[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38278-38279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-15773]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

U.S. Energy Information Administration


Collection Revision

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The EIA invites public comment on the proposed change to add a 
new vehicle classification code to Form EIA-886, Annual Survey of 
Alternative Fueled Vehicles, which EIA is developing for submission to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) 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; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection must be 
received on or before August 27, 2012. If you anticipate difficulty in 
submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed in 
the ADDRESSES section below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to Cynthia Amezcua, EI-22, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20585, or by fax at (202) 586-9753 or by email at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Cynthia Amezcua by phone at (202) 586-1658 or by email 
at the address listed above. Access to the proposed form, instructions, 
and internet data collection screens can be found at: https://eiaweb.inl.gov/2013-clearance.pdf.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request 
contains:
    (1) OMB No.: 1905-0191;
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Annual Survey of 
Alternative Fueled Vehicles;
    (3) Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection;
    (4a) Purpose: Form EIA-886 is an annual survey that collects 
information on the number and type of alternative fueled vehicles 
(AFVs) and other advanced technology vehicles that vehicle suppliers 
made available in the previous calendar year and plan to make available 
in the following calendar year; the number, type and geographic 
distribution of AFVs in use in the previous calendar year; and the 
amount and distribution of each type of alternative transportation fuel 
(ATF) consumed in the previous calendar year. Form EIA-886 data are 
collected from suppliers and users of AFVs. EIA uses data from these 
groups as a basis for estimating total AFV and ATF use in the U.S. 
These data are needed by Federal and State agencies, fuel suppliers, 
transit agencies and other fleets to determine if sufficient quantities 
of AFVs are available for purchase and to provide Congress with a 
measure of the extent to which the objectives of the Energy Policy Act 
of 1992 are being achieved. These data serve as market analysis tools 
for Congress, Federal/State agencies, AFV suppliers, vehicle fleet 
managers, and other interested organizations and persons. These data 
are also needed to satisfy numerous public requests for detailed 
information

[[Page 38279]]

on AFVs and ATFs (in particular, the number of AFVs distributed by 
State, as well as the amount and location of the ATFs being consumed).
    EIA publishes summary information from the Form EIA-886 database in 
an annual report on EIA's Web site (www.eia.gov). This report covers 
historical and projected supplies of AFVs, AFV usage by selected user 
groups, and estimates of total U.S. AFV counts and U.S. consumption of 
ATFs. These data provide baseline inputs for DOE's transportation 
sector energy models. They also provide the energy consumption measures 
for alternative transportation fuels in EIA's State Energy Data System. 
For example, EIA's National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) has a 
component model that forecasts transportation sector energy consumption 
and provides a framework for AFV policy and technology analysis. The 
data obtained from Form EIA-886 are used to improve the explanatory 
power of the NEMS Transportation Demand Model by allowing for greater 
detail in representing AFV types and characteristics;
    (4b) Proposed Changes to Information Collection: EIA is proposing 
the addition of a Fuel Type/Engine Configuration Code to collect data 
on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). PHEVs are considered 
alternative fueled vehicles under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 
definition of an alternative fueled vehicle because their primary fuel 
source is electricity; however, they differ from straight battery-
powered electric vehicles because they use an electric battery as the 
primary energy source for propulsion for a limited range (15-40 miles) 
before switching to internal combustion propulsion. Currently, EIA 
collects data on electric battery-powered vehicles with the code ``EVC 
BP''. EIA would like to add the code ``EVC PH'' to differentiate 
between PHEVs and AFVs that are powered exclusively by battery. EIA 
would continue to use the code ``EVC BP'' to identify vehicles that are 
powered exclusively by an electric battery.
    Sections 2 and 3 of the Form EIA-886 collect data on the inventory 
and supply of alternative fueled vehicles. In Section 2, respondents 
are required to report the vehicle type, fuel type, engine 
configuration, application, quantity, miles traveled, and alternative 
fuel consumption for all AFVs in use. In Section 3, respondents are 
required to report the vehicle type, model, fuel type, engine 
configuration, and quantities made available and planned to be made 
available for all AFVs and advanced technology vehicles supplied. Both 
sections of the online reporting system utilize drop-down menus to 
capture these data. The proposed code ``EVC PH'' would be added under 
the Electric Fuel Type Category. EIA does not expect this proposed 
addition of a vehicle classification code to Form EIA-886 to cause any 
increase in reporting burden.
    (4c). Change in Burden Hours: Due to the decrease in the number of 
original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket vehicle converters in 
the marketplace, EIA estimates the survey frame of suppliers for the 
Form EIA-886 to decrease from 75 to 50 respondents, thus creating a 
decrease in overall respondent burden hours from 10,812 hours to 10,740 
hours;
    (5) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 2,050;
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 10,740;
    AFV Suppliers (30 Original Equipment Manufacturers): 3 hours;
    AFV Suppliers (20 Aftermarket Vehicle Converters): 2.5 hours;
    AFV Users (100 complex fleets): 30 hours;
    AFV Users (1,900 simple fleets): 4 hours;
    (7) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: No 
additional costs beyond burden hours are anticipated from the proposed 
collection instrument revision.

    Statutory Authority: The legal authority for this data 
collection effort is provided by the following provisions:

    Section 13(b) of the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974, 
Pub. L. 93-275, (FEA Act), and codified at 15 U.S.C. Sec.  772 (b), 
and
    Section 503(b)(2) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, Pub. L. 102-
486 (EPACT92) codified at 42 U.S.C. 13253.

    Issued in Washington, DC on June 21, 2012.
Renee Miller,
Acting Director, Office of Survey Development and Statistical 
Integration, U.S. Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-15773 Filed 6-26-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P