[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 192 (Monday, October 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53415-53416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26633]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6172-4]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements Under EPA's
Energy Star Homes Program
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the
following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB): Recordkeeping and Reporting
Requirements under EPA's Energy Star Homes Program, EPA ICR No. 1879.01
Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information
collection as described below.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 4, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Commenters must send an original and two copies of their
comments referencing EPA ICR No. 1879.01 Recordkeeping and Reporting
Requirements under EPA's Energy Star Homes Program to: Air and
Radiation Docket and Information Center, Atmospheric Pollution
Prevention Division (Mail Code 6102), U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Headquarters (EPA, HQ), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460.
Hand deliveries of comments should be made to Room M1500 at this
address.
Comments may also be submitted electronically through the internet
to: [email protected]. Comments in electronic format
should also be identified by EPA ICR No. 1879.01 Recordkeeping and
Reporting Requirements under EPA's Energy Star Homes Program. All
electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use
of special characters and any form of encryption.
Public comments and supporting materials are available for viewing
in the Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, located at the
address above. The Docket is open to the public on all federal
government work days from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It is recommended that
the public make an appointment to review docket materials by calling
(202) 260-7549. The Docket will accept phone and fax requests for
material. Phone requests may be made using the phone number listed
above, and fax requests may be submitted to (202) 260-4400. A
reasonable fee is charged for the duplication of materials.
The official record for this action will be kept in paper form.
Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically
into paper form and place them in the official record, which will also
include all comments submitted directly in writing.
EPA responses to comments, whether the comments are written or
electronic, will be in a notice in the Federal Register. EPA will not
immediately reply to commenters electronically other than seek
clarification of electronic comments that may be garbled in
transmission or during conversion to paper form, as discussed above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on specific
aspects of this collection of information, contact Glenn Chinery,
Atmospheric Pollution and Prevention Division (Mail Code 620J), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, D.C.
20460, Ph. (202) 564-9784 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
general building contractors, operative builders, utilities, HERS (Home
Energy Rating System) providers and new homebuyers.
Title: Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements under EPA's Energy
Star Homes Program, EPA ICR No. 1879.01. OMB Control No. and expiration
date are not applicable as this is a new ICR.
Abstract: EPA's Energy Star Homes Program is a voluntary, non-
regulatory program initiated under the President's Global Climate
Change Action Plan. The broad goal of the program is to demonstrate
that energy efficient homes can help builders and related service
providers meet key business objectives, improve home quality and
homeowner comfort, lower energy demand, reduce air pollution and
enhance the national economy. The program encourages residential home
builders, developers, manufacturers, Home Energy Rating System (HERS)
providers, utilities, service providers, government agencies and other
organizations involved in the home building industry to promote energy
efficiency in homes.
[[Page 53416]]
This Information Collection Request (ICR) covers recordkeeping and
reporting activities for both participation in the Energy Star Homes
Program as well as participation in a three-year impact evaluation of
the Energy Star Homes Program. The results of the impact evaluation
will be used to evaluate and improve the Energy Star Homes Program
overall.
There are two ways to participate in the Energy Star Homes Program:
either as a partner or as an ally. Builders and developers may become
partners in the program, whereas, associations, financing companies,
utilities, material manufacturers and rating companies may become
allies of the program. Partners and allies can terminate their
participation in the program at any time. Participation in the program
begins with the completion and submittal to EPA of a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) that outlines responsibilities of the Energy Star
Homes partners and allies as well as EPA. Builders and developers that
become partners in the program are required to build homes that are at
least 30 percent more efficient than the National Model Energy Code
(MEC) before they can use the Energy Star logo. Organizations that
become allies of the program agree to promote the Energy Star program
and consider opportunities to market the program.
The Energy Star Homes Program Impact Evaluation is designed to
evaluate the effectiveness of the program in meeting the program's
stated objectives. The evaluation will cover Energy Star Homes built
during 1997, 1998, and 1999. The evaluation consists of surveying
Energy Star homebuyers, non-Energy Star homebuyers (hereafter referred
to as ``Control'' homebuyers), Energy Star builder partners, energy
suppliers, and HERS providers. By collecting information from these
different constituents, EPA will be able to determine whether Energy
Star homebuyers are satisfied with their purchase; builder partners are
meeting their business objectives; and Energy Star homes are delivering
the pollution prevention promised. EPA will ask respondents to receive
and review the survey, complete the survey, and return the survey.
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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15.
EPA would like to solicit comments to:
i. 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;
ii. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
iii. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses).
Burden Statement: EPA will conduct a census of all Energy Star
homes using information collected from HERS providers and expects to
receive 1,000 responses the first year, 5,500 the second year and
14,000 the third year. The large increase in the number of responses by
the end of the third year of the evaluation is due to the fact that EPA
believes that there will be 20,500 Energy Star homes in the U.S. by the
end of 1999. The agency will also conduct a census of Energy Star home
builders. The agency expects to receive 600 responses the first year
and 200 more in each of the subsequent years.
EPA will survey 686 Energy Star and control homebuyers each year.
It expects to receive 343 responses each year from each group. The
agency will also survey the energy suppliers of the homebuyers surveyed
and expects to receive 686 responses each year.
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is
estimated to average 0.22 hours per respondent. There is no
recordkeeping burden. It is expected that respondents will incur no
capital costs. The aggregate bottom-line burden and cost for
respondents is approximately 3198 hours per year with an annual cost of
approximately $171,072. The bottom line burden to the agency is
approximately 7,700 hours per year, at a cost of approximately $332,661
per year.
Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or
provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time
needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and
disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to
comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements;
train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information;
search data sources; complete and review the collection of information;
and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
Dated: September 24, 1998.
Glenn Chinery,
Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Division.
[FR Doc. 98-26633 Filed 10-2-98; 8:45 am]
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