[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 185 (Friday, September 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65633-65634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22975]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Proposed Agency Information Collection Extension

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend for three years an information 
collection request with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the extended collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
DOE, including whether the information shall have practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of DOE'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 November 22, 2016. If you anticipate difficulty 
in submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed in 
ADDRESSES as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to Sarah Olexsak, Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE-3V), 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-3V), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, 202-586-8055, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy is proposing to 
extend an information collection, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995. The approved collection is being used to develop 
information that enables DOE to generate an annual report that provides 
an update on the Workplace Charging Challenge program partners' 
activities, as well as to 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 electric vehicle charging infrastructure. DOE is 
not proposing to expand the scope of the existing information 
collection effort.
    This information collection request contains: (1) OMB No. 1910-
5174; (2) Information Collection Request Title: Workplace Charging 
Challenge; (3) Type of Request: Renewal; (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 plug-in electric vehicles (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 the end of fiscal year 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 count towards this goal, regardless of whether 
or not the employer is a partner in the Workplace Charging Challenge.
    As part of this program, DOE will continue to conduct 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 of additional workplace charging programs, 
and facilitating the deployment EVSE. The effort is part of the larger 
EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, and as the Grand Challenge by necessity 
incorporates a deployment component, DOE uses 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 continue to 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 fiscal year 2018, DOE will 
continue to monitor 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 continue to 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 would 
like to continue 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 continue to 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

[[Page 65634]]

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 continue to 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. The 
following are reports and documents available to date:

 Workplace Charging Challenge 2014 Progress Update: Employers 
Take Charge
 Workplace Charging Challenge Mid-Program Review: Employees 
Plug In
 Plug-In Electric Vehicle Handbook for Workplace Charging Hosts
 Install and Manage Workplace Charging
 Costs Associated With Non-Residential Electric Vehicle Supply 
Equipment

    The Challenge effort will continue to rely on data the Partners 
will provide via an online response tool. The data collection would 
continue to 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 would continue to 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.
    As is done presently, 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 
continue to 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. 13233; 42 U.S.C. 13252(a)-(b); 
42 U.S.C. 13255.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 16, 2016.
Michael R. Berube,
Director, Vehicle Technologies Office, Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy.
[FR Doc. 2016-22975 Filed 9-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P