96-24892. Protection of Stratospheric Ozone

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 190 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51018-51019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24892]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 82

[FRL-5616-9]


Protection of Stratospheric Ozone

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of denial of petition.

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SUMMARY: This action notifies the public that the Agency received a 
petition pursuant to section 612(d) of the Clean Air Act, under the 
Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program, and that EPA is 
denying the petition. SNAP implements section 612 of the amended Clean 
Air Act of 1990, which requires EPA to evaluate substitutes for ozone-
depleting Substances (ODS) and to regulate the use of substitutes where 
other alternatives exist that reduce overall risk to human health and 
the environment. Through these evaluations, EPA generates lists of 
acceptable and unacceptable substitutes for each of the major 
industrial use sectors.
    In developing the March 18, 1994 final SNAP rule (59 FR 13044), EPA 
identified HFC-134a as a potential replacement for CFC-12. It is 
manufactured by several companies worldwide. In the March 18, 1994 
final rule, EPA found HFC-134a to be an acceptable substitute for CFC-
12 in a variety of end-uses.
    OZ Technology, Inc. submitted Hydrocarbon Blend B, or HC-12a, as a 
CFC-12 substitute in a variety of end-uses on July 19, 1994. In the 
June 13, 1995 final SNAP rule (60 FR 31092), EPA found the use of 
Hydrocarbon Blend B unacceptable as a substitute for CFC-12 in all end-
uses other than industrial process refrigeration. This determination 
was based on a lack of adequate data demonstrating that HC-12a could be 
used safely in these end-uses. In addition, numerous other acceptable 
alternatives exist.

[[Page 51019]]

    On December 5, 1995, OZ Technology, Inc. petitioned EPA to remove 
Hydrocarbon Blend B from the unacceptable list and add it to the 
acceptable list, and to remove HFC-134a from the acceptable list and 
add it to the unacceptable list. The petition is in Air Docket A-91-42, 
file number VI-D-135. On August 30, 1996, EPA denied the first request 
in the petition on the basis that the information included in the 
petition did not include a scientifically valid, comprehensive risk 
assessment for the requested CFC-12 end-uses, and the second request on 
the basis that the petition did not contain sufficient evidence of a 
safety hazard posed by the use HFC-134a as a CFC-12 substitute in any 
end-use. The denial and the accompanying documentation are in Air 
Docket A-91-42, file number VI-C-20.

ADDRESSES: Information relevant to this notice is contained in Air 
Docket A-91-42, Central Docket Section, South Conference Room 4, U.S. 
Environmental Agency, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. 
Telephone: [phone]. The docket may be inspected between 8:00 
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays. As provided in 40 CFR part 2, a reasonable 
fee may be charged for photocopying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Levy at [phone] or fax 
[phone], U.S. EPA, Stratospheric Protection Division, 401 M 
Street, S.W., Mail Code 6205J, Washington, D.C. 20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Contact the Stratospheric Protection Hotline 
at 1-800-296-1996, Monday-Friday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 
4:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) weekdays.
    For more information on the Agency's process for administering the 
SNAP program or criteria for evaluation of substitutes, refer to the 
SNAP final rulemaking published in the Federal Register on March 18, 
1994 (59 FR 13044). Federal Register notices can be ordered from the 
Government Printing Office Order Desk [phone]; the citation is 
the date of publication. This notice may also be obtained on the World 
Wide Web at http://www.epa.gov/docs/ozone/title6/snap/.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 82

    Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure, 
Air pollution control, Reporting and Recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: September 20, 1996.
Mary D. Nichols,
Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 96-24892 Filed 9-27-96; 8:45 am]
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