80 FR 8640 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Information Collection Request for Green Power Partnership and Combined Heat and Power Partnership

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 32 (February 18, 2015)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), Information Collection Request for Green Power Partnership and Combined Heat and Power Partnership'' (EPA ICR No. 2173.02, OMB Control No. 2060-0578) 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 July 31, 2015 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 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8640-8641]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03299]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0501; FRL-9923-00-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Information Collection Request for Green Power Partnership and Combined 
Heat and Power Partnership

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), Information Collection 
Request for Green Power Partnership and Combined Heat and Power 
Partnership'' (EPA ICR No. 2173.02, OMB Control No. 2060-0578) 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 July 
31, 2015 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 April 20, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-

[[Page 8641]]

OAR-2004-0501, 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: Christopher Kent, Climate Protection 
Partnerships Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs, MC 6202A 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-343-9046; fax number: 202-
343-2208; 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, 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: In 2002, EPA launched two new partnership programs with 
industry and other stakeholders: The Green Power Partnership (GPP) and 
the Combined Heat and Power Partnership (CHPP). These voluntary 
partnership programs encourage organizations to invest in clean, 
efficient energy technologies, including renewable energy and combined 
heat and power. To continue to be successful, it is critical that EPA 
collect information from GPP and CHPP Partners to ensure these 
organizations are meeting their renewable energy and CHP goals and to 
assure the credibility of these voluntary partnership programs.
    EPA has developed this ICR to obtain authorization to collect 
information from organizations participating in the GPP and CHPP. 
Organizations that join these programs voluntarily agree to the 
following respective actions: (1) Designating a Green Power or CHP 
liaison and filling out a Partnership Agreement or Letter of Intent 
(LOI) respectively, (2) for the GPP, reporting to EPA, on an annual 
basis, their progress toward their green power commitment via a 3-page 
reporting form; (3) for the CHP Partnership, reporting to EPA 
information on their existing CHP projects, new project development, 
and other CHP-related activities via a one-page reporting form (for 
projects) or via an informal email or phone call (for other CHP-related 
activities). EPA uses the data obtained from its Partners to assess the 
success of these programs in achieving their national energy and 
greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals. Partners are organizational 
entities that have volunteered to participate in either Partnership 
program.
    Form Numbers: EPA-430-K-013, EPA-430-F-05-034.
    Respondents/affected entities:
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,565.
    Frequency of response: Annually, on Occasion, One time.
    Total estimated burden: 8,191 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $706,709 (per year), includes $7,478 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is an increase of 2,368 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. The average number of hours per Partners remained the 
same at 3.2 hours, pending a partner survey to determine the results of 
these efficiencies. The total hourly burden increased because due to an 
increase in the number of Partners. For perspective on the magnitude of 
partner growth, the number of Partners at the end of 2011 was 1,308, 
and at the end of 2014 there is was 2,041.
    The total cost estimate (including both Respondents and Agency 
burden) over the 3 year period for this renewal ICR is $2,805,913, or 
an average of $935,304 per year, of which $7,749 is O&M costs. The 
total cost to GPP and CHP Partners is $2,120,126, or $706,709 per year. 
The total cost estimate increase for Partners is due to an increase in 
the number of Partners and increases in wages.

    Dated: February 6, 2015.
Elizabeth Craig,
Director, Climate Protection Partnerships Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-03299 Filed 2-17-15; 8:45 am]
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