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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 24, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
Response: The EPA acknowledges the commenters support for the adoption of SAE J2843 and J2851. With regard to the commenters concerns regarding SAE
J3030, the EPA does not agree that the use of equipment certified to meet SAE
J3030 would result in crosscontamination of MVACs. SAE J3030
was developed to prevent the misuse and tampering of servicing equipment, the mixing of R134a and R1234yf, and the contamination of MVACs by technicians while a significant number of vehicles with R134a are in use and R1234yf is being used in an increasing number of new motor vehicles. A
similar standard was developed to certify equipment intended for use with both R12 to R134a MVACs in 1995:
SAE J1770, Automotive Refrigerant Recovery/Recycling Equipment Intended for use With Both R12 and R134a Cancelled November 2010. SAE J1770
established specific minimum equipment requirements for recovery/
recycling equipment intended for use with both R12 and R134a in a common refrigerant circuit that had been directly removed from and intended for reuse in MVACs. We have no information suggesting that proper use of equipment certified to SAE J1770
led to any increase in emissions of R
12 or R134a. Based on our experience with SAE J1770, we are confident that proper use of equipment certified to SAE J3030 also will not lead to any increase in emissions of R134a.
The EPA acknowledges the potential safety hazards, flammability risks, and potential for cross-contamination when multiple refrigerants are used to service MVACs. The agency also acknowledges the potential loss of environmental benefits if a refrigerant other than the one for which the vehicle is designed is used to service the system. However, incorporating SAE J3030 by reference does not alter the regulatory requirements governing which refrigerants can be used for servicing.
Instead, as explained below, SAE J3030
was specifically designed to minimize cross contamination and thus preserve environmental benefits. The commenters concern about a potential loss of CO2e credits is also misplaced.
Under EPAs light-duty Greenhouse Gas GHG standards for MY 20172025, vehicle manufacturers may generate credits toward compliance with the CO2e GHG emission standards, both for improving the efficiency of MVACs and for reducing MVAC HFC emissions by reducing leakage or using alternative, lower-GWP refrigerants. see 40 CFR
86.186512 and 186712. Any credits a manufacturer may generate at the time
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of vehicle production based on the use of a specific MVAC refrigerant are not affected by actions taken later at facilities servicing those vehicles.
However, the expected GHG emission reductions from the GHG program can only be achieved if the proper refrigerant is used throughout the useful life of the vehicles, so avoiding cross contamination of the servicing equipment maintains the intended benefits of the GHG program when vehicle MVAC systems are recharged.
SAE J3030 was developed to mitigate potential risks and concerns by establishing equipment specifications and testing procedures for certifying laboratories to ensure that equipment does not cross contaminate refrigerant above specified limits when used under normal operating conditions. For example, as discussed in section 3.3 of the standard, equipment certified to SAE J3030 must meet all feature content and functional requirements of both SAE J2788 for R134a and SAE
J2843 for R1234yf and pass all test requirements of these standards. In addition, it must pass a changeover test to determine that any refrigerant crosscontamination is within the limits of this standard. Additionally, section 4.1.1 of the standard describes the requirement for SAE J3030-certified equipment to have an electronicallycontrolled electro-mechanical lockout to permit the recovery, recycle, recharge sequence of either R1234yf or R134a.
If the equipment determines that the MVAC system does not contain R
1234yf or R134a in the required purity, it shall not permit refrigerant recovery.
For these reasons, we conclude that proper use of equipment certified to SAE J3030 is not related to GHG credits generated by auto manufacturers and will not lead to a loss in either the expected environmental benefits of the GHG program or CO2e credits.
C. Other Suggestions and Concerns Comment: One commenter noted a technical error in the title of SAE J2843
in the proposed regulatory text at 40
CFR 82.36a8.
Response: The EPA appreciates this comment and has corrected the title of SAE J2843 in the final rule.
Comment: One commenter would like to see more enforcement of the CAA 609
regulations as they pertain to technicians and service shop owners.
The commenter requested that the EPA
require that all certified AC shops have their technicians certified under the ASE Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling Program and provide proof when applying for their business license. The commenter also requested that the EPA

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require that proper storage procedures are in place for refrigerants.
Additionally, the commenter voiced concern about the cost to service centers that would need to purchase new equipment.
Response: The EPA acknowledges the commenters suggestions. Comments concerning enforcement, technician certification, and refrigerant storage procedures are beyond the scope of this rulemaking and thus no response to comments on those topics is required. In this action, the EPA is solely adopting by incorporating by reference the three existing SAE standards that include guidelines and requirements for equipment designed to service R1234yf MVACs. The EPA did not propose and is not requiring in this final rule that service shops service R1234yf MVACs.
Prior to the issuance of this final rule, there was and continues to be certified equipment that can be used by service shops that choose to service MVACs with R1234yf and do not wish to use equipment that meets the standards EPA
is adopting. This rule provides additional flexibility to service shops by expanding the universe of equipment that may be certified for use by technicians. As such, it does not impose costs on service shops. With regards to the commenters proposal that the EPA
require technicians to be certified under the ASE Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling Program, as noted above, the EPA did not propose and is not making any changes to the technician certification requirements in this final rule; EPAs existing regulations currently require that all technicians who repair or service MVACs for consideration be trained and certified by one of the EPA-approved technician training and certification programs, which are listed at https www.epa.gov/
mvac/section-609-technician-trainingand-certification-programs.
Comment: One commenter inquired about studies regarding efficiency of the standards, impacts of the standards for vehicle manufacturers and service centers, and the environmental benefits of recycling versus discarding R1234yf.
Response: With regard to the question regarding efficiency of the standards, we assume the commenter is asking about the efficiency rate achieved by the standards. As discussed above in section II.B of this rule, SAE J2843
includes requirements established in SAE J2788 that should result in an efficient 95% refrigerant recovery rate during MVAC servicing. Research showed that equipment certified to meet
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