Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission of EPA ICR
No. 0222.07 (OMB No. 2060-0086) to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment
Request
[Federal Register: August 19, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 160)]
[Notices]
[Page 49770-49772]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19au03-47]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OAR-2003-0011, FRL-7546-6]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission of EPA ICR
No. 0222.07 (OMB No. 2060-0086) to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that the following Information
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Investigation into Possible
Noncompliance of Motor Vehicles with Federal Emissions Standards. This
ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its
estimated burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 18,
2003.
ADDRESSES: Follow the detailed instructions in SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard W Nash, Certification and
Compliance Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000
Traverwood Dr, Ann Arbor MI 48105, (734) 214-4412, nash.dick@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR
1320.12. On 21 March 2003 (68 FR 13909) EPA sought comments on this ICR
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. OAR-2003-0011, which is available for public viewing at the Air and
Radiation Docket and Information Center in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC.
The EPA Docket Center 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 and Information
Center is (202) 566-1742. An electronic version of the public docket is
available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
Use EDOCKET to submit or view public comments, access the index listing
of the contents of the public 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
above.
Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to OMB and EPA
within 30 days of this notice, and according to the following detailed
instructions: (1) Mail your comments to OMB at: Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB),
Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC
20503, and (2) Submit your comments to EPA online using EDOCKET (our
preferred method), by e-mail to a-and-r-docket@epamail.epa.gov, or by
mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Air and
Radiation Docket, Mailcode 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460.
EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted
electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing
in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public
disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment
containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that
material in the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The
entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be
available in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the
official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is
otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the official public
docket, and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For
further information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal
Register notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May
31, 2002), or go to www.epa.gov/edocket.
Title: Investigation into Possible Noncompliance of Motor Vehicles
with Federal Emissions Standards (OMB Control Number 2060-0086, EPA ICR
Number 0222.07). This is a request to renew an existing approved
collection that is scheduled to expire on 31 August 2003. Under OMB
regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the
collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
Abstract: As part of an integrated compliance program, EPA
occasionally needs to evaluate the emission performance of in-use motor
vehicles. In order to perform this function, EPA must solicit certain
information from the vehicle owner/lessee. Participation in the
information survey, as well as the vehicle evaluation, is strictly
voluntary. Typically, a group of 25 potential participants is
identified. They are asked to return a postcard indicating their
willingness to participate and if so, to verify some limited vehicle
information. They are also asked when it would be suitable to contact
them. Those willing to participate are called and asked about a half
dozen questions concerning vehicle condition, operation and
maintenance. Depending on owner/lessee response, additional groups of
potential participants may be contacted until a sufficient number of
vehicles has been obtained.
Information collected is used to assure that vehicles procured meet
certain criteria. For example, since a manufacturer's responsibility to
recall passenger cars is limited to 10 years of age or 100,000 miles of
use, vehicles tested to establish potential recall liability must also
meet those criteria. Other testing programs and vehicle types have
different criteria. All information is publicly available.
The previous description generally describes how EPA obtains
information on in-use passenger cars and light trucks from individual
owners and lessees. Heavy duty trucks, those commonly referred to as
over ``\3/4\ ton'' capacity, are usually employed commercially;
typically they are part of a ``fleet'' of identical (or very similar)
vehicles. Consequently, EPA employs a slightly different method to
obtain them. Potential owners/lessees can be found in registration
lists; engine manufacturers will also supply identities of their
customers. Occasionally, a fleet operator will contact EPA and
volunteer to participate. Once potential sources are identified, EPA
will make a brief telephone call to the fleet managers to ascertain if
they wish to participate. If the response is positive, EPA will visit
the fleet to inspect vehicles and review maintenance records. (Fleets
typically keep very good records on each vehicle; EPA can quickly
determine if a particular unit is acceptable.) A single fleet can
supply multiple vehicles and, typically, is quite willing to
participate. Therefore, EPA makes far fewer inquiries than with
individual owners of light vehicles. Based on comments, EPA may decide
to address light and heavy duty vehicles separately.
EPA uses several techniques in selecting the class or category of
motor vehicles to be evaluated. First, if based on other information
(e.g., defect reports, service bulletins) there is a suspicion that a
problem exists; EPA may target a particular group. Second, groups with
a large number of vehicles have potential for significant air quality
effects; they may be selected for that reason. New emission control
technology without a proven history is another factor in making
selections. Finally, some vehicle classes are selected on a random
basis.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to
[[Page 49772]]
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations
are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15, and are identified
on the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20
minutes per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or
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 information; search data sources; complete and review
the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the
information.
Respondents/Affected Entities: Vehicle owners/lessees.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1800
Frequency of Response: Once
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 600 hours
Estimated Total Annual Cost: None
Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in the total estimated
burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR
Burdens.
Dated: August 12, 2003.
Doreen Sterling,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 03-21186 Filed 8-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P