[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 205 (Monday, October 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54992-54993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25673]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0500; FRL-8973-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; ENERGY STAR Program in the 
Residential Sector (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 2193.02, OMB Control 
Number 2060-0586

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 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.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before November 25, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2004-0500, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: 
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental Protection Agency, Air and 
Radiation Docket, Mailcode: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: 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: Brian Ng, Office of Air and Radiation,
    Mailcode: 6202J, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9162; 
fax number: (202) 343-2200; 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 May 29, 2009 (74 FR 25732), EPA sought comments on this ICR 
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. 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-2004-0500, 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 Avenue, 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 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.
    Title: ENERGY STAR Program in the Residential Sector (Renewal).
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 2193.02, OMB Control No. 2060-0586.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2009. 
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.

[[Page 54993]]

    Abstract: EPA introduced ENERGY STAR, a voluntary public-private 
energy efficiency partnership program, in 1992 to label energy 
efficient computers. Since then, EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE) 
have expanded the ENERGY STAR Program to promote energy efficiency in 
over 60 product categories and in commercial and residential buildings. 
Increased energy efficiency through ENERGY STAR provides cost savings 
to businesses and homeowners, reduces greenhouse gas emissions from 
power plants, and increases U.S. energy security and reliability.
    EPA announced ENERGY STAR for New Homes in 1995 as part of its 
effort to promote energy efficient construction in the new homes 
market. EPA rolled out its existing homes effort in 2000 to promote 
cost-effective upgrades to the existing homes market. These two efforts 
promote home envelope improvements such as the proper installation of 
adequate insulation and HVAC equipment, and installation of energy 
efficient windows, lights, and appliances. Since participation in the 
ENERGY STAR program is voluntary, partners are not required to submit 
information to EPA. Information received to date has been submitted 
voluntarily to EPA and is not of a confidential nature. EPA has 
developed this ICR to obtain authorization to collect information from 
the public, including businesses, for the following activities:
    ENERGY STAR Partnership and Related Activities: An organization 
interested in joining ENERGY STAR as a partner is asked to submit a 
partnership agreement establishing its commitment to ENERGY STAR. 
Partners agree to undertake efforts such as educating staff and the 
public about their partnership with ENERGY STAR, developing and 
implementing a plan to improve energy performance in homes, and 
highlighting achievements utilizing the ENERGY STAR brand.
    Evaluation: Partners and other program participants are asked to 
periodically submit information to EPA as needed to assist in 
evaluating ENERGY STAR's effectiveness in helping organizations promote 
energy efficiency in homes, to assess partners' level of interest and 
ability in promoting ENERGY STAR in the residential sector, and to 
determine the impact that ENERGY STAR has on residential energy use and 
the supply and demand for energy-efficient homes and home improvement 
products and services.
    Quarterly Reporting: Partners are asked to submit information each 
calendar quarter to assist EPA in tracking and measuring progress in 
building and promoting ENERGY STAR qualified homes and installing and 
promoting energy-efficient improvements including those made under a 
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program. This includes submitting 
quarterly updates on partners' level of activity in qualifying new 
homes for the ENERGY STAR label and activity in improving the energy 
efficiency of existing homes under Home Performance with ENERGY STAR 
and ENERGY STAR's HVAC Quality Installation program.
    ENERGY STAR Awards: Each year, partners are eligible for an ENERGY 
STAR award, which recognizes organizations demonstrating outstanding 
support in promoting ENERGY STAR. This award program provides partners 
public recognition and market differentiation. An application form is 
submitted to EPA by partners interested in being eligible for an award.
    Outreach Partnership: Partners have the opportunity to participate 
in an outreach partnership with EPA to develop public education 
campaigns featuring the benefits of ENERGY STAR qualified homes. 
Partners interested in participating in the outreach program are asked 
to submit a form detailing their level of participation.
    Burden Statement: The average annual reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for the ENERGY STAR Program and related activities is estimated 
to be about one and a quarter hours per respondent. 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Home builders, home energy 
verification organizations, lenders, regional energy efficiency 
programs/utilities, contractors, retailers, manufactured home plants, 
modular home plants, realtors, architects, homeowners.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56,000.
    Frequency of Response: once, occasionally, quarterly, annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 180,958.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $10,896,852, which includes $16,000 in 
annualized capital/startup costs, $1,439 in annual operation and 
maintenance costs, and $10,879,413 in annual labor costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 5,509 hours in 
the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of 
Approved ICR Burdens. This increase is due to changes in ENERGY STAR's 
residential programs. New partnership categories have been added that 
have collection activities associated with them. In addition, new 
collection activities related to the evaluation of ENERGY STAR's 
residential programs have been added. Finally, EPA has adjusted some of 
its burden assumptions for its existing information collections to 
reflect changes in the industry.

    Dated: October 20, 2009.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E9-25673 Filed 10-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P