[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 231 (Friday, December 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69559-69561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20353]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0894; FRL-8250-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Registration of Fuels and Fuel Additives--Requirements 
for Manufacturers; EPA ICR No. 309.12, OMB Control No. 2060-0150

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to 
submit a request to renew an existing

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approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on March 
31, 2007. 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 January 30, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2006-0894, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (202) 566-1741.
     Mail: Air and Radiation Docket, Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2006-0894, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 6102T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Room 3334, EPA West 
Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Such 
deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of 
operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of 
boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2006-0894. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, 
unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential 
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to 
be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-
mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous 
access'' system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you 
send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured 
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket 
and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic 
comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact 
information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you 
submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties 
and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to 
consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special 
characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or 
viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the 
EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James W. Caldwell, Office of 
Transportation and Air Quality, Mailcode: 6406J, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 343-9303; fax number: (202) 343-2802; e-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0894, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and 
Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 
B102, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public 
Reading Room is open from 8 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.
    Use www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft collection of 
information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing 
of the contents of the 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 in this 
document.

What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits comments and information to enable it 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
the manufacturers of motor-vehicle gasoline, motor-vehicle diesel fuel, 
and additives for those fuels.
    Title: Registration of Fuels and Fuel Additives--Requirements for 
Manufacturers.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 309.12, OMB Control No. 2060-0150.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on March 31, 
2007. 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 title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal 
Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed 
either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate 
means, such as on the related collection instrument or

[[Page 69561]]

form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA 
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: In accordance with the regulations at 40 CFR 79, Subparts 
A, B, C, and D, Registration of Fuels and Fuel Additives, manufacturers 
(including importers) of motor-vehicle gasoline, motor-vehicle diesel 
fuel, and additives for those fuels, are required to have these 
products registered by the EPA prior to their introduction into 
commerce. Registration involves providing a chemical description of the 
fuel or additive, and certain technical, marketing, and health-effects 
information. The development of health-effects data, as required by 40 
CFR 79, Subpart F, is covered by a separate information collection. 
Manufacturers are also required to submit periodic reports (annually 
for additives, quarterly and annually for fuels) on production volume 
and related information. The information is used to identify products 
whose evaporative or combustion emissions may pose an unreasonable risk 
to public health, thus meriting further investigation and potential 
regulation. The information is also used to ensure that gasoline 
additives comply with EPA requirements for protecting catalytic 
converters and other automotive emission controls. The data have been 
used to construct a comprehensive data base on fuel and additive 
composition. The Mine Safety and Health Administration of the 
Department of Labor restricts the use of diesel additives in 
underground coal mines to those registered by EPA. Most of the 
information is confidential.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average two 
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 which have subsequently changed; 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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 1050.
    Frequency of response: On occasion, quarterly, annually.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 8.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 17,150.
    Estimated total annual costs: $1.4 million. This includes an 
estimated burden cost of $1.37 million and an estimated cost of $0.04 
million for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates from the Last Approval?

    There is an increase of 2,340 hours in the total estimated annual 
respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase reflects EPA's updating of burden 
estimates. The increase is due to an increase in the number of fuel 
manufacturers producing new fuels, particularly biodiesel.

What is the Next Step in the Process for this ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any 
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: November 27, 2006.
Margo Tsirigotis Oge,
Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality.
 [FR Doc. E6-20353 Filed 11-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P