[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34855-34856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11443]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0407; FRL--11005-01-OAR]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Information 
Collection Request; Comment Request; EPA's ENERGY STAR Program in the 
Commercial and Industrial Sectors (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``EPA's ENERGY STAR 
Program in the Commercial and Industrial Sectors'' (EPA ICR Number 
1772.09, OMB Control Number 2060-0347) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on 
specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described 
below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently 
approved through January 21, 2024. This notice allows for 60 days for 
public comments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 31, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2006-0407, to 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. 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: Cynthia Veit Maia, Climate Protection 
Partnerships Division, (5230A), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-
9494; fax number: 202-343-2204; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a proposed extension of the ICR, 
which is currently approved through January 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: EPA created ENERGY STAR as a voluntary program to help 
businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior 
energy efficiency. The program focuses on reducing utility-generated 
emissions by reducing the demand for energy. In 1991, EPA launched the 
Green Lights Program to encourage corporations, State and local 
governments, colleges and universities, and other organizations to 
adopt energy-efficient lighting as a profitable means of preventing 
pollution and improving lighting quality. Since then, EPA has rolled 
Green Lights into ENERGY STAR and expanded ENERGY STAR to encompass 
organization-wide energy performance improvement, such as building 
technology upgrades, product purchasing initiatives, and employee 
training. At the same time, EPA has streamlined the reporting 
requirements of ENERGY STAR and focused on providing incentives for 
improvements (e.g., ENERGY STAR awards program). EPA also makes tools 
and other resources available over the Web to help the public overcome 
the barriers to evaluating their energy performance and investing in 
profitable improvements.
    To join ENERGY STAR, organizations are asked to complete a 
Partnership Application that establishes their commitment to energy 
efficiency. Partners agree to undertake efforts such as measuring, 
tracking, and benchmarking their organization's energy performance by 
using tools such as those offered by ENERGY STAR; developing and 
implementing a plan to improve energy performance in their facilities 
and operations by adopting a strategy provided by ENERGY STAR; and 
educating staff and the public about their Partnership with ENERGY 
STAR, and highlighting achievements with the ENERGY STAR, where 
available.
    Partners also may be asked to periodically submit information to 
EPA as needed to assist in program implementation.
    Partnership in ENERGY STAR is voluntary and can be terminated by 
Partners or EPA at any time. EPA does not expect organizations to join 
the program unless they expect participation to be cost effective and 
otherwise beneficial for them.
    In addition, Partners and other interested parties can seek 
recognition and help EPA promote energy-efficient technologies by 
evaluating the efficiency of their buildings using EPA's on-line tools 
(e.g., Portfolio Manager) and applying for recognition. EPA does

[[Page 34856]]

not expect any information collected under ENERGY STAR to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI).
    Form Numbers: 5900-19, 5900-195, 5900-197, 5900-198, 5900-22, 5900-
262, 5900-263, 5900-264, 5900-265, 5900-382, 5900-383, 5900-387, 5900-
436, 5900-437, 5900-441, 5900-441a, 5900-442, 5900-443, 5900-444, 5900-
445, 5900-89.
    Respondents/affected entities: Participants in EPA's ENERGY STAR 
Program in the commercial and industrial sectors.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 37,021 (total).
    Frequency of response: One-time, annually, or on occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 210,306 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $14,859,991 (per year), which includes 
$5,034,450 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: The burden estimates presented in this 
notice are from the last approval. EPA is currently evaluating and 
updating these estimates as part of the ICR renewal process. EPA will 
discuss its updated estimates, as well as changes from the last 
approval, in the next Federal Register notice to be issued for this 
renewal.

Jean Lupinacci,
Director, Climate Protection Partnerships Division.
[FR Doc. 2023-11443 Filed 5-30-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


