[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 149 (Monday, August 4, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45815-45816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19747]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OAR-2003-0145, FRL-7539-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Production Line Testing, In-use Testing, and Selective 
Enforcement Auditing Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for 
Manufacturers of Nonroad Spark Ignition Engines At or Below 19 
Kilowatts, EPA ICR Number 1845.03, OMB Control Number 2060-0427

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a 
continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on 10/31/2003. 
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 3, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2003-
0145, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
[email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center, Mail Code 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nydia Y. Reyes-Morales, Mail Code 
6403J, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-9264; fax number: 202-
565-2057; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OAR-2003-0145, which is available for public 
viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. 
The EPA Docket Center 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 Air and Radiation Docket is (202) 566-1742. An 
electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA 
Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to obtain 
a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public 
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public 
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 above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 
60 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether 
submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public 
viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the 
comment contains copyrighted material, confidential business 
information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is 
restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment containing 
copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in 
the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The entire 
printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available 
in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the official 
docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise 
restricted by statute, is not included in the official public docket, 
and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For further 
information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal Register 
notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), 
or go to http://www.epa.gov./edocket.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
manufacturers of spark ignition engines rated at or below 19 kilowatts.
    Title: Production Line Testing, In-use Testing, and Selective 
Enforcement Auditing Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for 
Manufacturers of Nonroad Spark Ignition Engines At or Below 19 
Kilowatts.

[[Page 45816]]

    Abstract: Title II of the Clean Air Act requires engine 
manufacturers to obtain a certificate of conformity with applicable 
emission standards for each engine prototype before they may legally 
introduced their products into commerce. The Act also mandates EPA to 
verify that manufacturers have successfully translated their certified 
engine prototypes into mass produced engines and that these engines 
comply with emission standards throughout their useful lives. Under the 
Production Line Testing (PLT) Program, manufacturers test a sample of 
engines as they leave the assembly line. This self-audit program allows 
manufacturers to monitor compliance with statistical certainty and 
minimize the cost of correcting errors through early detection. Under 
the Voluntary In-use Testing Program, manufacturers test engines after 
a number of years of use to verify that the engines comply with 
emission standards throughout their useful lives. Under the spark 
ignition engine emissions rule, codified at 40 CFR part 90, only Phase 
2 SI engines are elegible to participate in the PLT and the In-use 
Programs. Engine manufacturers can choose to participate in either the 
PLT Program or the In-use Program.
    Sections 206(b) and 213(d) of the Act also mandate that EPA conduct 
testing of a sample of certified engines to determine if these engines 
do in fact conform with the applicable emission regulations. Under the 
Selective Enforcement Audit (SEA) Program, EPA selects a number of 
engines to be taken directly from the assembly line and tested 
according to EPA specifications. These audits are performed to ensure 
that test data submitted by manufacturers is reliable and testing is 
performed according to EPA regulations. All SI engine manufacturers are 
subject to be audited. Participation in the SEA program is mandatory.
    The information requested by this information collection is used to 
enforce different provisions of the Act and maintain the integrity of 
the overall emissions reduction program. Data generated through the 
PLT, In-use and SEA programs may be used to evaluate future 
applications for certification, to identify potential issues, and as 
basis to suspend or revoke the certificate of conformity of those 
engines that fail. There are recordkeeping requirements in all 
programs.
    The information is collected by the Engine Programs Group, 
Certification and Compliance Division, Office of Transportation and Air 
Quality, Office of Air and Radiation. Confidentiality of proprietary 
information submitted by manufacturers is granted in accordance with 
the Freedom of Information Act, EPA regulations at 40 CFR part 2, and 
class determinations issued by EPA's Office of General Counsel. 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 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9.
    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;
    (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.

                                           Table I.--Burden Statement
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            PLT                       In-use                      SEA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Burden Hours...  6,709....................  1,410....................  1,056
Estimated Average Burden Hours/  1,677....................  705......................  528
 Response.
Frequency of Response..........  Quarterly................  On occasion..............  On occasion
Number of Respondents..........  5........................  2........................  2
Total Annual Cost (Industry-     $1,129,021...............  $54,927..................  $36,907
 wide).
Total Annual Capital and Start   0........................  0........................  0
 Up Cost.
Total Annual Operation and       $14,170..................  $3,260...................  $480
 Maintenance Costs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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: July 23, 2003.
Robert Brenner,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 03-19747 Filed 8-1-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P