OMB noted that
EPA should be careful to not characterize data reported by Partner
companies as an aggregate summary of emissions reductions resulting
from the Program. EPA recognizes that some of the activities and
emissions reductions reported by Partners may have been achieved in
the absence of the Program. EPA also recognizes that there are
emissions reductions occurring in the industry that have been a
direct or indirect result of the influence of the Program, but are
not being reported to EPA. As a result, EPA has been and will
continue to be clear in any Program related communication that when
providing a summary or an aggregation of emission reductions it is
appropriately characterized as resulting from Partners’ reported
activities. OMB understands that EPA is committed to improving its
ability to meaningfully evaluate the contributions of voluntary
programs characterized by the absence of readily available, high
quality, or detailed data, particularly on non-participants. After
assessing available methods from the literature that may be useful
in this context, EPA/NCEE will undertake one to three case studies
to examine how much it can say with regard to the potential role
that voluntary programs have played in participant actions. The
extent to which these issues can be feasibly and defensibly
addressed will depend on the voluntary program and the details of
its design and implementation, including its industry context and
the environmental problem it has been created to address. OMB will
expect a progress report on these efforts when the next renewal for
this ICR is submitted.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
05/31/2019
36 Months From Approved
204
0
0
1,688
0
0
0
0
0
The GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration
Partnership (hereafter referred to as GreenChill Partnership or
GreenChill) is an EPA cooperative alliance with the supermarket
industry to promote advanced refrigeration technologies,
strategies, and practices that reduce emissions of ozone-depleting
and greenhouse gas refrigerants. A food retailer's decision to
participate in the GreenChill Partnership is completely voluntary.
After joining GreenChill by submitting a signed ''Partnership
Agreement,'' food retailers are asked to submit a ''Stocks and
Emissions Report'' to an independent third party. The form requires
partners to provide corporate-wide, aggregated data on the stocks
and emissions of all refrigerants used in commercial refrigeration
and air conditioning appliances. The independent third party
summarizes the information submitted by the food retailers, removes
any identifying information, and sends a summary of the information
to GreenChill. Partners are then asked to submit a ''Corporate
Refrigerant Management Plan'' with their emissions reductions goals
for the next year, along with a brief description of their plan to
meet that goal (such as retrofitting old equipment, etc.). These
two forms are necessary for GreenChill to track annual supermarket
refrigerant emissions rates, allowing GreenChill and its food
retail partners to benchmark partners' progress on reducing
emissions. The partner emissions data is also the basis for the
achievement awards that GreenChill gives out to its
partners.
This is a new collection for
the GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership. It is an EPA
cooperative alliance with the supermarket industry to promote
advanced refrigeration technologies, strategies, and practices that
reduce emissions of ozone-depleting and greenhouse gas
refrigerants.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.