[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 141 (Thursday, July 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43770-43771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18082]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0407; FRL-9931-10-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; EPA's 
ENERGY STAR Program in the Commercial and Industrial Sectors (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit a request to renew an existing approved information collection 
request (ICR), ``EPA's ENERGY STAR Program in the

[[Page 43771]]

Commercial and Industrial Sectors'' (EPA ICR No. 1772.07, OMB Control 
No. 2060-0347) 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 March 31, 2016. 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 September 21, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2006-0407, 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: Stephanie Klein, Climate Protection 
Partnerships Division, (6202A), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
343-9144; fax number: (202) 343-2204; 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, WJC 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 created ENERGY STAR as a voluntary program to help 
businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior 
energy efficiency. The program focuses on reducing utility-generated 
emissions by reducing the demand for energy. In 1991, EPA launched the 
Green Lights Program to encourage corporations, State and local 
governments, colleges and universities, and other organizations to 
adopt energy-efficient lighting as a profitable means of preventing 
pollution and improving lighting quality. Since then, EPA has rolled 
Green Lights into ENERGY STAR and expanded ENERGY STAR to encompass 
organization-wide energy performance improvement, such as building 
technology upgrades, product purchasing initiatives, and employee 
training. At the same time, EPA has streamlined the reporting 
requirements of ENERGY STAR and focused on providing incentives for 
improvements (e.g., ENERGY STAR Awards Program). EPA also makes tools 
and other resources available on the web to help the public overcome 
the barriers to evaluating their energy performance and investing in 
profitable improvements.
    To join ENERGY STAR, organizations are asked to complete a 
Partnership Letter or Agreement that establishes their commitment to 
energy efficiency. Partners agree to undertake efforts such as 
measuring, tracking, and benchmarking their organization's energy 
performance by using tools such as those offered by ENERGY STAR; 
developing and implementing a plan to improve energy performance in 
their facilities and operations by adopting a strategy provided by 
ENERGY STAR; and educating staff and the public about their Partnership 
with ENERGY STAR, and highlighting achievements with the ENERGY STAR, 
where available.
    Partners also may be asked to periodically submit information to 
EPA as needed to assist in program implementation.
    Partnership in ENERGY STAR is voluntary and can be terminated by 
Partners or EPA at any time. EPA does not expect organizations to join 
the program unless they expect participation to be cost-effective and 
otherwise beneficial for them.
    In addition, Partners and any other interested party can seek 
recognition and help EPA promote energy-efficient technologies by 
evaluating the efficiency of their buildings using EPA's on-line tools 
(e.g., Portfolio Manager) and applying for recognition. EPA does not 
expect to deem any information collected under ENERGY STAR to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI).
    Form Numbers: 5900-19, 5900-33, 5900-195, 5900-21, 5900-22, 590-
198, 5900-16, 5900-89, 5900-263, 5900-262, 5900-264, and 5900-265.
    Respondents/affected entities: Private sector.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 15,000 (total).
    Frequency of response: One-time, on occasion, monthly, annually, 
and/or periodically.
    Total estimated burden: 194,509 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $24,408,276 (per year) includes $10,318,180 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is no change of hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. EPA is currently evaluating and updating these estimates as part 
of the ICR renewal process. EPA will discuss its updated estimates, as 
well as changes from the last approval, in the next Federal Register 
notice to be issued for this renewal.

    Dated: July 15, 2015.
Jacob Moss,
Acting Director, Climate Protection Partnerships Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-18082 Filed 7-22-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P