[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 44 (Monday, March 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10123-10125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4936]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2009-0046]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed 
collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of 
previously approved collections. This document describes a request for 
emergency clearance for a collection of information associated with 
product plan information to assist the agency in establishing corporate 
average fuel economy standards for model years 2012 through 2016 
passenger cars and light trucks. The establishment of those standards 
is required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended by 
the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, Public Law 
110-140.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 8, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket notice number cited at the 
beginning of this notice, and be submitted to: Mr. Peter Feather, Fuel 
Economy Division Chief, Office of International Policy, Fuel Economy 
and Consumer Programs, at (202) 366-0846, facsimile (202) 493-2290, 
electronic mail: [email protected]. For legal issues, call Ms. 
Dorothy Nakama, Office of the Chief Counsel at (202) 366-2992.
    It is requested, but not required, that 2 copies of the comment be 
provided.
    Commenters may also, but are not required to, submit their comments 
to the docket number identified in the heading of this document by any 
of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.

[[Page 10124]]

     Mail: Docket Management Facility, M-30, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    You may call the Docket Management Facility at 202-366-9826.
    Regardless of how you submit your comments, you should mention the 
docket number of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of the request for 
collection that is the subject of this notice may be obtained from Mr. 
Peter Feather at (202) 366-0846, facsimile (202) 493-2290, electronic 
mail: [email protected] or Ms. Dorothy Nakama at (202) 366-2992.
    The mailing address for both officials is: NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey 
Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before a proposed collection of information is submitted to OMB for 
approval, Federal agencies must first publish a document in the Federal 
Register providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with 
members of the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed 
collection of information. The OMB has promulgated regulations 
describing what must be included in such a document. Under OMB's 
regulation (at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment 
on the following:
    (i) 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) 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) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (iv) How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including 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 this notice, we are soliciting public comment on the following 
collection of information of manufacturers' production plan data for 
model years 2008-2020 in connection with NHTSA's establishing of 
passenger car CAFE standards for model years 2012-2016 and light truck 
CAFE standards for model years 2012-2016. We are asking OMB for 
processing through emergency procedures established at 5 CFR Section 
1320.13, and have asked OMB to approve or disapprove this collection 
within a week.
    Title: 49 CFR Parts 531 and 533 Passenger Car Average Fuel Economy 
Standards--Model Years 2008-2020; Light Truck Average Fuel Economy 
Standards--Model Years 2008-2020; Production Plan Data.
    OMB Control Number: None assigned.
    Form Number: There are no standard forms associated with this 
collection of information.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Ninety days from approval 
date.
    Type of Request: Emergency clearance.
    Summary of the Collection of Information: In this collection of 
information, NHTSA is requesting updated future product plans from 
vehicle manufacturers, as well as production data through the recent 
past, including data about engines and transmissions for model year 
(MY) 2008 through MY 2020 passenger cars and light trucks and the 
assumptions underlying those plans.
    NHTSA requests information for MYs 2008-2020 to aid NHTSA in 
developing a realistic forecast of the MY 2012-2016 vehicle market. 
Information regarding earlier model years may help the agency to better 
account for cumulative effects such as volume- and time-based 
reductions in costs, and also may help to reveal product mix and 
technology application trends during model years for which the agency 
is currently receiving actual corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) 
compliance data. Information regarding later model years helps the 
agency gain a better understanding of how manufacturers' plans through 
MY 2016 relate to their longer-term expectations regarding Energy 
Independence and Security Act requirements, market trends, and 
prospects for more advanced technologies.
    NHTSA will also consider information from model years before and 
after MYs 2012-2016 when reviewing manufacturers' planned schedules for 
redesigning and freshening their products, in order to examine how 
manufacturers anticipate tying technology introduction to product 
design schedules. In addition, the agency is requesting information 
regarding manufacturers' estimates of the future vehicle population, 
and fuel economy improvements and incremental costs attributed to this 
notice.
    Description of the Need for the Information and the Proposed Use of 
the Information:
    NHTSA needs the information described above to assess what CAFE 
standards should be established for model years 2012 through 2016 
passenger cars and light trucks. Without this information, NHTSA will 
not be able to set CAFE standards for passenger cars and light trucks 
at the maximum feasible level for each model year no later than 18 
months before the start of the model year regulated.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information):
    It is estimated that this collection affects approximately 22 motor 
vehicle manufacturers. The information that is the subject of this 
collection of information is collected once, for the notice of proposed 
rulemaking.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information: The estimated burden is 
as follows:
    It is estimated that this collection affects approximately 22 
vehicle manufacturers. One major manufacturer (General Motors) 
estimated their burden to be approximately 4,300 hours. The burden to 
other manufacturers was estimated using sales weights relative to 
General Motor's total sales (e.g., if a manufacturer produces 50% as 
many vehicles as General Motors, their burden is estimated to be 
4,300*0.5 = 2150 hours). Therefore the burden to each manufacturer 
depends on the number of vehicles that manufacturer produces. The total 
estimated burden is 16,000 hours annually.

Number of affected vehicle manufacturers--22 Manufacturers.
Annual Labor Hours for Each Manufacturer to Prepare and Submit Required 
Information--Variable.
Total Annual Information Collection Burden--16,000 Hours.

    The monetized cost associated with this information collection is 
determined by multiplying the total labor hours by an appropriate labor 
rate. For this information collection, we believe vehicle manufacturers 
will use mechanical engineers to prepare and submit the data. 
Therefore, we are applying a labor rate of $34.76 per hour which is the 
median national wage for mechanical engineers. The national

[[Page 10125]]

median hourly rate for mechanical engineers, May 2007, according to the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics; http://www.bls.gov/oes/2007/may/oes_nat.htm#b00-0000.
    Thus, the estimated monetized annual cost is 16,000 hours x $34.76 
per hour = $556,160.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c); delegation of authority at 49 CFR 
1.50.

    Issued on: March 3, 2009.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. E9-4936 Filed 3-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P