[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24781-24782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11875]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6009-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives, Gasoline 
Volatility Rule ICR Renewal

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following proposed and/or continuing Information Collection Request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Regulation of Fuels 
and Fuel additives, Gasoline Volatility Rule; EPA ICR # 1367.05; OMB 
No. 2060-0178; expires 8/31/98. 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 July 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this Notice should be addressed to 
Ervin Pickell, Western Field Office, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 12345 West Alameda Parkway, Suite 214, Denver, Colorado 80228. 
Copies of the ICR can be obtained free of charge by contacting Ervin 
Pickell as provided below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ervin Pickell, Telephone: (303) 969-
6485; Facsimile number: (303) 969-6490; E-MAIL: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
distributors of gasoline containing ethanol between May 1 and September 
15 each year.
    Title: Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives, Gasoline Volatility 
Rule (OMB Control number 2060-0178; EPA ICR # 1367.05.) expiring 08/31/
98.
    Abstract: Section 211(h) of the Clean Air Act (Act), as amended in 
1990, required the Administrator to promulgate regulations prohibiting 
the supply or selling of gasoline exceeding certain volatility 
standards during the high ozone season. The Act provides that the Reid 
vapor pressure (RVP) standard for gasoline not containing 10% ethanol 
is one pound per square inch (psi) greater than the applicable RVP 
standard for gasoline not containing 10% ethanol. It is important for 
parties receiving gasoline during the high ozone season to know whether 
it contains ethanol and the ethanol concentration. Otherwise, gasoline 
containing 10% ethanol may be commingled with gasoline not containing 
ethanol, resulting in a RVP measurement greater than the non-ethanol 
standard, but not eligible for the 10% ethanol one psi waiver.
    Therefore, under 40 CFR 80.27(d)(3) gasoline invoices, loading 
tickets, bills of lading and delivery tickets for gasoline containing 
ethanol must state that the gasoline contains ethanol and the ethanol 
percentage. There is no retention requirement for these documents and 
reporting to EPA is not required. In addition, this requirement may be 
met using pre-printed or computer-generated documents.
    This information is necessary to inform gasoline transferees of 
which gasoline contains ethanol and the specific ethanol content. The 
presence of this information on gasoline transfer documents reduces the 
frequency of gasoline testing that otherwise would be necessary to 
assure compliance with the RVP standards.
    The recordkeeping requirement is mandatory for this limited 
category of gasoline transfers and is authorized by section 211 of the 
Act 42 U.S.C. 7545, section 114 of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 7414 and section 
208 of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 7542 and 40 CFR 80.29. Confidentiality 
provisions are found at 40 CFR part 2. The requirement, which has been 
in effect for over 5 years, imposes almost no measurable annual burden 
on the affected parties. Startup costs have been completed. The 
proposed ICR utilizes assumptions that are the same as the previous 
ICR.
    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 are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15.
    In addition to this information, you may obtain a copy of the draft 
ICR supporting statement as provided above.
    The EPA would like to solicit comments 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; and
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected.
    Burden Statement: For gasoline distributors the average hourly 
burden per year per respondent is about 0.15 hour (an average of about 
2 seconds per transaction; for most distributors there is no measurable 
burden on a per document basis) for the recordkeeping requirement 
associated with the rule. It is a mandatory requirement for those 
transactions to which it applies. There are about 8,792 entities that 
distribute ethanol gasoline. The frequency of response is estimated to 
be about 307

[[Page 24782]]

loads of fuel transferred per year per distributor. Total burden for 
all distributors is about 1,319 hours per year. There are no annual 
operating costs, purchased service costs or capital costs. Startup 
costs have been completed.
    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; 
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.

    Dated: April 23, 1998.
Sylvia K. Lowrance,
Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and 
Compliance Assurance.
[FR Doc. 98-11875 Filed 5-4-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M