[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 251 (Friday, December 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83009-83010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33359]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6925-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Reformulated Gasoline and Conventional 
Gasoline

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 document announces that the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Reformulated Gasoline and 
Conventional Gasoline, OMB Control No. 2060-0277, expiration date 
December 31, 2000. The ICR describes the nature of the information 
collection and its expected burden and cost; where appropriate, it 
includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 29, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 1591.13 and OMB 
Control No. 2060-0277, to the following addresses: Sandy Farmer, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Collection Strategies Division (Mail 
Code 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; and to 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the ICR contact Sandy 
Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 260-2740, by E-mail at 
[email protected], or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 1591.13. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact James W. Caldwell, (202) 564-9303, fax 
(202) 565-2085, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Reformulated Gasoline and Conventional Gasoline: 
Requirements for Refiners, Oxygenate Blenders, and Importers of 
Gasoline; Requirements for Parties in the Gasoline Distribution Network 
(40 CFR part 80--subparts D, E and F), OMB Control No. 2060-0277, EPA 
ICR No. 1591.13, expiring December 31, 2000. This is a request for an 
extension of a currently approved collection.

[[Page 83010]]

    Abstract: Gasoline combustion is the major source of air pollution 
in most urban areas. The Clean Air Act (Act) requires that gasoline 
dispensed in certain areas with severe air quality problems be 
reformulated to reduce toxic and ozone-forming (smog) emissions. The 
Act also requires that in the process of producing reformulated 
gasoline (RFG), dirty components removed in the reformulation process 
not be ``dumped'' into the remainder of the country's gasoline, known 
as conventional gasoline (CG). The EPA promulgated regulations at 40 
CFR part 80 establishing standards for RFG and CG, as specified in the 
Act, and establishing mandatory reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements for demonstrating compliance and as an aid to enforcement. 
The primary requirements are to test each batch of gasoline for various 
properties, report the results to EPA, and demonstrate compliance with 
the standards on an annual basis.
    The collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Agency and have practical utility. 
Section 211(k) of the Act specifically recognizes the need for 
recordkeeping, reporting and sampling/testing requirements for 
enforcement of this program. This is understandable given the 
complicated performance requirements and the averaging and trading 
provisions set forth in the Act. These provisions make it impossible 
for EPA to determine compliance merely by taking samples of gasoline at 
various facilities, unlike some other fuels programs. Moreover, in the 
negotiated regulation process, EPA agreed to accept industry's desire 
for national averaging, credits, yearly averaging periods, etc. EPA 
cannot enforce the regulations, as negotiated, without the 
recordkeeping controls included in the rule, some of which were 
specifically agreed to by industry (e.g., covered area sampling and 
testing surveys and quarterly RFG refiner reporting). For example, EPA 
believes the attest procedures (discussed later) have led to discovery 
of significant violations and the prevention of future violations and 
believes that this process is very important. Further, the World Trade 
Organization ruled that the original RFG regulations discriminate 
against foreign refiners. EPA revised the RFG regulations to be GATT-
consistent. If EPA could not use these enforcement tools for domestic 
refineries it would not be able to use them for foreign refineries. 
This would greatly hinder EPA's ability to regulate foreign refiners.
    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. The 
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on October 13, 
2000, (65 FR 60939). One comment was received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 
hours 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; 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Refiners, Oxygenate blenders, 
Importers of gasoline, Parties in the gasoline distribution network .
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,190.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly, annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 101,586 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, O&M Cost Burden: $23 million.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the addresses listed above. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1591.13 and OMB Control No. 2060-0277 in any 
correspondence.

    Dated: December 21, 2000.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 00-33359 Filed 12-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P