[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 82 (Monday, April 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22941-22943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9221]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: proposed collection; 
comment request.

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

SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed new survey, 
entitled the ``Monthly Biodiesel Production Survey, EIA-22M.'' When 
fielded, beginning in 2009, this new form will collect information on 
the status, production, feedstock inputs, sales, revenue, and stocks of 
biodiesel from each biodiesel plant. In addition, the EIA will be 
attaching a one-time ``Supplement to EIA Biodiesel Production Survey, 
EIA-22S'' to the first monthly survey form sent to producers. The 
purpose of the supplement is to collect annual biodiesel and co-product 
production data for 2006, 2007, and 2008.

DATES: Comments must be filed by June 27, 2008. If you anticipate 
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the 
person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Mary Joyce, Coal, Nuclear, and Renewable

[[Page 22942]]

Fuels Division, (EI-52), Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Washington, DC 20585-0670. Mary Joyce may be contacted by telephone at 
(202) 586-1468, FAX at (202) 287-1946, or e-mail at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Marie LaRiviere. Marie LaRiviere may be contacted 
by telephone at (202) 586-1475, FAX at (202) 287-1946, or e-mail at 
[email protected]. Copies of the EIA-22M and EIA-22S forms 
and instructions can be found at http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275, 
15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91, 
42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized, 
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program 
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information 
on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and 
related economic and statistical information. This information is used 
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer-term 
domestic demands.
    The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), 
provides the general public and other Federal agencies with 
opportunities to comment on collections of energy information conducted 
by or in conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA 
to prepare data requests that maximize the utility of the information 
collected, and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the 
public. Also, the EIA will later seek approval by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under Section 3507(a) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.
    The proposed form EIA-22M will collect information on plant 
location, capacity, and operating status; biodiesel and co-product 
production, feedstock inputs, sales, revenues, tax credits and end of 
month stocks for each biodiesel plant. Section 1508 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) charges EIA ``* * * to survey and 
publish monthly the renewable fuels demand in the motor vehicle fuels 
market.'' To accomplish this, EIA will need to collect monthly data on 
the production, blending, demand, market price, and conduct other 
analysis for renewable motor vehicle fuels, including biodiesel. 
Subsection 2 of Section 1508 also directs EIA to collect, or estimate, 
similar data for the 5 years prior to survey implementation. EIA-22M 
will fulfill this Congressional mandate by collecting monthly data 
beginning in 2009. Data for years 2004 and 2005 have already been 
estimated. The form EIA-22S will collect the annual biodiesel and co-
product production data from 2006, 2007, and 2008. Additionally, the 
new survey will carry out the EIA's mission of presenting relevant 
statistical data to the public. Very little statistical data is 
currently collected on the biodiesel industry; therefore this survey 
will serve as the unique source of non-biased statistical data for the 
biodiesel industry as it continues to grow.
    Please refer to the proposed forms and instruction for more 
information about the purpose, who must report, when to report, where 
to submit, the elements to be reported, detailed instructions, 
provisions for confidentiality, and uses (including possible 
nonstatistical uses) of the information. For instructions on obtaining 
materials, see the For Further Information Contact section.

II. Current Actions

    EIA is proposing a new, mandatory survey, EIA-22M, that will 
collect information from all commercial biodiesel producers in the 
United States. Once the new form is fielded, EIA will continue to 
conduct the survey on a monthly basis. Attached to the first monthly 
form will be EIA-22S to collect annual data from 2006, 2007, and 2008. 
The EIA-22S will be sent only the first time that a producer completes 
the EIA-22M. Respondents who are added to the frame will be required to 
complete EIA-22S only once. It will not be submitted to producers more 
than once.
    Forms EIA-22M and EIA-22S, along with instructions, can be found at 
http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are 
provided to assist in the preparation of comments.

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the 
information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the 
actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into 
account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the 
agency's ability to process the information it collects.
    B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be 
collected?
    B. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions need clarification?
    C. Can the information be submitted by the due date?
    D. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to be 2 
hours for the EIA-22M and 1 hour for the EIA-22S. The estimated burden 
includes the total time necessary to provide the requested information. 
In your opinion, how accurate is this estimate?
    E. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for 
the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent 
incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs 
for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with 
the information collection?
    F. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of 
this collection of information? EIA plans to use electronic versions of 
the form, along with the possibility to mail or fax the information.
    G. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the 
methods of collection.

As a Potential User of the Information Collected

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information 
disseminated?
    B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be 
collected?
    C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
    D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Section 3507(j)(1) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.), 
Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L.

[[Page 22943]]

93-275, 15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.), and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. 
L. 95-92, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.).

    Issued in Washington, DC, April 22, 2008.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Energy Information Administration.
 [FR Doc. E8-9221 Filed 4-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P