[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 160 (Tuesday, August 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49770-49772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21186]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OAR-2003-0011, FRL-7546-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission of EPA ICR 
No. 0222.07 (OMB No. 2060-0086) to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

[[Page 49771]]


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: Investigation into Possible 
Noncompliance of Motor Vehicles with Federal Emissions Standards. This 
ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its 
estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 18, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Follow the detailed instructions in SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard W Nash, Certification and 
Compliance Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 
Traverwood Dr, Ann Arbor MI 48105, (734) 214-4412, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On 21 March 2003 (68 FR 13909) EPA sought comments on this ICR 
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. OAR-2003-0011, which is available for public viewing at the Air and 
Radiation Docket and Information Center 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 and Information 
Center 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 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 OMB and EPA 
within 30 days of this notice, and according to the following detailed 
instructions: (1) Mail your comments to OMB at: Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 
Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20503, and (2) Submit your comments 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, Mailcode 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
    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, 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 www.epa.gov/edocket.
    Title: Investigation into Possible Noncompliance of Motor Vehicles 
with Federal Emissions Standards (OMB Control Number 2060-0086, EPA ICR 
Number 0222.07). This is a request to renew an existing approved 
collection that is scheduled to expire on 31 August 2003. Under OMB 
regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the 
collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
    Abstract: As part of an integrated compliance program, EPA 
occasionally needs to evaluate the emission performance of in-use motor 
vehicles. In order to perform this function, EPA must solicit certain 
information from the vehicle owner/lessee. Participation in the 
information survey, as well as the vehicle evaluation, is strictly 
voluntary. Typically, a group of 25 potential participants is 
identified. They are asked to return a postcard indicating their 
willingness to participate and if so, to verify some limited vehicle 
information. They are also asked when it would be suitable to contact 
them. Those willing to participate are called and asked about a half 
dozen questions concerning vehicle condition, operation and 
maintenance. Depending on owner/lessee response, additional groups of 
potential participants may be contacted until a sufficient number of 
vehicles has been obtained.
    Information collected is used to assure that vehicles procured meet 
certain criteria. For example, since a manufacturer's responsibility to 
recall passenger cars is limited to 10 years of age or 100,000 miles of 
use, vehicles tested to establish potential recall liability must also 
meet those criteria. Other testing programs and vehicle types have 
different criteria. All information is publicly available.
    The previous description generally describes how EPA obtains 
information on in-use passenger cars and light trucks from individual 
owners and lessees. Heavy duty trucks, those commonly referred to as 
over ``\3/4\ ton'' capacity, are usually employed commercially; 
typically they are part of a ``fleet'' of identical (or very similar) 
vehicles. Consequently, EPA employs a slightly different method to 
obtain them. Potential owners/lessees can be found in registration 
lists; engine manufacturers will also supply identities of their 
customers. Occasionally, a fleet operator will contact EPA and 
volunteer to participate. Once potential sources are identified, EPA 
will make a brief telephone call to the fleet managers to ascertain if 
they wish to participate. If the response is positive, EPA will visit 
the fleet to inspect vehicles and review maintenance records. (Fleets 
typically keep very good records on each vehicle; EPA can quickly 
determine if a particular unit is acceptable.) A single fleet can 
supply multiple vehicles and, typically, is quite willing to 
participate. Therefore, EPA makes far fewer inquiries than with 
individual owners of light vehicles. Based on comments, EPA may decide 
to address light and heavy duty vehicles separately.
    EPA uses several techniques in selecting the class or category of 
motor vehicles to be evaluated. First, if based on other information 
(e.g., defect reports, service bulletins) there is a suspicion that a 
problem exists; EPA may target a particular group. Second, groups with 
a large number of vehicles have potential for significant air quality 
effects; they may be selected for that reason. New emission control 
technology without a proven history is another factor in making 
selections. Finally, some vehicle classes are selected on a random 
basis.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to

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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, and are identified 
on the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 
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; 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: Vehicle owners/lessees.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1800
    Frequency of Response: Once
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 600 hours
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: None
    Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in the total estimated 
burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR 
Burdens.

    Dated: August 12, 2003.
Doreen Sterling,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 03-21186 Filed 8-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P