80 FR 76474 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements of the HCFC Allowance System

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 236 (December 9, 2015)

The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements of the HCFC Allowance System (EPA ICR No. 2014.06, OMB Control No. 2060-0498) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2016. 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.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 236 (Wednesday, December 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76474-76475]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31051]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0039; FRL-9939-90-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements of the HCFC Allowance System

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements of the HCFC Allowance System (EPA ICR No. 2014.06, OMB 
Control No. 2060-0498) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public 
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as 
described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is 
currently approved through April 30, 2016. 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: Comments must be submitted on or before February 8, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2003-0039 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.
    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: Robert Burchard, Stratospheric 
Protection Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs (6205T), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9126; fax number: 
(202) 343-2338; 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.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it 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, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (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 electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology,

[[Page 76475]]

e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA will consider 
the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. The final ICR 
package will then be submitted to OMB for review and approval. At that 
time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice to announce the 
submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional 
comments to OMB.
    Abstract: The international treaty The Montreal Protocol on 
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Protocol) and Title VI of the 
Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) established limits on total U.S. 
production, import, and export of class I and class II controlled ozone 
depleting substances (referred to hereinafter as ``controlled 
substances'').
    Under its Protocol commitments, the United States was obligated to 
cease production and import of class I controlled substances (e.g., 
chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs) with exemptions for essential uses, 
critical uses, previously-used material, and material that is 
transformed, destroyed, or exported to developing countries. The 
Protocol also establishes limits and reduction schedules leading to the 
eventual phaseout of class II controlled substances (i.e., 
hydrochlorofluorocarbons or HCFCs).
    The U.S. is obligated to limit HCFC consumption (defined by the 
Protocol as production plus imports, minus exports). The schedule 
called for a 35 percent reduction on January 1, 2004, followed by a 75 
percent reduction on January 1, 2010, a 90 percent reduction on January 
1, 2015, a 99.5 percent reduction on January 1, 2020, and a total 
phaseout on January 1, 2030. EPA is responsible for administering the 
phaseout.
    To ensure U.S. compliance with these limits and restrictions, EPA 
established an allowance system to control U.S. production and import 
of HCFCs by granting control measures referred to as baseline and 
calendar-year allowances. Baseline allowances are based on the 
historical activity of individual companies. Calendar-year allowances 
allow holders to produce and/or import controlled substances in a given 
year and are allocated as a percentage of baseline.
    There are two types of baseline and calendar-year allowances: 
Consumption and production allowances. Since each allowance is equal to 
1 kilogram of HCFC, EPA is able to monitor the quantity of HCFCs being 
produced, imported and exported. Transfers of production and 
consumption allowances among producers and importers are allowed and 
are tracked by EPA.
    The above-described limits and restrictions are monitored by EPA 
through the recordkeeping and reporting requirements established in the 
regulations in 40 CFR part 82, subpart A. To submit required 
information, regulated entities can download reporting forms from EPA's 
Web site (http://www.epa.gov/ozone/record), complete them, and send 
them to EPA electronically, via mail, courier, or fax.
    Upon receipt of the reports, the data is entered into the ODS 
Tracking System. The ODS Tracking System is a secure database that 
maintains the data submitted to EPA and helps the agency: (1) Maintain 
oversight over total production and consumption of controlled 
substances; (2) monitor compliance with limits and restrictions on 
production, imports, and trades and specific exemptions from the 
phaseout for individual U.S. companies; and (3) assess, and report on, 
compliance with U.S. obligations under the Montreal Protocol.
    EPA has implemented an electronic reporting system that allows 
regulated entities to prepare and submit data electronically. Coupled 
with the widespread use of the standardized forms, electronic reporting 
has improved data quality and made the reporting process efficient for 
both reporting companies and EPA. Most reporting is done 
electronically.
    Pursuant to regulations in 40 CFR part 2, subpart B, reporting 
businesses are entitled to assert a business confidentiality claim 
covering any part of the submitted business information as defined in 
40 CFR 2.201(c). EPA's practice is to manage the reported information 
as confidential business information.
    Form numbers: Forms associated with this ICR are: Quarterly 
Reports, Second Party Transformation Report, Second Party Destruction 
Report, Transmission Verification Report, Destruction Efficiency 
Report, Destruction Verification Report, Semi-annual Report, 
International Transfer of Allowances Report, and the Domestic Transfer 
of Allowances Report. All are under OMB Control Number 2060-0498.
    Respondents/affected entities: 40.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (Title VI of the 
Clean Air Act Amendments).
    Estimated number of respondents: 40.
    Frequency of response: Annually, quarterly, or as needed.
    Total estimated burden: 1,434 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $153,264 (per year), includes $1,155 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: The respondent numbers changed because the 
reporting community continues to change as ODS are phased out in the 
US. Specifically, we estimate fewer companies reporting on imports and 
exports of Class II ODS. We also assume fewer companies reporting on 
the destruction and transformation of this material. These updates are 
based on 2014 reporting activity whereas our previous estimates were 
based on 2010-2011 reporting activity.

    Dated: November 23, 2015.
Drusilla Hufford,
Director, Stratospheric Protection Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-31051 Filed 12-8-15; 8:45 am]
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