[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 4 (Friday, January 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 676-678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00035]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0500; FRL-9972-77-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Information Collection Activities Associated With EPA's ENERGY STAR 
Program in the Residential Sector, EPA ICR No. 2193.04

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), ``EPA's ENERGY STAR Program in 
the Residential Sector'' (EPA ICR No. 2193.04, OMB Control No. 2060-
0586) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. 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 was approved through August 31, 2017. 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.

DATE: Comments must be submitted on or before March 6, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2004-0500, 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

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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: Brian Ng, Energy Star Residential 
Branch, Mailcode 6202A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
343-9162; 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, 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 first developed energy efficiency guidelines for new 
homes in 1995. ENERGY STAR's new construction programs promote cost-
effective, whole house energy efficiency that is independently verified 
by third party professionals. Through 2016, there have been more than 
1.8 million ENERGY STAR certified new homes built in the U.S.
    Since participation in the ENERGY STAR program is voluntary, 
organizations are not required to submit information to EPA. 
Information received is not of a confidential nature. EPA has developed 
this ICR to obtain authorization to collect information for the 
following activities:
    Joining the ENERGY STAR Program 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 their 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 label.
    Verification of ENERGY STAR Guidelines: The purpose of the 
verification process is to objectively and independently ensure the 
quality of home construction and improvements with respect to ENERGY 
STAR guidelines. Under ENERGY STAR's Certified Homes program, 
verification of a home's energy efficiency occurs when site-built home 
builders, multifamily high-rise developers, or plants producing 
manufactured and modular homes want to apply the ENERGY STAR label on 
homes. The verification process for site-built homes involves the home 
builder, the third-party verification organization (Home Energy Rating 
Providers and Home Energy Raters), and the Heating, Ventilation, and 
Cooling (HVAC) contractor. These organizations complete four checklists 
as part of the verification process. The verification process for 
multifamily high-rise units involves the developer and a Licensed 
Professional (architect or engineer), who submit information both pre-
construction and post-construction to ensure that program prerequisites 
and energy conservation measures are properly installed and meet ENERGY 
STAR requirements. In addition, plants producing manufactured and 
modular homes must undergo a certification process to ensure that they 
consistently produce and install homes that meet ENERGY STAR 
guidelines. Also, under ENERGY STAR's HVAC Verified Installation 
program, local program sponsors promote the installation of HVAC 
systems in homes to meet ENERGY STAR guidelines. Sponsors oversee 
contractors who perform the installations, perform tests, and report 
the results to the sponsors. Sponsors submit periodic reports to EPA on 
these activities.
    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. In addition, EPA offers online tools, such as 
the Home Energy Yardstick and Home Energy Advisor, for homeowners to 
learn about and improve their homes' energy efficiency.
    Periodic Reporting: Some partners are asked to submit information 
to EPA periodically to assist EPA in tracking and measuring progress in 
building and promoting ENERGY STAR certified homes and installing and 
promoting energy-efficient improvements.
    ENERGY STAR Awards: Each year, partners are eligible for an ENERGY 
STAR award, which recognizes organizations demonstrating outstanding 
support in promoting ENERGY STAR. An application is submitted to EPA by 
interested partners.
    Form Numbers: 5900-06, 5900-08, 5900-17, 5900-33, 5900-172, 5900-
175, 5900-176, 5900-178, 5900-179, 5900-180, 5900-183, 5900-184, 5900-
186, 5900-188, 5900-189, 5900-194, 5900-266, 5900-267, 5900-268, 5900-
269, 5900-270, 5900-271, 5900-272.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Home builders, modular and 
manufactured home manufacturing plants, developers, verification 
organizations, oversight organizations, energy efficiency program 
sponsors (e.g., national, regional, state, or local government 
entities, utilities), architects, engineers, home plan designers, 
retailers, contractors, and homeowners.
    Respondent's Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 132,000 (total).
    Frequency of Response: Once, quarterly, annually, and occasionally.
    Total Estimated Burden: 183,967 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total Estimated Cost: $13,553,809 (per year). This includes an 
estimated cost of $13,553,209 for labor and $600 for capital 
investment, operation and maintenance.
    Changes in Estimates: The burden estimates presented in this notice 
are from the last approval. 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,

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in the next Federal Register notice to be issued for this renewal.

     Dated: December 21, 2017.
Carolyn Snyder,
Director, Climate Protection Partnerships Division.
[FR Doc. 2018-00035 Filed 1-4-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P