[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 119 (Thursday, June 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37220-37221]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14753]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0402; FRL-9826-8]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; EPA-ICR 
No. 1774.05--Mobile Air Conditioner Retrofitting Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Mobile Air Conditioner 
Retrofitting Program'' (EPA ICR No. 1774.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0450) 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 
Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects 
of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a 
``proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through 
October 31, 2013''. 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 19, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2013-0402, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca von dem Hagen, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Stratospheric Protection Division, Office of 
Atmospheric Programs, MC 6205J, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
343-9445; fax number: (202) 343-2362; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
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. 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. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    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 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.
    Form Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1774.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0450.
    Respondents/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.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory under 40 CFR 82.180.
    Estimated number of respondents: 294 (total).
    Frequency of response: Once per retrofit of a motor vehicle air 
conditioner.
    Total estimated burden: 8 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 
CFR 1320.3(b).
    Total estimated cost: $580 (per year), includes $10 (per year) 
annualized

[[Page 37221]]

capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is decrease of 1,492 hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by 
OMB (per year). This decrease is based on the decline of CFC-12 MVACs 
in service today. 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. The number of MVACs originally designed to 
use CFC-12 as well as the number of those retrofitted to R-134a has 
been decreasing every year and EPA estimates a continued reduction in 
the number of CFC-12 MVACs retrofits will occur during the next three 
years. EPA estimates that currently, in 2013, there are 330,000 MVACs 
originally designed to use CFC-12 operating in the U.S. EPA estimates 
that in 2014, 2015 and 2016 the number of cars originally designed to 
use CFC-12 will decrease to 170,000, 84,000 and 40,000, respectively. 
Of these, EPA estimates that 0.1% will be retrofitted annually to use 
alternative refrigerants between October 2013 and September 2016. 
Therefore, EPA estimates that in 2014, 2015 and 2016 the numbers of 
MVACs to be retrofitted are 170, 84 and 40, respectively; resulting in 
a total of 294 MVAC retrofits over the three years of this ICR. These 
reductions are due to the decrease of CFC-12 MVACs available on the 
road for retrofitting.

    Dated: June 10, 2013.
Sarah Dunham,
Director, Office of Atmospheric Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013-14753 Filed 6-19-13; 8:45 am]
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