Agency Information Collection Activities Up for Renewal

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:

[email protected]. 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)

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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 (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

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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)

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Annual respondent burden:

1. Compiling information and submitting it to EPA

Headquarters.............................................. 1

Total.................................................. 1

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Annual burden hour total--(1) x No. of respondents (12)=12 hrs.

(v) Small Container Purchased for Resale Only Recordkeeping

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Burden

Collection activities hours (per

year)

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Annual respondent burden:

1. Compiling information and maintaining files............. .5

Total.................................................. .5

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Annual burden hour total--(.5) x No. of respondents (2000) = 1000 hrs.

(vi) Recordkeeping for off site Reclamation or Recycling

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Burden

Collection activities hours (per

year)

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Annual respondent burden:

1. Recording the name and address.......................... .08

Total.................................................. .08

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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.

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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

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Independent

Respondent activities laboratory

hrs.

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Independent lab testing:

Compile information on testing program and submit to EPA... 8

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Applicant

Response activities hrs.

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Substantially identical equipment:

Compile information on equipment and submit to EPA......... 1

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Sellers of

small

Response activities containers

hrs.

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Small containers purchased for resale only recordkeeping

requirements:

Compile and file information............................... .5

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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

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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]

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