[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 29, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44875-44877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21411]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5287-3]
Agency Information Collection Activities Up for Renewal
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request
(ICR) listed below is coming up for renewal. Before submitting the
renewal package to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), EPA is
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the collection as described
below.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 30, 1995.
ADDRESSES: MVAC Recycling Coordinator, 401 M Street, SW., (6205J),
Washington, DC 20460. Materials relevant to this proposed rulemaking
are contained in Public Docket No. A-95-34, Category VIII-D. This
docket is located in Room M-1500, Waterside Mall (Ground Floor), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC
20460. Dockets may be inspected from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday. A reasonable fee may be charged for copying docket
materials.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Dibble, (202) 233-9147.
Facsimile number: (202) 233-9577. Electronic address:
dibble.christine@epamail.epa.gov. Note that questions but not comments
will be accepted electronically.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Affected Entities
Entities affected by this action are new and used motor vehicle
dealers, gasoline service stations, truck rental and leasing facilities
without drivers, passenger car rental facilities, top, body, upholstery
repair and paint shops, general automotive repair shops, and automotive
repair shops not elsewhere classified. Clean Air Act Section 609
automotive air-conditioning technician certification programs, and
approved independent standards testing organizations, will also be
affected.
Title
``Servicing of Motor Vehicle Air Conditioners.'' OMB Control
Number: 2060-0247. EPA Control Number: 1617.06. Expiration Date:
January 31, 1996.
Abstract
In 1992, EPA developed regulations under Section 609 of the Clean
Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Act) for the recycling of CFCs in motor
vehicle air conditioners. These regulations were published in 57 FR
31240, and are codified at 40 CFR Subpart B (Sec. 82.30 et seq.). The
reasons the information is being collected, the way the information is
to be used, and whether the requirements are mandatory, voluntary, or
required to obtain a benefit, are described below. The ICR renewal
would not include any burden for third-party or public disclosures not
previously reviewed and approved by OMB.
Technician Training and Certification
According to Section 609(b)(4) of the Act, automotive technicians
are required to be certified in the proper use of recycling equipment
for servicing motor vehicle air conditioners. Certification programs
must meet EPA standards. The Stratospheric Protection Division requires
that certification
[[Page 44876]]
programs send their training and testing materials to EPA for approval.
The information requested is used by the Stratospheric Protection
Division to guarantee a degree of uniformity in the testing programs
for motor vehicle service technicians.
Approved Independent Standards Testing Organizations
In addition, Section 609(b)(2)(A) of the Act requires independent
laboratory testing of recycling equipment to be certified by EPA. The
Stratospheric Protection Division requires independent laboratories to
submit an application that proves their general capacity to certify
equipment to meet the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J standards
for recycled refrigerant. The information requested is used by the
Stratospheric Protection Division to approve independent laboratories
that can assure an industry accepted standard of quality in recycling
and recovery equipment.
Substantially Identical Equipment
Section 609(b)(2)(B) of the Act allows equipment that was purchased
before the proposal of the regulations to be approved by EPA if it is
substantially identical to equipment that has been certified by an EPA
approved independent laboratory. This measure is designed to
incorporate or ``grandfather'' older equipment that has not been
submitted to an independent laboratory for testing. The equipment
manufacturer or owners may submit the following to the Stratospheric
Protection Division: an application and supporting documents that
includes process flow sheets, a list of equipment components and any
other information which would indicate that the equipment is capable of
recovering and/or cleaning the refrigerant to standards set forth in
the appropriate appendix to the regulations. The information provided
allows EPA to determine if the equipment is substantially identical to
certified equipment.
Certification, Reporting and Recordkeeping
To facilitate enforcement under Section 609, EPA has developed
several recordkeeping requirements. The information is used by the
Stratospheric Protection Division to verify compliance with Section 609
of the Act. First, establishments that own recover-only equipment must
maintain records of the name and address of the facility that is
reclaiming their refrigerant. Second, any person who owns approved
refrigerant recovery or recycling equipment must retain records
demonstrating that all persons authorized to operate the equipment are
currently certified technicians. Last, any person who sells or
distributes refrigerant that is in a container of less than 20 pounds
must verify that the purchaser is a certified technician, unless the
purchase of small containers is for resale only. In that case, the
seller must obtain a written statement from the purchaser that the
containers are for resale only, and must indicate the purchaser's name
and business address.
In addition, section 609(d)(3)-(4) of the Act requires that by
January 1, 1992, all entities that service motor vehicle air
conditioners for consideration must have acquired approved refrigerant
recycling equipment. The establishment must have submitted to the
Administrator on a one-time basis a certificate that provides the
following information: the name of the equipment owner, the address of
the service establishment where the equipment will be used, and the
make, model, year, and serial number of the equipment. Note that this
reporting requirement is contained in the statute itself and was not
developed by EPA.
The EPA would like to solicit comments 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;
(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
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of responses.
Burden Statement
The annual burden is reported in this Notice first, by annual
respondent burden, and second, by industry reporting burden. The burden
hours shown represent the hours in both the existing information
collection request and the ICR renewal, since the renewal of the
request does not change any of the burden hours.
(i)(A) Equipment Certification
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Burden
Collection activities hours (per
year)
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Annual respondent burden:
1. Compiling information and submitting it to EPA
Headquarters.............................................. .5
Total.................................................. .5
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Annual burden hour total--(.5) x No. of respondents (190,000)=95,000
hrs.
(i)(B) Equipment Certification for Service Stations that will Change
Ownership or New Firms Entering the Market
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Burden
Collection activities hours (per
year)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual respondent burden:
1. Compiling information and submitting it to EPA
Headquarters.............................................. .5
Total.................................................. .5
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Annual burden hour total--(.5) x No. of respondents (4,000)=2,000 hrs.
(ii) Technician Certification Programs
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Burden
Collection activities hours (per
year)
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Annual respondent burden:
1. Compile information from training program and submit to
EPA....................................................... 1
2. Every two years submit a summary of program review to
EPA....................................................... 2
Total.................................................. 3
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Annual burden hour total--(3) x No. of certification programs (13)=39
hours.
(iii) Independent Laboratory Equipment Testing Programs
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Burden
Collection activities hours (per
year)
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Annual respondent burden:
1. Compile information on testing program and send to EPA.. 8
Total.................................................. 8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual burden hour total--(8) x No. of respondents (2)=16 hours.
[[Page 44877]]
(iv) Substantially Identical Equipment Submission
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Burden
Collection activities hours (per
year)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual respondent burden:
1. Compiling information and submitting it to EPA
Headquarters.............................................. 1
Total.................................................. 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual burden hour total--(1) x No. of respondents (12)=12 hrs.
(v) Small Container Purchased for Resale Only Recordkeeping
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burden
Collection activities hours (per
year)
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Annual respondent burden:
1. Compiling information and maintaining files............. .5
Total.................................................. .5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual burden hour total--(.5) x No. of respondents (2000) = 1000 hrs.
(vi) Recordkeeping for off site Reclamation or Recycling
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burden
Collection activities hours (per
year)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual respondent burden:
1. Recording the name and address.......................... .08
Total.................................................. .08
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual burden hour total--(.08) x No. of respondents (90,000)=7200 hrs.
The industry reporting burden for this collection is estimated in
the following tables. It includes the time needed to comply with EPA's
certification requires and Agency reviews.
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Service
Respondent activities entity hrs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equipment certification burden per occurrence:
Complete certification and submit it to EPA................ .5
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
Training
program
Respondent activities companies
hrs.
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Technician certification program:
Submit to EPA a copy of the technician training program.... 1
2 year review of training program, with a summary being
submit to EPA............................................. 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Independent
Respondent activities laboratory
hrs.
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Independent lab testing:
Compile information on testing program and submit to EPA... 8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicant
Response activities hrs.
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Substantially identical equipment:
Compile information on equipment and submit to EPA......... 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sellers of
small
Response activities containers
hrs.
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Small containers purchased for resale only recordkeeping
requirements:
Compile and file information............................... .5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Service
Response activities establishment
hrs.
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Recordkeeping for off site reclamation or recycling:
Recording the name and address of the off site facility.. .08
------------------------------------------------------------------------
No person is 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 are displayed in 40 CFR Part 9.
Send comments regarding these matters, or any other aspects of the
information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden,
to the address listed above under ADDRESSES near the top of this
Notice.
Dated: August 16, 1995.
Paul M. Stolpman,
Director, Office of Atmospheric Programs.
[FR Doc. 95-21411 Filed 8-28-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
