[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12284-12286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4844]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2012-0103; FRL-9641-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Rebate Program 
(New); EPA ICR No. 2461.01

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 for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting the ICR to OMB 
for review and approval, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific 
aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 30, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2012-0103, by one of the following methods:
    www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Email: [email protected].
    Mail: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), 
Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, Mail Code 2822T,

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1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 
1301 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20004. 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-
2012-0103. 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 email. 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 email comment directly to EPA without 
going through www.regulations.gov your email 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/dockets/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Henning, Office of 
Transportation and Air Quality, National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions 
Laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann 
Arbor, MI 48105; telephone number: 734-214-4442; fax number: 734-214-
4958; email 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-2012-0103, 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 Building, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC 
Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 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 
those interested in applying for a rebate under EPA's Diesel Emission 
Reduction Act (DERA) Rebate Program.
    Title: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Rebate Program (New). 
ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 2461.01, OMB Control No. 2060-NEW.
    ICR Status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 
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 Code of Federal Regulations (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: This is a new Information Collection Request (ICR) for 
the Diesel Emission Reduction Act program (DERA) authorized by Title 
VII, Subtitle G (Sections 791 to 797) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(Pub. L. 109-58), as amended by the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 
2010 (Pub. L. 111-364), codified at 42 U.S.C. 16131 et seq. DERA 
provides the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the authority 
to award grants, rebates or

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low-cost revolving loans on a competitive basis to eligible entities to 
fund the costs of a retrofit technology that significantly reduces 
diesel emissions from mobile sources through implementation of a 
certified engine configuration, verified technology, or emerging 
technology. Eligible mobile sources include buses (including school 
buses), medium heavy-duty or heavy heavy-duty diesel trucks, marine 
engines, locomotives, or nonroad engines or diesel vehicles or 
equipment used in construction, handling of cargo (including at port or 
airport), agriculture, mining, or energy production. In addition, 
eligible entities may also use funds awarded for programs or projects 
to reduce long-duration idling using verified technology involving a 
vehicle or equipment described above. The objective of the assistance 
under this program is to achieve significant reductions in diesel 
emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced and reductions in 
diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets operating in areas 
designated by the Administrator as poor air quality areas.
    EPA uses approved procedures and forms to collect necessary 
information to operate a grant program, and has been providing grants 
under DERA since Fiscal Year 2008. EPA is requesting approval through 
this ICR for forms needed to collect necessary information to operate a 
rebate program as authorized by Congress under the DERA program.
    EPA will collect information from applicants who wish to apply for 
a rebate under the DERA rebate program. Information collected from 
applicants will ensure that they are eligible to receive funds under 
DERA, that funds are provided for eligible activities, and to calculate 
estimated and actual emissions benefits that result from activities 
funded with rebates as required in DERA's authorizing legislation.
    Burden Statement: The annual respondent reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 7.925 
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by respondents to generate, maintain, retain, 
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; 
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: 120 rebate 
applicants.
    Frequency of response: Voluntarily as needed.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 2.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 894 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $44,547. This includes an estimated 
labor burden cost of $44,547 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital 
investment or maintenance and operational costs.

What is the next step in the process for this ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend this ICR as 
appropriate. EPA will also revise the burden estimates based on the 
final PGP. 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: February 21, 2012.
Karl Simon,
Director, Transportation and Climate Division, Office of Transportation 
and Air Quality.
[FR Doc. 2012-4844 Filed 2-28-12; 8:45 am]
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