[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52326-52328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21103]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0690; FRL-9192-9; EPA ICR No. 0222.09; OMB Control No. 
2060-0086]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; EPA's Light-Duty In-Use Vehicle Testing Program 
(Renewal)

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 approved Information Collection 
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on February 28, 2011. 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 October 25, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2010-0690, by one of the following methods:

[[Page 52327]]

     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: (202) 566-1741.
     Mail: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0690, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Mailcode: 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 
20460.
     Hand Delivery: Docket Center, (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 
B102, 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 Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2010-0690. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
http://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: Lynn Sohacki, Compliance and 
Innovative Strategies Division, Office of Transportation and Air 
Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood, Ann 
Arbor, Michigan 48105; telephone number: 734-214-4851; fax number: 734-
214-4869; 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-2010-0690, which is available for online viewing at 
http://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 number for the Air Docket is 202-566-1742.
    Use http://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.

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 
owners of light-duty vehicles.
    Title: EPA's Light Duty In-Use Vehicle Testing Program (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 0222.09, OMB Control No. 2060-0086.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on February 
28, 2011. 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: EPA has an ongoing program to evaluate the emission 
performance of in-use light-duty (passenger car and light truck) motor 
vehicles. This program operates in conjunction with testing of 
prototype vehicles prior to use (manufacturer and EPA confirmatory 
testing for certification) and the mandatory manufacturer's in-use 
testing program (IUVP) for light-duty vehicles. They derive from the 
Clean Air Act's charge that EPA insure that motor vehicles comply with 
emissions requirements throughout their useful lives. The primary 
purpose of the program is information gathering. Nevertheless, EPA can 
require a recall if it receives information, from whatever source, 
including in-use testing, that a ``substantial number'' of any class or 
category of vehicles or engines, although properly maintained and used, 
do not conform to the emission standards,

[[Page 52328]]

when in actual use throughout their useful life.
    The program can be broken down into three closely-related headings. 
The first is a surveillance program that selects approximately 50 
classes of passenger cars and light trucks for in-use testing, at EPA's 
testing facility, totaling approximately 150 vehicles (three in each 
class on average). In rare cases surveillance testing may be followed 
by compliance testing (only three such classes in the last five 
years).The purpose of a compliance phase is to develop additional 
information related to test failures observed in a class during 
surveillance testing. The second heading is testing of a subset of 
approximately 35 vehicles from the surveillance recruitment for 
operation of on-board diagnostics (OBD) systems. The third category is 
special investigations involving testing of vehicles to address 
specific issues. The number of vehicles procured under this category 
varies widely from year to year, but this request asks for approval of 
the information burden corresponding to 25 such vehicles per year for 
the next three years.
    Participation in the light-duty surveys, as well as the vehicle 
testing, is strictly voluntary. A group of 25 to 50 potential 
participants is identified from State vehicle registration records. 
They are asked to return a postcard indicating their willingness to 
participate and if so, to verify some limited vehicle information. 
Three of those who return the card are called and asked about a half 
dozen questions concerning vehicle condition, and operation and 
maintenance. Additional groups of potential participants may be 
contacted until a sufficient number of vehicles has been obtained. 
Owners verify the survey information when they deliver their vehicles 
to EPA, voluntarily provide maintenance records for copying, and 
receive a loaner car and/or a cash incentive.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 7.3 
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 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 Supporting Statement provides a detailed explanation of the 
Agency's estimate, which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: Approximately 
4,285 owners/lessees receive EPA's solicitations to participate and 
approximately 164 do participate.
    Frequency of response: On Occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
One.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 521.
    Estimated total annual costs: $11,295. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $11,295 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital 
investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?

    There is a decrease of 90 responses and 98 hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR 
currently approved by OMB. This decrease is entirely due to removal of 
the heavy-duty and non-road portions of this ICR, which will henceforth 
be covered under a different information collection request. This ICR 
was previously titled, ``EPA's In-Use Vehicle and Engine Testing 
Programs.''

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: August 17, 2010.
Karl Simon,
Director, Compliance and Innovative Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-21103 Filed 8-24-10; 8:45 am]
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