promulgated regulations under section 608 of the Act 
for the recycling of ozone-depleting refrigerants recovered during the 
servicing and disposal of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment. 
These regulations were published on May 14, 1993 (58 FR 28660) and 
codified in 40 CFR part 82, subpart F (Sec.  82.150 et seq.).
    The regulations require persons servicing refrigeration and air-
conditioning equipment to observe certain service practices that reduce 
emissions of ozone depleting refrigerants. The regulations also 
establish certification programs for technicians, recycling and 
recovery equipment, and off-site refrigerant reclaimers. In addition, 
EPA requires that ozone depleting refrigerants contained ``in bulk'' in 
appliances be removed prior to disposal of the appliances and that all 
refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, except for small 
appliances and room air conditioners, be provided with a servicing 
aperture that facilitates recovery of the refrigerant. Moreover, the 
Agency requires that substantial refrigerant leaks in equipment be 
repaired when they are discovered. These regulations significantly 
reduce emissions of ozone depleting refrigerants, and therefore aid 
U.S. and global efforts to minimize damage to the ozone layer and the 
environment as a whole.
    To facilitate compliance with and enforcement of section 608 
requirements, EPA requires reporting and record keeping requirements of 
technicians; technician certification programs; equipment testing 
organizations; refrigerant wholesalers and purchasers; refrigerant 
reclaimers; refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment owners; and 
other establishments that perform refrigerant removal, service, or 
disposal. The record keeping requirements and periodic submission of 
reports, to EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Atmospheric 
Programs, occur on an annual, biannual, onetime, or occasional basis 
depending on the nature of the reporting entity and the length of time 
that the entity has been in service. Specific reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements were published in 58 FR 28660 and codified 
under 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F (i.e., Sec.  82.166). These reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements also allow EPA to evaluate the 
effectiveness of the refrigerant regulations, and help the Agency 
determine if we are meeting the obligations of the Unites States', 
under the 1987 Montreal Protocol, to reduce use and emissions of ozone-
depleting substances to the lowest achievable level.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4 
hours per response. 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

[[Page 41072]]

information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any 
previously applicable instructions and requirements which have 
subsequently changed; 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are those that recover, recycle, reclaim, sell, or 
distribute in interstate commerce ozone-depleting refrigerants that 
contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs); 
and those that service, maintain, repair, or dispose of appliances 
containing CFC or HCFC refrigerants. In addition, the owners or 
operators of appliances containing more than 50 pounds of CFC or HCFC 
refrigerants are regulated.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 361,383.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, biannually, and annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2,404,913.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $88,019,807, which includes $0 
annualized capital or O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 2,194,052 hours 
in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified 
in the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase is not due to a 
change in any program requirement. The adjustment is the result of 
changes in EPA's estimates of time required to submit reports and 
maintain records, the number of reports submitted to the agency, and 
the overall number of respondents.

    Dated: July 19, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E7-14479 Filed 7-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P