81 FR 25400 - Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements of the HCFC Allowance System (Renewal)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 82 (April 28, 2016)

The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted 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.). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2016. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register (80 FR 76474) on December 9, 2015 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 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 81, Number 82 (Thursday, April 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25400-25401]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09890]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HA-OAR-2003-0039; FRL--9945-85-OEI]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements of 
the HCFC Allowance System (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted 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.). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is 
currently approved through April 30, 2016. Public comments were 
previously requested via the Federal Register (80 FR 76474) on December 
9, 2015 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an 
additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR 
is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 
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: Additional comments may be submitted on or before May 31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2003-039 to (1) EPA 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, and (2) OMB via email to 
[email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    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.
    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.
    Respondents/affected entities: Companies that produce, import, and 
export class II controlled ozone depleting substances.

[[Page 25401]]

    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 O&M 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.

Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-09890 Filed 4-27-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P