Protection of Stratospheric Ozone

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 82

[FRL-6222-6]

RIN 2060-AG12

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 that use ODS, including the refrigeration and

air-conditioning sector.

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 a June 13, 1995 final SNAP rulemaking (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 Hydrocarbon Blend B could be used safely in these end-uses. In

addition, numerous other acceptable alternatives to ODS exist in these

end-uses.

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, SW, Washington, DC 20460,

telephone: (202) 260-7548. 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 by telephone at (202)

564-9727, by fax at (202) 565-2096, by e-mail at [email protected],

or by mail at U.S. EPA, Stratospheric Protection Division, 401 M

Street, SW, Mail Code 6205J, Washington, DC 20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since the publication of this

unacceptability determination, OZ Technology has petitioned EPA three

times. The following table provides information about each of the

previous petitions and EPA's denials.

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Docket location

Item Date (within docket A- FR notice

91-42)

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OZ Petition 1................ November 4, 1994......................... VI-D-75 n/a.

EPA Denial of Petition 1..... July 25, 1995............................ VI-C-7 60 FR 49407.

OZ Petition 2................ December 5, 1995......................... VI-D-135 n/a.

EPA Denial of Petition 2..... August 30, 1996.......................... VI-C-20 61 FR 51018.

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On May 1, 1998, OZ Technology, Inc. petitioned EPA for the third

time. In this instance, OZ again requested that EPA remove Hydrocarbon

Blend B from the unacceptable list and add it to the acceptable list as

a substitute used in all

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new refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. The petition is in

Air Docket A-91-42, file number VI-D-229. On November 13, 1998, EPA

denied the petition on the basis that the information included in the

petition did not adequately address safety issues regarding the use of

Hydrocarbon Blend B as a CFC-12 substitute in new equipment. The denial

and the accompanying documentation are in Air Docket A-91-42, file

number VI-C-28. This Notice publicizes EPA's denial of the third

petition.

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

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

(202) 783-3238; 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: January 14, 1999.

Carol M. Browner,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 99-1336 Filed 1-20-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P