[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 230 (Wednesday, December 2, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63149-63151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-28836]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0865; FRL-9088-2]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Focus Group and Consumer Survey Research for Improving
Fuel Economy Label Design and Content; EPA ICR No. 2343.01, OMB Control
No. 2060-NEW
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to
submit a request for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 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 February 1, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2009-0865 by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: (202) 566-1741.
Mail Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center
(EPA/DC), Air and Radiation Docket, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2009-0865
Hand Delivery: Docket Center, (EPA/DC) EPA West, Room
B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC, Attention Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0865. Such deliveries are only accepted during the
Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be
made for deliveries of boxed information. Such deliveries are only
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2009-0865. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without
going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of
any defects or
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viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the
EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roberts French, Compliance and
Innovative Strategies Division, Office of Transportation and Air
Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Dr., Ann
Arbor, MI 48105; telephone number: (734) 214-4380; fax number: (734)
214-4869; e-mail address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0865, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and
Radiation Docket and Information Center in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC.
The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number
for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the telephone number for the
OAR Docket is 202-566-1742.
Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those
documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once
in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number
identified in this document.
What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested in?
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically
solicits 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 automated
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.
What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your
comments:
1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific
examples.
2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used
that support your views.
4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified
under DATES.
7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal
Register citation.
What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0865.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
randomly selected U.S. citizens. Some screening may be done to ensure
that the respondents may have some familiarity with fuel economy and
fuel economy labels. For example, respondents could be randomly
selected from records of people who have recently purchased a vehicle.
Title: Focus Group and Consumer Survey Research for Improving Fuel
Economy Label Design and Content.
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2343.01, OMB Control No. 2060-NEW.
ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity.
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
in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
Abstract: EPA is responsible for developing the fuel economy labels
that are posted on window stickers of all new light duty cars and
trucks sold in the U.S. and, beginning with the 2011 model year, on all
new medium-duty passenger vehicles (a category that includes large
sport-utility vehicles and passenger vans). In 2006 EPA updated how the
city and highway fuel economy values are calculated, to better reflect
typical real-world driving patterns and provide more realistic fuel
economy estimates. Since then, increasing market penetration of
advanced technology vehicles, in particular plug-in hybrid electric
vehicles and electric vehicles, will require new metrics to effectively
convey information to consumers. This action will amend the way in
which fuel economy estimates are calculated and/or displayed. EPA plans
to conduct a limited set of voluntary focus groups and consumer surveys
over the course of the rulemaking to solicit information from a diverse
group of consumers regarding what information displayed on the fuel
economy label will best serve the intended purpose of providing
consumers with useful and meaningful information about the vehicles
they are considering to purchase. Participation in surveys and focus
groups is strictly voluntary. Focus group participants will be
compensated, and incentives will be offered for participation in
consumer surveys. Resulting reports from the consumer research will not
be considered confidential. The identity of individual participants
will be strictly confidential.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30
minutes per response. 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 which have subsequently changed; train
personnel to be able to
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respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete
and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise
disclose the information.
The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate,
which is only briefly summarized here:
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 8,520.
Frequency of response: Annual.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 4,140 hours.
Estimated total annual burden costs: $121,300.
What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?
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 pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Dated: November 24, 2009.
Margo T. Oge,
Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality.
[FR Doc. E9-28836 Filed 12-1-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P