Proposed Rules. Proposed rule; reopening of public comment period

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Action: Proposed rule; reopening of public comment period
Citation: FR Doc. 2011-3992 · EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0167; FRL-9270-2 · 40 CFR 82

Summary

EPA issued a proposed rule in the December 15, 2010, Federal Register proposing changes to the leak repair regulations promulgated under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. In response to stakeholder requests, this action reopens the public comment period through March 25, 2011.

Dates

Comments, identified by docket ID number EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0167, must be received on or before March 25, 2011.

Supplementary Information

Background The statutory and regulatory background is described in detail in the December 15, 2010, notice of proposed rulemaking (75 FR 78558). EPA has proposed to lower the leak repair trigger rates for comfort cooling, commercial refrigeration, and industrial process refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment with refrigerant charges greater than 50 pounds of ozone-depleting substances. This action proposes to streamline existing required practices and associated reporting and recordkeeping requirements by establishing similar leak repair requirements for owners or operators of comfort cooling, commercial refrigeration, and industrial process refrigeration appliances. This action also proposes to reduce the use and emissions of class I and class II controlled substances (such as but not limited to CFC-11, CFC-12, HCFC-123, and HCFC-22) by requiring verification and documentation of all repairs, retrofit or retirement of appliances that cannot be sufficiently repaired; replacement of appliance components that have a history of failures; and recordkeeping of the determination of the full charge and the fate of recovered refrigerant. This Action EPA has received a request to provide additional time for public comment on the proposed rule. We believe that the request is reasonable and that a further 30 days for additional public comment is appropriate, since it will provide affected entities with necessary time to complete analysis and comment on the proposal. This action therefore reopens the comment period for 30 days. We intend to issue a final rule as expeditiously as possible following consideration of the comments and information we receive. Dated: February 16, 2011. Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation. [FR Doc. 2011-3992 Filed 2-22-11; 8:45 am]