[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35230-35232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12446]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8331-6]
Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Notice of Data Availability--
Changes in HCFC Consumption and Emissions From the U.S. Proposed
Adjustments for Accelerating the HCFC Phaseout
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of data availability and request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making available
to the public information concerning the potential changes in
hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) consumption and emissions from the
proposed adjustments to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol) submitted by the United
States for consideration at the 19th Meeting of the Parties (MOP-19) to
be held in Montreal beginning on September 17, 2007. HCFCs are already
subject to controls under the Protocol, and the proposed adjustments
would accelerate the application of those controls. While HCFCs are
less damaging to stratospheric ozone than the chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) they replaced, they still deplete the ozone layer. EPA is making
available the report Changes in HCFC Consumption and Emissions from the
U.S. Proposed Adjustments for Accelerating the HCFC Phaseout, prepared
by ICF Consulting.
[[Page 35231]]
The information gathered and presented in the report concerns the
United States' proposal to adjust the HCFC phaseout schedule under the
Montreal Protocol. Because EPA plans to use this information in
preparation for MOP-19, EPA wants to provide the public with an
opportunity to review the information and submit comments. Readers
should note that EPA will only consider comments about the information
presented in Changes in HCFC Consumption and Emissions from the U.S.
Proposed Adjustments for Accelerating the HCFC Phaseout and is not
soliciting comments on any other topic. In particular, EPA is not
soliciting comments on the HCFC phaseout established in EPA's December
10, 1993, rulemaking (58 FR 65018).
DATES: EPA will accept comments on the data through July 27, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2007-0530, by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: 202-566-1741.
Mail: Docket , Air and Radiation Docket and
Information Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mail code:
6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: Docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0163, Air
and Radiation Docket at EPA West, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW., Room
B108, Mail Code 6102T, Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are only
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2007-0530. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at
www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided,
unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to
be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or e-mail.
The www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' system,
which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information
unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-
mail comment directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov
your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part
of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available
on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends
that you include your name and other contact information in the body of
your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read
your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for
clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic
files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional
information about EPA's public docket visit the EPA Docket Center
homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cindy Axinn Newberg, by regular mail:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (6205J), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.,
NW., Washington, DC 20460; by courier service or overnight express:
1310 L Street, NW., Room 1047A, Washington, DC 20005; by telephone:
(202) 343-9729; by fax: (202) 343-2338; or by e-mail:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Outline
1. What is this Action?
2. What information is EPA making available for review and comment?
3. Where can I get the information?
4. How is this action related to the U.S. phaseout of ozone-
depleting substances?
5. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
6. What is EPA not taking comment on?
7. What supporting documentation do I need to include in my
comments?
8. Will there be other opportunities to provide comment on the
information?
1. What is this Action?
While the Parties to the Montreal Protocol have already made
tremendous strides in phasing out ozone-depleting substances, there are
opportunities to speed recovery of the ozone layer by accelerating the
phaseout of HCFCs. Under the Montreal Protocol, industrialized
countries and developing countries have different schedules for phasing
out production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, including
HCFCs. In this context, ``consumption'' is defined as production plus
imports minus exports. The Parties have previously agreed to a phaseout
schedule culminating in a complete phaseout for non-Article 5 Parties
in 2030 and Article 5 Parties in 2040. Developing countries operating
under Article 5, paragraph 1of the Montreal Protocol are referred to as
Article 5 Parties. The United States believes steps can be taken to
reduce HCFC consumption further and achieve a total phaseout more
quickly. This Notice of Data Availability (NODA) describes, and
provides for public review and comment, an analysis that supports
accelerating the HCFC phaseout.
EPA believes that accelerating the HCFC phaseout will further
protect the ozone layer. For example, adoption of all four elements of
the U.S. proposal would result in a 54 percent reduction in HCFC
emissions compared to the current phaseout schedule. EPA's analysis
discusses the HCFC phaseout in a broader context, however, and also
considers the transition to likely HCFC alternatives and improvements
in energy efficiency that will result from the installation of new
equipment. Such an approach is necessary to ensure that potential
benefits are considered in the appropriate context. The data made
available through this Notice is specific to the United States'
proposal but may have general applicability to the other five proposals
submitted by various Parties to the Protocol. Those interested in the
suite of proposed adjustments are encouraged to review Proposed
Adjustments to the Montreal Protocol (UNEP/OzL.Pro.WG.1/27/8/Rev.2), on
the Web at: http://ozone.unep.org/Meeting_Documents/oewg/27oewg/OEWG-27-8-Rv2Cr1E.pdf.
EPA is making available information concerning analysis of the
proposed adjustments submitted by the United States for consideration
at MOP-19. Comments submitted in response to this Notice of Data
Availability (NODA) may be used as EPA and other agencies prepare for
MOP-19.
2. What information is EPA making available for review and comment?
EPA is making available for review and comment a draft report
prepared by ICF Consulting under contract to EPA, Changes in HCFC
Consumption and Emissions from the U.S. Proposed Adjustments for
Accelerating the HCFC Phaseout.
Those interested in this NODA may wish to review the Protocol and
the recent proceedings from the 27th Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG)
Meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya June 4-7, 2007 (http://ozone.unep.org/Meeting_Documents/oewg/27oewg/index.shtml), as well as the specific
six sets of proposed adjustments submitted by nine Parties presented in
Proposed Adjustments to the Montreal Protocol (UNEP/OzL.Pro.WG.1/27/8/
Rev.2).
[[Page 35232]]
3. Where can I get the information?
All of the information can be obtained through the Air Docket (see
ADDRESSES section above for docket contact info). A link to the report
Changes in HCFC Consumption and Emissions from the U.S. Proposed
Adjustments for Accelerating the HCFC Phaseout will be on the EPA Web
site: http://www.epa.gov/ozone/strathome.html.
4. How is this action related to the U.S. phaseout of ozone-depleting
substances?
The following table shows the U.S. schedule for phasing out its
consumption of HCFCs in accordance with the current terms of the
Protocol for Non-Article 5 Parties.
HCFC Phaseout Schedule
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Comparison of the current Montreal Protocol schedule for Non-Article 5 Parties and United States phaseout
schedules
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Montreal Protocol United States
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Percent
reduction in
consumption, Implementation of HCFC
Year to be implemented using the Year to be implemented phaseout through Clean Air Act
cap as a regulations
baseline
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2004................................... 35.0 2003..................... No production and no importing
of HCFC-141b.
2010................................... 65.0 2010..................... No production and no importing
of HCFC-142b and HCFC-22,
except for use in equipment
manufactured before 1/1/2010.
No production and no importing
of any HCFCs, except for use
as refrigerants in equipment
manufactured before 1/1/2020.
2020................................... 99.5 2020..................... No production and no importing
of HCFC-142b and HCFC-22.
2030................................... 100.0 2030..................... No production and no importing
of any HCFCs.
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The following table shows the current obligations for Article 5
Parties for phasing out HCFCs.
Current Montreal Protocol obligations for article 5(I) parties for HCFC
consumption
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Year to be implemented Obligation
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2015................................ Establish HCFC base consumption
level.
2016................................ Maintain HCFC base consumption
level.
2040................................ 100% reduction in base consumption
level.
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The proposed adjustments would accelerate the phaseout schedule for
both Article 5 and non-Article 5 Parties by 10 years; would move
forward the year for which non-Article 5 Parties establish a baseline
and freeze consumption; would add stepwise reductions to the Article 5
Parties' schedule rather than maintaining a freeze for 25 years
followed by a complete phaseout, and would follow a phaseout schedule
based on the ozone-depleting potential of the various HCFCs similar to
our domestic approach--called `worst-first' or `worst-faster'.
5. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your
comments:
1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
3. Provide any technical information or data you used that support
your views.
4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you
arrived at your estimate.
5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
6. Offer alternatives.
7. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline
identified.
8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate docket
identification number in the subject line on the first page of your
response. It would also be helpful if you provided the name, date, and
Federal Register citation related to your comments.
6. What is EPA not taking comment on?
EPA is only accepting comments on accuracy and completeness of the
information outlined in this Federal Register Notice and contained in
the report Changes in HCFC Consumption and Emissions from the U.S.
Proposed Adjustments for Accelerating the HCFC Phaseout. EPA is not
accepting comment on the following:
HCFC phaseout established in EPA's December 10, 1993
rulemaking (58 FR 65018),
The allowance system for controlling HCFC production
import and export, or
The commitments of the U.S. as a Party to the Montreal
Protocol.
7. What supporting documentation do I need to include in my comments?
Please provide any published studies or raw data supporting your
position.
8. Will there be other opportunities to provide comment on the
information?
EPA or other U.S. government agencies may decide to schedule a
public meeting for stakeholders concerning the proposed adjustments or
other issues that may be discussed at MOP-19 after July 27, 2007 to
continue a dialogue. At this time, EPA has not scheduled such a
meeting.
Dated: June 21, 2007.
Edward Callahan,
Acting Director, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Office of Air and
Radiation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. E7-12446 Filed 6-26-07; 8:45 am]
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