[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52326-52328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21103]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0690; FRL-9192-9; EPA ICR No. 0222.09; OMB Control No.
2060-0086]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; EPA's Light-Duty In-Use Vehicle Testing Program
(Renewal)
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 to renew an existing approved Information Collection
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is
scheduled to expire on February 28, 2011. 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 October 25, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2010-0690, by one of the following methods:
[[Page 52327]]
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: (202) 566-1741.
Mail: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0690, Environmental Protection
Agency, Mailcode: 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC
20460.
Hand Delivery: Docket Center, (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room
B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. 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-
2010-0690. 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 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: Lynn Sohacki, Compliance and
Innovative Strategies Division, Office of Transportation and Air
Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood, Ann
Arbor, Michigan 48105; telephone number: 734-214-4851; 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-2010-0690, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air Docket 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 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 Air 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.
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?
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
owners of light-duty vehicles.
Title: EPA's Light Duty In-Use Vehicle Testing Program (Renewal).
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 0222.09, OMB Control No. 2060-0086.
ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on February
28, 2011. 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 has an ongoing program to evaluate the emission
performance of in-use light-duty (passenger car and light truck) motor
vehicles. This program operates in conjunction with testing of
prototype vehicles prior to use (manufacturer and EPA confirmatory
testing for certification) and the mandatory manufacturer's in-use
testing program (IUVP) for light-duty vehicles. They derive from the
Clean Air Act's charge that EPA insure that motor vehicles comply with
emissions requirements throughout their useful lives. The primary
purpose of the program is information gathering. Nevertheless, EPA can
require a recall if it receives information, from whatever source,
including in-use testing, that a ``substantial number'' of any class or
category of vehicles or engines, although properly maintained and used,
do not conform to the emission standards,
[[Page 52328]]
when in actual use throughout their useful life.
The program can be broken down into three closely-related headings.
The first is a surveillance program that selects approximately 50
classes of passenger cars and light trucks for in-use testing, at EPA's
testing facility, totaling approximately 150 vehicles (three in each
class on average). In rare cases surveillance testing may be followed
by compliance testing (only three such classes in the last five
years).The purpose of a compliance phase is to develop additional
information related to test failures observed in a class during
surveillance testing. The second heading is testing of a subset of
approximately 35 vehicles from the surveillance recruitment for
operation of on-board diagnostics (OBD) systems. The third category is
special investigations involving testing of vehicles to address
specific issues. The number of vehicles procured under this category
varies widely from year to year, but this request asks for approval of
the information burden corresponding to 25 such vehicles per year for
the next three years.
Participation in the light-duty surveys, as well as the vehicle
testing, is strictly voluntary. A group of 25 to 50 potential
participants is identified from State vehicle registration records.
They are asked to return a postcard indicating their willingness to
participate and if so, to verify some limited vehicle information.
Three of those who return the card are called and asked about a half
dozen questions concerning vehicle condition, and operation and
maintenance. Additional groups of potential participants may be
contacted until a sufficient number of vehicles has been obtained.
Owners verify the survey information when they deliver their vehicles
to EPA, voluntarily provide maintenance records for copying, and
receive a loaner car and/or a cash incentive.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 7.3
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 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 Supporting Statement provides a detailed explanation of the
Agency's estimate, which is only briefly summarized here:
Estimated total number of potential respondents: Approximately
4,285 owners/lessees receive EPA's solicitations to participate and
approximately 164 do participate.
Frequency of response: On Occasion.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
One.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 521.
Estimated total annual costs: $11,295. This includes an estimated
burden cost of $11,295 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital
investment or maintenance and operational costs.
Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?
There is a decrease of 90 responses and 98 hours in the total
estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR
currently approved by OMB. This decrease is entirely due to removal of
the heavy-duty and non-road portions of this ICR, which will henceforth
be covered under a different information collection request. This ICR
was previously titled, ``EPA's In-Use Vehicle and Engine Testing
Programs.''
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: August 17, 2010.
Karl Simon,
Director, Compliance and Innovative Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-21103 Filed 8-24-10; 8:45 am]
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