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Protection of Stratospheric Ozone

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[Federal Register: January 21, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 13)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 3272-3273]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21ja99-24]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 82

[FRL-6222-6]
RIN 2060-AG12


Protection of Stratospheric Ozone

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of denial of petition.

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SUMMARY: This action notifies the public that the Agency received a
petition pursuant to section 612(d) of the Clean Air Act, under the
Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program, and that EPA is
denying the petition. SNAP implements section 612 of the amended Clean
Air Act of 1990, which requires EPA to evaluate substitutes for ozone-
depleting substances (ODS) and to regulate the use of substitutes where
other alternatives exist that reduce overall risk to human health and
the environment. Through these evaluations, EPA generates lists of
acceptable and unacceptable substitutes for each of the major
industrial use sectors that use ODS, including the refrigeration and
air-conditioning sector.
    OZ Technology, Inc. submitted Hydrocarbon Blend B, or HC-
12a, as a CFC-12 substitute in a variety of end-uses on
July 19, 1994. In a June 13, 1995 final SNAP rulemaking (60 FR 31092),
EPA found the use of Hydrocarbon Blend B unacceptable as a substitute
for CFC-12 in all end-uses other than industrial process refrigeration.
This determination was based on a lack of adequate data demonstrating
that Hydrocarbon Blend B could be used safely in these end-uses. In
addition, numerous other acceptable alternatives to ODS exist in these
end-uses.

ADDRESSES: Information relevant to this Notice is contained in Air
Docket A-91-42, Central Docket Section, South Conference Room 4, U.S.
Environmental Agency, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460,
telephone: (202) 260-7548. The docket may be inspected between 8:00
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays. As provided in 40 CFR part 2, a reasonable
fee may be charged for photocopying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Levy by telephone at (202)
564-9727, by fax at (202) 565-2096, by e-mail at levy.jeffrey@epa.gov,
or by mail at U.S. EPA, Stratospheric Protection Division, 401 M
Street, SW, Mail Code 6205J, Washington, DC 20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since the publication of this
unacceptability determination, OZ Technology has petitioned EPA three
times. The following table provides information about each of the
previous petitions and EPA's denials.

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                                                                           Docket location
             Item                                 Date                    (within docket A-       FR notice
                                                                               91-42)
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OZ Petition 1................  November 4, 1994.........................  VI-D-75           n/a.
EPA Denial of Petition 1.....  July 25, 1995............................  VI-C-7            60 FR 49407.
OZ Petition 2................  December 5, 1995.........................  VI-D-135          n/a.
EPA Denial of Petition 2.....  August 30, 1996..........................  VI-C-20           61 FR 51018.
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    On May 1, 1998, OZ Technology, Inc. petitioned EPA for the third
time. In this instance, OZ again requested that EPA remove Hydrocarbon
Blend B from the unacceptable list and add it to the acceptable list as
a substitute used in all

[[Page 3273]]

new refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. The petition is in
Air Docket A-91-42, file number VI-D-229. On November 13, 1998, EPA
denied the petition on the basis that the information included in the
petition did not adequately address safety issues regarding the use of
Hydrocarbon Blend B as a CFC-12 substitute in new equipment. The denial
and the accompanying documentation are in Air Docket A-91-42, file
number VI-C-28. This Notice publicizes EPA's denial of the third
petition.
    Contact the Stratospheric Protection Hotline at 1-800-296-1996,
Monday-Friday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern
Time) weekdays. For more information on the Agency's process for
administering the SNAP program or criteria for evaluation of
substitutes, refer to the SNAP final rulemaking published in the
Federal Register on March 18, 1994 (59 FR 13044). Federal Register
notices can be ordered from the Government Printing Office Order Desk
(202) 783-3238; the citation is the date of publication. This Notice
may also be obtained on the world wide web at http://www.epa.gov/docs/
ozone/title6/snap/.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 82

    Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: January 14, 1999.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-1336 Filed 1-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

 
 

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