[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54654-54656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18961]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0058 and EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0904; FRL-8473-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collections; 
Request for Comment on Two Proposed Information Collection Requests 
(ICRs)

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 two existing approved Information Collection 
Requests (ICRs) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). These 
ICRs are schedule to expire January 31, 2008. Before submitting these 
ICRs 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 November 26, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by the Docket ID numbers 
provided for each item in the text, by one of the following methods:
     www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected]
     Fax: (202) 566-9744
     Mail: Air Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: Docket Center, (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 
3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., 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 the Docket ID Numbers 
identified for each item in the text. 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 
www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The 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 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: Nydia Yanira Reyes-Morales, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Mail 
Code 6403J, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-343-9264; fax 
number: 202-343-2804; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

    EPA has established a public docket for each of the ICRs identified 
in this document (see the Docket ID numbers for each ICR that are 
provided in the text), which is available for online viewing at 
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air Docket in the EPA 
Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
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

[[Page 54655]]

number for the Air 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 Activities or ICRs Does This Apply to?

Docket ID Number: EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0904

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by these actions 
are manufacturers of marine spark-ignition engines.
    Title: Emission Certification and Compliance Requirements for 
Marine Spark-ignition Engines.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1722.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0321.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on January 
31, 2008. 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 form, if 
applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA 
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: Under Title II of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7521 et 
seq.; CAA), EPA is charged with issuing certificates of conformity for 
certain spark-ignition (SI) engines used to propel marine vessels that 
comply with applicable emission standards. Such a certificate must be 
issued before engines may be legally introduced into commerce. To apply 
for a certificate of conformity, manufacturers are required to submit 
descriptions of their planned production line, including descriptions 
of the emission control system, and engine emission test data. This 
information is organized by ``engine family.'' An engine family is a 
group of engines expected to have similar emission characteristics. 
There are also record-keeping requirements. Under the regulations 
governing marine SI engines, manufacturers must use the Averaging, 
Banking and Trading Program (ABT) and must submit information regarding 
the calculation, actual generation and usage of emission credits in a 
certification application, an end-of-the-year report, and final report. 
These reports are used for certification and enforcement purposes. The 
Act also mandates EPA to verify that manufacturers have successfully 
translated their certified prototype engines into mass produced 
engines, and that these engines comply with emission standards 
throughout their useful lives. Under the Production-line Testing (PLT) 
Program, manufacturers are required to test a sample of engines as they 
leave the assembly line. This self-audit program increases efficiency 
and reduces cost of correcting mis-builts and other errors made in the 
assembly line. Under the In-use Testing Program (In-use), manufacturers 
are required to test engines after a number of years of use to verify 
that they comply with emission standards throughout their useful lives.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4,029 
hours per respondent. 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: 10.
     Frequency of response: Annual, quarterly and on occasion.
     Estimated total average number of responses for each 
respondent: 22.
     Estimated total annual burden hours: 40,293.
     Estimated total annual costs: $2,240,870. This includes an 
estimated burden cost of $200,966 for operation and maintenance costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

    To date, there are no changes in the number of hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR 
currently approved by OMB. However, EPA is still evaluating information 
that may lead to a change in the estimates.

[[Page 54656]]

Docket ID Number: EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0058

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
manufacturers of nonroad compression ignition engines and equipment.
    Title: Transition Program for Equipment Manufacturers.
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1826.04, OMB Control No. 2060-0369.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on January 
31, 2008. 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 form, if 
applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA 
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: When EPA establishes new regulations with tighter engine 
emission standards, engine manufacturers often need to change the 
design of their engines to achieve the emissions reductions required by 
the new standards. Consequently, original equipment manufacturers 
(OEMs) may also need to redesign their products to accommodate these 
engine design changes. Sometimes, OEMs have trouble making the 
necessary adjustments by the effective date of the regulations. In an 
effort to provide OEMs with some flexibility in complying with the 
regulations, EPA created the Transition Program for Equipment 
Manufacturers (TPEM). Under the program, OEMs are allowed to delay 
compliance with the new standards for up to seven years as long as they 
comply with certain limitations. Participation in the program is 
voluntary. Participating OEMs and engine manufacturers who provide the 
noncompliant engines are required to keep records and submit reports of 
their activities under the program.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 80.5 
hours per equipment manufacturer and 74.5 hours per engine 
manufacturer. 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: 213.
     Frequency of response: Annual.
     Estimated total average number of responses for each 
respondent: 1.
     Estimated total annual burden hours: 17,069.
     Estimated total annual costs: $848,582. This includes an 
estimated burden cost of $5,829 for operation and maintenance costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

    To date, there are no changes in the number of hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR 
currently approved by OMB. However, EPA is still evaluating information 
that may lead to a change in the estimates.

What Is the Next Step in the Process for These ICRs?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICRs 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: September 17, 2007.
Karl Simon,
Director, Compliance and Innovative Solutions Division, Office of 
Transportation and Air Quality, Office of Air and Radiation.
 [FR Doc. E7-18961 Filed 9-25-07; 8:45 am]
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