[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 187 (Thursday, September 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50834-50835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20885]



[[Page 50834]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0033; FRL-9995-79-OMS]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; EPA's ENERGY STAR[supreg] Product Labeling 
(Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), EPA's ENERGY STAR Product 
Labeling (EPA ICR No. 2078.07, OMB Control No. 2060-0528), to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed 
extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through September 30, 
2019. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal 
Register on April 10, 2019, during a 60-day comment period. This notice 
allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller 
description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden 
and cost to the public. 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: Additional comments may be submitted on or before October 28, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2003-0033, to (1) EPA 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, and (2) OMB via email 
to [email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer 
for EPA.
    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: James Kwon, Climate Protection 
Partnerships Division, Office of Air and Radiation, Mailcode 6202A, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-8538; fax number: 202-343-2200; 
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.
    Abstract: ENERGY STAR is a voluntary program developed in 
collaboration with industry to create a self-sustaining market for 
energy efficient products. The center piece of the program is the 
ENERGY STAR label, a registered certification label that helps 
consumers identify products that save energy, save money, and help 
protect the environment without sacrificing quality or performance. In 
order to protect the integrity of the label and enhance its 
effectiveness in the marketplace, EPA must ensure that products 
carrying the label meet program requirements.
    EPA partners with retailers, energy efficiency program sponsors 
(EEPS), and product brand owners who wish to use the ENERGY STAR label 
to differentiate products as more energy efficient. Retailers, EEPS, 
and product brand owners sign and submit a Partnership Application to 
become a partner, indicating that they voluntarily agree to fulfill the 
relevant program requirements referenced in the Partnership Agreement 
Form and Participation Form.
    Prior to labeling a product as ENERGY STAR, partners have eligible 
products tested in an EPA-recognized laboratory and certified by an 
EPA-recognized third-party certification body (CB). The CBs share 
information with EPA on products they review from EPA-recognized 
laboratories during the certification process. An XML-based data 
exchange allows the CBs to automatically transmit information on 
certified products to EPA from their database via web services, 
eliminating the need for paper submissions. EPA runs a series of 
automated validations to ensure the integrity of the data and confirm 
the credentials of the organizations associated with the data prior to 
incorporating it into the ENERGY STAR product database. EPA then 
provides the relevant information to consumers and purchasers in user-
friendly formats that facilitate the purchase of energy efficient 
products.
    The certification process also includes requirements for CBs to 
report to EPA products that were reviewed, but not eligible for 
certification, as well as to conduct post-market verification testing 
of a sampling of ENERGY STAR certified products. CBs complete a minimum 
amount of verification testing and share information with EPA on 
products verified twice a year. CBs report to EPA any post-market test 
data indicating a product may no longer meet the program requirements. 
This process helps maintain consumer confidence in the ENERGY STAR 
label and protect the investment of partners.
    While most product-related information is provided by CBs, partners 
are asked to submit to EPA annual unit shipment data for their ENERGY 
STAR certified products. EPA is flexible as to the methods partners may 
use to submit unit shipment data.
    Finally, partners that wish to receive recognition for their 
efforts in ENERGY STAR may submit an application for the Partner of the 
Year Award. Partners that have ENERGY STAR certified central air 
conditioners, air-source heat pumps, furnaces, geothermal heat pumps, 
and windows that meet the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient criteria may 
submit an application to gain ENERGY STAR Most Efficient recognition.
    Form Numbers: 5900-252, 5900-251, 5900-33, 5900-253, 5900-168, 
5900-206, 5900-207, 5900-28, 5900-208, 5900-210, 5900-228, 5900-234, 
5900-229, 5900-235, 5900-47, 5900-349, 5900-350, 5900-351, 5900-348, 
5900-35, 5900-37, 5900-38, 5900-39, 5900-41, 5900-42, 5900-43, 5900-44, 
5900-48, 5900-49, 5900-50, 5900-51, 5900-54, 5900-55, 5900-56, 5900-57, 
5900-58, 5900-230, 5900-224, 5900-227, 5900-166, 5900-165, 5900-164, 
5900-226, 5900-163, 5900-34, 5900-216, 5900-217, 5900-218, 5900-388, 
5900-254, 5900-255, 5900-439, 5900-440, 5900-415, 5900-416, 5900-438, 
5900-417.
    Respondents/affected entities: Partners and potential partners in 
EPA's ENERGY STAR program.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,732.
    Frequency of response: Initially/one-time, on occasion, semi-
annually, annually.
    Total estimated burden: 40,391 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).

[[Page 50835]]

    Total estimated cost: $2,531,810 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 818 hours in the 
total estimated burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. 
This decrease results from EPA's adjustments to the number of 
respondents. EPA's adjustments are based on its analysis of the 
program's historical data and trends on respondent activity and 
submissions.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2019-20885 Filed 9-25-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P