[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12147-12148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6299]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-98-3420]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of 
information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit 
public comment on proposed collections of information, including 
extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections.
    The proposed information for which OMB approval is being sought 
pertains to the content of petitions for exemption from the minimum 
driving range requirement for dual fuel electric passenger automobiles. 
This may be necessary for a manufacturer to secure a favorable 
corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) calculation.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 11, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket and notice number cited at 
the beginning of this notice and be submitted to U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Management, PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, 
Southwest, Washington, DC 20590. Please identify the proposed 
collection of information for which a comment is provided, by 
referencing its OMB Control Number. It is requested, but not required, 
that one original plus two copies of the comments be provided. The 
Docket Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.


[[Page 12148]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Mr. Michael 
Robinson, NHTSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, NHTSA, 400 
Seventh Street, Southwest, Room 5110, NAD-52, Washington, D.C. 20590. 
Mr. Robinson's telephone number is (202) 366-9456. Please identify the 
relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Control 
Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must first publish a document in the Federal Register 
providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of 
the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of 
information. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must 
be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:
    (i) 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) 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) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (iv) How to 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.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public 
comments on the following proposed collection of information:

Title 49, United States Code, Chapter 329

Background

    A manufacturer of a dual fueled electric passenger automobile may 
enjoy a favorable calculation of its corporate average fuel economy 
(CAFE), provided it can meet certain minimum driving range requirements 
that are established by NHTSA and shall be based on the Environmental 
Protection Agency's urban and highway fuel economies as determined for 
average fuel economy purposes for those vehicles. The minimum driving 
range that is established, must be accomplished when operating on the 
alternative fuel only (49 U.S.C. 32901(c)).
    49 U.S.C. 32901 (c)(2)(A) states that ``The Secretary may prescribe 
a lower minimum driving range for a specific model than that prescribed 
under paragraph (1) of this subsection.'' It further states that ``A 
manufacturer may petition for a lower range than prescribed under 
paragraph (1) for a specific model.''
    In order to ascertain whether an exemption should be granted and a 
lower minimum driving range should be established for a specific model, 
the Secretary shall consider such items as consumer acceptability, 
economic practicability, available technology, environmental impact, 
safety, drivability, performance, and any other factors the Secretary 
considers relevant. Ref. (49 U.S.C. 32901 (c)(3)).
    Type of Request: Reinstatement of clearance.
    OMB Clearance Number: 2127-0554.
    Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard form, 
however, it allows for a manufacturer to petition the agency for an 
exemption from the established minimum driving range for dual fueled 
electric passenger automobiles when operating on electricity only. 
Certain prescribed information is requested to be included that will 
enable the agency to make a determination whether to grant an exemption 
or not and aid in the assigning a lower minimum driving range.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: March 1, 2001.
    Description of the Need for and Proposed Use of the Information: 
This information will be used by NHTSA to determine whether 
manufacturers are complying with certain provisions of the applicable 
statutes (Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988, and Average Fuel Economy 
Standards). It will also allow the agency to evaluate the overall 
vehicle design in terms of environmental impact, safety, performance, 
and other factors that might justify the granting of an exemption.
    Description of Likely Respondents: Based on responses from other 
notices such as the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) and 
the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), it is anticipated that there 
would be fewer than 10 passenger car manufacturers that would seek such 
an exemption over a three year period. There is a possibility that some 
of these manufacturers would be small businesses (i.e., ones that 
employ less than 500 persons) and may not have access to some of the 
latest technology needed to meet the minimum driving range on 
electricity only. These small businesses that might be adversely 
affected could also be eligible for an exemption under the low volume 
criteria. The frequency of the petitioning burden would then be market 
driven. The others would be large volume manufacturers seeking to 
improve their CAFE.
    Estimate of Total Annual Reporting and Record Keeping Burden 
Resulting From the Collection of Information: NHTSA estimates from 
previous information collection that the vehicle manufacturers will 
incur a total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden of less than 
two hundred sixty six hours (266 hr.). This is based on an estimate of 
no more than 80 hr. to prepare the petition, spread between ten (10) 
manufacturers, over a three year period.

    Issued on: March 4, 1998.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 98-6299 Filed 3-11-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P