[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 34 (Monday, February 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7584-7586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3363]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0911; FRL-9115-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; EPA-ICR No. 1774.05--Mobile Air Conditioner 
Retrofitting Program, OMB Control No. 2060-0350

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 EPA is planning to 
submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection 
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on July 31, 2010. 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 April 23, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2009-0911 by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.

[[Page 7585]]

     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-1741.
     Mail: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center 
(EPA/DC) Mailcode 6102T, Attention Docket ID No. OAR, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: Public Reading Room, Room 3334, EPA West 
Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.
    Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours 
of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of 
boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2009-0911. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site 
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your 
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of 
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yaidi Cancel, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Stratospheric Protection Division, Office of Atmospheric 
Programs, MC 6205J, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 343-9512; fax number: (202) 343-2338; e-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0911, 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 Air and Radiation Docket 
is 202-566-1742
    Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.

What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested In?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits comments and information to enable it 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply To?

Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0911

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
new and used car dealers, gas service stations, top and body repair 
shops, general automotive repair shops, automotive repair shops not 
elsewhere classified, including air conditioning and radiator specialty 
shops.
    Title: Information Collection Activities Associated with EPA's 
Mobile Air Conditioner Retrofitting Program, 40 CFR 82.180
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1774.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0350.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on July 31, 
2010. 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's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program 
implements Section 612 of the 1990 Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments which 
authorized the Agency to

[[Page 7586]]

establish regulatory requirements to ensure that ozone-depleting 
substances (ODS) are replaced by alternatives that reduce overall risks 
to human health and the environment, and to promote an expedited 
transition to safe substitutes. To promote this transition, CAA 
specified that EPA establish an information clearinghouse of available 
alternatives, and coordinate with other Federal agencies and the public 
on research, procurement practices, and information and technology 
transfers.
    Since the program's inception in 1994, SNAP has reviewed over 400 
new chemicals and alternative manufacturing processes for a wide range 
of consumer, industrial, space exploration, and national security 
applications. Roughly 90% of alternatives submitted to EPA for review 
have been listed as acceptable for a specific use, typically with some 
condition or limit to minimize risks to human health and the 
environment.
    Regulations promulgated under SNAP require that Motor Vehicle Air 
Conditioners (MVACs) retrofitted to use a SNAP substitute refrigerant 
include basic information on a label to be affixed to the air 
conditioner. The label includes the name of the substitute refrigerant, 
when and by whom the retrofit was performed, environmental and safety 
information about the substitute refrigerant, and other information. 
This information is needed so that subsequent technicians working on 
the MVAC system will be able to service the equipment properly, 
decreasing the likelihood of significant refrigerant cross-
contamination and potential failure of air conditioning systems and 
recovery/recycling equipment.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 
minutes 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 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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 6,500.
    Frequency of response: Once per a retrofit done on a motor vehicle 
air conditioner.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 1,500 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $205,000 which includes an estimated 
burden cost of $100,000 for recordkeeping and an estimated cost of 
$105,000 for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
    The U.S. Department of Labor statistics indicated from the most 
current available data that there are approximately 650,000 automotive 
service technicians and mechanics (SOC Code Number 49-3023) in the US. 
Data from the Motor Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide, 
estimated that the mobile air conditioning service industry has over 
170,000 service providers and over 600,000 technicians (MACS, 2008). 
EPA estimated that approximately 1% of the total automotive service 
technicians, or 6,500, would be responsible for retrofitting the 
estimated 100,000 MVACs over the three-year term of this ICR.
    EPA estimated the time to complete and apply the label at 5 minutes 
per MVAC, making the total burden 4500 hours over three years (1,500 
hours per year). At an estimated average labor rate of $70 per hour, 
the overall cost associated with the burden hours is $315,000 over 
three years ($105,000 per year). The cost for designing, typesetting, 
printing and distributing 55,000 labels is estimated at $0.10 per label 
to be $5,500 ($1,833.33 per year). Adding the labor and capital costs 
together yields a total cost burden of $320,500 ($106,833.33 per year).
    The Agency welcomes public comment on the number of CFC-12 MVACs 
that will undergo a retrofit, the number of MVAC service technicians 
performing such service, the average labor rate of MVAC service 
technicians from 2007 to 2010 and any other relevant information.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

    Based on the decline of CFC-12 MVACs in service today EPA estimates 
a continued reduction in the number of CFC-12 MVACs retrofits that will 
occur during the next three years. EPA estimated that the total percent 
of CFC-12 MVACs retrofitted in 2003 was 1.5%, which equals an estimated 
500,000 CFC-12 MVACs retrofitted to R-134a. EPA observed from MACS 
survey data that for each year, starting from 2003, an approximate 
decrease of 1% of retrofits occurred. Therefore, every three years, the 
amount of retrofits decreases approximately 3%. Based on this trend 
analysis, EPA estimated that the total percent CFC-12 MVACs retrofits 
for 2006, 2009, and 2012 are 0.5%, 0.2%, and a 0.1%, for an estimate of 
62,000, 7,000 and 700, respectively. These reductions are due to the 
decrease of CFC-12 MVACs available on the road for retrofitting.

What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any 
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: February 16, 2010.
Brian J. McLean,
Director, Office of Atmospheric Programs.
[FR Doc. 2010-3363 Filed 2-19-10; 8:45 am]
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