[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7181-7183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02575]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0482; FRL 9906-28-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Information Collection Activities Associated With SmartWay Transport 
Partnership

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Information 
Collection Activities Associated with SmartWay Transport Partnership'' 
(EPA ICR No. 2265.02, OMB Control No. 2060-0663 to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before 
doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the 
proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed 
extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through May 31, 2014. 
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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 7, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2007-0482 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patty Klavon, U.S. Environmental

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Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; 
telephone number: 734-214-4476; Fax: 734-214-4052; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West 
Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20004. 
The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For 
additional information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
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. 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. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: The EPA's Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) developed the 
SmartWay Transport Partnership (``SmartWay'') under directives outlined 
in Subtitle D of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 which calls on EPA to 
assess the energy and air quality impacts of activities within the 
freight industry. These activities include long-duration truck idling, 
the development and promotion of strategies for reducing idling, fuel 
consumption, and negative air quality effects. SmartWay's objectives 
also are consistent with the Federal Technology Transfer Act and other 
laws that support collaborative partnerships between government and 
industry.
    SmartWay is open to organizations that own, operate, or contract 
with fleet operations, including truck and multi-modal carriers, 
logistics companies, and shippers. Organizations that do not operate 
fleets, but that are working to strengthen the freight industry, such 
as industry trade associations, state and local transportation agencies 
and environmental groups, also may join as SmartWay Affiliates. All 
organizations that join SmartWay are asked to provide EPA with 
information as part of their SmartWay registration to annually 
benchmark their transportation-related operations and improve the 
environmental performance of their freight activities.
    A company joins SmartWay when it completes and submits a SmartWay 
Excel-based Partnership tool (``reporting tool'') to EPA. The data 
outputs from the submitted tool are used by Partners and SmartWay in 
several ways. First, the data provides confirmation that SmartWay 
Partners are meeting established objectives as in their Partnership 
Agreement. The reporting tool outputs enable EPA to assist SmartWay 
Partners in adjusting their commitments, as appropriate, and to update 
them with environmental performance and technology information that 
empower them to improve their efficiency. This information also 
improves EPA's knowledge and understanding of the environmental and 
energy impacts associated with goods movement, and the effectiveness of 
both proven and emerging strategies to lessen those impacts.
    In addition to requesting annual transportation-related data, EPA 
may ask its SmartWay Partners for other kinds of information which 
could include opinions and test data on the effectiveness of new and 
emerging technology applications, sales volumes associated with 
SmartWay-recommended vehicle equipment and technologies, the reach and 
value of partnering with EPA through the SmartWay Partnership, and 
awareness of the SmartWay brand. In some instances, EPA might query 
other freight industry representatives (not just SmartWay Partners), 
including trade and professional associations, nonprofit environmental 
groups, energy, and community organizations, and universities, and a 
small sampling of the general public.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action include private and public organizations that join the 
SmartWay Transport Partnership; freight industry representatives who 
engage in activities related to the SmartWay Partnership; and 
representative samplings of consumers in the general public. These 
entities may be affected by EPA efforts to assess the effectiveness and 
value of the SmartWay program, awareness of the SmartWay brand, and 
ideas for improving and developing SmartWay.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of Program respondents: 3,961.
    Frequency of response: The information collections described in 
this ICR must be completed in order for an organization to register as 
or continue its status as a SmartWay Partner, to become a SmartWay 
Affiliate, to use the SmartWay logo on an EPA-designated tractor or 
trailer, or to be considered for a SmartWay Excellence Award.
    Total estimated burden: The annual burden for this collection of 
information that all Respondent Partners incur is estimated to average 
11,504 hours with a projected annual aggregate cost of $628,477. The 
annual burden for this collection of information that federal agency 
respondents incur is estimated to average 4,332 hours with a projected 
annual aggregate cost of $160,292.
    This ICR estimates that approximately 2,901 Respondent partners 
will incur burden associated with SmartWay in the first year, with a 
growth of 314 Partners per year projected into the future. The 
estimated average burden time per Respondent is 2.90 hours annually. 
This is an average across all SmartWay Partners, regardless of whether 
they are Affiliates, shippers, carriers, or logistics companies. The 
average also includes 150 consumer and industry respondents who spend 
far less time, providing the SmartWay program with basic information on 
their awareness of the program. Among Respondent Partners, the burden 
hours are typically higher for larger companies with more complex 
fleets, than for smaller companies.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons 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; adjust the existing ways to 
comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; 
train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of

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information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of 
information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    Total Estimated Cost: The total annual cost to all Respondent 
Partners is $628,477. The total annual cost to federal agency 
respondents is $160,292.
    Changes in estimates: There is an increase of 3,203 hours in the 
total estimated Respondent Partner burden compared with the ICR 
currently approved by OMB. This increase reflects the following 
adjustments and program changes:
    (1) Adjustments associated with increased interest in SmartWay, and 
thus, an increase in new annual Respondents and applications for the 
SmartWay Excellence Award, as well as robust Program retention 
practices, leading to increased number of Respondent partners reporting 
annually;
    (2) Increased burden associated with the SmartWay Tractor & Trailer 
program; and,
    (3) Reduced burden due to EPA's streamlined Partnership Annual 
Agreement process.

    Dated: January 29, 2014.
Karl Simon,
Director, Transportation Climate Division, Office of Transportation and 
Air Quality.
[FR Doc. 2014-02575 Filed 2-5-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P