[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70026-70027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28046]



[[Page 70026]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Proposed Agency Information Collection

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a 
proposed collection of information that DOE 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.
    The proposed collection would involve information that will enable 
DOE to measure the impact and progress of DOE's Workplace Charging 
Challenge (Challenge). The Challenge is an initiative through which DOE 
provides employers with specialized resources, expertise, and support 
to incorporate workplace charging programs into their operations 
successfully.\1\ The initiative is a part of the EV Everywhere Grand 
Challenge, which focuses on enabling U.S. vehicle manufacturers to be 
the first in the world to produce plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) that 
are as affordable and convenient for the average American family as 
today's gasoline-powered vehicles by 2022. As the EV Everywhere Grand 
Challenge is focused on both PEV research and development as well as 
deployment, it has been developed with input from sustainability 
professionals, industry representatives, and DOE's Clean Cities program 
staff coordinators.
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    \1\ Excluded from the Challenge are the Federal government and 
employers that are integrally involved in the sale of EVSE products 
and services.

DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection must be 
received on or before January 21, 2014. If you anticipate difficulty in 
submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed in 
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ADDRESSES as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to Sarah Olexsak, Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE-2G), U.S. Department of 
Energy 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, or by 
fax at 202-586-1600, 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 Sarah Olexsak, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy (EE-2G), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 287-5151, 
[email protected]mailto:.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request 
contains: (1) OMB No. New; (2) Information Collection Request Title: 
Workplace Charging Challenge; (3) Type of Request: New; (4) Purpose: 
DOE's Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) has developed a voluntary 
initiative, the EV Everywhere Workplace Charging Challenge. This 
initiative, launched in January 2013, aims to increase the number of 
U.S. employers offering workplace charging for PEVs to their employees. 
Participating employers may sign on as Partners to signal their 
commitment to workplace charging and otherwise promote workplace 
charging. As designed, the initiative is intended to benefit both 
employees and employers.
    The goal of the Workplace Charging Challenge is to increase to over 
500 the number of employers offering workplace charging to their U.S. 
employees by 2018, the scheduled end of the program.. Individual 
employers that make available at least one electric vehicle supply 
equipment (EVSE), or charger, to their employees at one major employer 
location will count towards this goal, regardless of whether or not the 
employer is a partner in the Workplace Charging Challenge.
    As part of this this program, DOE will be conducting outreach to 
deploy workplace charging, provide technical assistance to support 
employers' workplace charging programs, and identify specific success 
stories, lessons learned, and best practices employers have deployed, 
thereby increasing the value and facilitating the deployment of 
additional workplace charging programs. The effort is part of the 
larger EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, and as the Grand Challenge by 
necessity incorporates a deployment component, DOE will be able to use 
its experience and expertise through the VTO Clean Cities Program to 
educate the public about PEVs, as well as help identify potential 
workplace charging barriers and the means to remove such barriers.
    The Challenge does not endeavor to engage an exhaustive number of 
employers, but rather will work with self-identified employers 
committed to leading the way in reducing petroleum consumption through 
the deployment of PEVs and associated charging infrastructure.
    In January 2013, relying on employers' public records and 
communications, DOE began identifying employers that might be 
interested in becoming voluntary partners to the Workplace Challenge 
Program. To measure progress towards the Workplace Charging Challenge 
goal of more than 500 employers through 2018, DOE will be monitoring 
some employers directly, and others through data DOE can gather from 
available online resources, including the Alternative Fuels Data 
Center. For those employers DOE is monitoring directly, DOE will 
develop an annual progress update and will publish the generalized 
results gathered. To generate this annual update, DOE will collect 
annually from these Workplace Charging Challenge Partners, or 
employers, data and narratives associated with their PEV charging 
program and infrastructure.
    The principal objective of collecting the information DOE seeks to 
gather through the Challenge is to allow DOE to develop an objective 
assessment and estimate of the number of U.S. employers that have 
established a workplace charging program or otherwise installed EVSE, 
and to document specific information associated with the offering of 
such a program to employees. Information requested would be used to 
establish basic information for Partner employers, which will then be 
used for future comparisons and analysis of instituted programs and 
policies. A designated representative for each participating Partner 
will provide the requested information. The intended respondent is 
expected to be aware of relevant aspects of the company's charging 
infrastructure and program if such exists, such that the gathering of 
information is not expected to be very resource consuming. DOE will 
compile and issue an annual progress update that would provide an 
update on the Workplace Charging Challenge program partners' 
activities, as well as report on metrics DOE is evaluating related to 
energy consumption, costs, numbers of employers in the program, and 
best practices that can be identified for the purpose of helping others 
take steps to deploy charging infrastructure.

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    The Challenge effort will rely on data the Partners will provide 
via an online response tool. The data collection would address the 
following topic areas: (1) Charging infrastructure and use; (2) 
employee PEV ownership and PEV knowledge; and (3) feedback on the 
Challenge.
    The data will be compiled for the purpose of assessing and setting 
forth in the annual progress updates the Workplace Charging Challenge 
program's impact in terms of increasing both the number of employers 
offering workplace charging and the deployment of EVSEs and PEVs.
    The data and subsequent analyses will allow DOE to compare 
historical records dynamically, and provide the opportunity for DOE to 
determine annual progress toward Workplace Charging Challenge goals. 
Calculation of progress and impacts will be undertaken on an annual 
basis.
    The Workplace Charging Challenge program is targeted at U.S. 
employers. Providing initial baseline information for each 
participating employer, which occurs only once, is expected to take 1.5 
hours. Follow-up questions and clarifications for the purpose of 
ensuring accurate analyses may take up to 3.5 hours; (5) Annual 
Estimated Number of Respondents: 400; (6) Annual Estimated Number of 
Total Responses: 400; (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 
2,000; (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
There is no cost associated with reporting and recordkeeping.

    Statutory Authority: 42 U.S.C. Sec 13233; 42 U.S.C. Sec. 
13252(a)-(b); 42 U.S.C. 13255.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 15, 2013.
Patrick B. Davis,
Director, Vehicle Technologies Office, Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy.
[FR Doc. 2013-28046 Filed 11-21-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P