Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Servicing of Motor Vehicle Air Conditioners (Renewal) Publication: Federal Register Agency: Environmental Protection Agency Byline: Cynthia A. Newberg Date: 22 May 2024 Subjects: American Government , The Environment

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 22, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44977-44978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11206]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0039; FRL-11899-01-OAR]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Servicing of Motor Vehicle Air Conditioners 
(Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request, ``Servicing of Motor Vehicle Air 
Conditioners (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1617.10, OMB Control No. 2060-
0247) to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, the 
Agency is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the 
proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed 
extension of the information collection request, which is currently 
approved through December 31, 2024. This notice allows for 60 days for 
public comments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 22, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2024-0039, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to a-and-r-docket@epa.gov 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: Matthew Celsa, Stratospheric 
Protection Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs (Mail Code 6205A), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-2046; email address: 
celsa.matthew@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently 
approved through December 31, 2024. 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. 
This notice allows 60 days for public comments. 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 forms of information technology. 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: Section 609 of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Act) 
provides general guidelines for the servicing of motor vehicle air 
conditioners (MVACs). It states that ``no person repairing or servicing 
motor vehicles for consideration may perform any service on a motor 
vehicle air conditioner involving the refrigerant for such air 
conditioner without properly using approved refrigerant recycling 
equipment and no such person may perform such service unless such 
person has been properly trained and

[[Page 44978]]

certified.'' In 1992, EPA developed regulations under section 609 that 
were published in 57 FR 31240 and codified at 40 CFR Subpart B (Section 
82.30 et seq.). The information required to be collected under the 
section 609 regulations is: approved refrigerant handling equipment; 
approved independent standards testing organizations; technician 
training and certification; and certification, reporting and 
recordkeeping.
    Form numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: The following is a list of NAICS 
codes for organizations potentially affected by the information 
requirements covered under this ICR. It is meant to include any 
establishment that may service or maintain motor vehicle air 
conditioners.
4411 Automobile Dealers
4413 Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Stores
44711 Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores
8111 Automotive Repair and Maintenance
811198 All Other Automotive Repair and Maintenance

    Other affected groups include independent standards testing 
organizations and organizations with technician certification programs.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (40 CFR 82.36, 82.38, 
82.40, 82.42).
    Estimated number of respondents: 53,147.
    Frequency of response: On occasion, biennially, only once.
    Total estimated burden: 4,760 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $255,289 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is an increase of about 502 hours in 
the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB (EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0040). This increase is due to a 
revision in the estimate of the total annual number of technicians 
certified under 40 CFR 82 (40,000/year in 2021 to 47,000/year in 2024), 
and an increase in the number of motor vehicle repair establishments in 
the United States (165,800 in 2021 to about 170,000 in 2024).

Cynthia A. Newberg,
Director, Stratospheric Protection Division.
[FR Doc. 2024-11206 Filed 5-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P