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Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Reformulated Gasoline and Conventional Gasoline 





[Federal Register: December 29, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 251)]
[Notices]
[Page 83009-83010]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29de00-70]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6925-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request; Reformulated Gasoline and Conventional
Gasoline

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: Reformulated Gasoline and
Conventional Gasoline, OMB Control No. 2060-0277, expiration date
December 31, 2000. The ICR describes the nature of the information
collection and its expected burden and cost; where appropriate, it
includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 29, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 1591.13 and OMB
Control No. 2060-0277, to the following addresses: Sandy Farmer, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Collection Strategies Division (Mail
Code 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; and to
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the ICR contact Sandy
Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 260-2740, by E-mail at
Farmer.sandy@epamail.epa.gov, or download off the Internet at http://
www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 1591.13. For technical
questions about the ICR contact James W. Caldwell, (202) 564-9303, fax
(202) 565-2085, caldwell.jim@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Reformulated Gasoline and Conventional Gasoline:
Requirements for Refiners, Oxygenate Blenders, and Importers of
Gasoline; Requirements for Parties in the Gasoline Distribution Network
(40 CFR part 80--subparts D, E and F), OMB Control No. 2060-0277, EPA
ICR No. 1591.13, expiring December 31, 2000. This is a request for an
extension of a currently approved collection.

[[Page 83010]]

    Abstract: Gasoline combustion is the major source of air pollution
in most urban areas. The Clean Air Act (Act) requires that gasoline
dispensed in certain areas with severe air quality problems be
reformulated to reduce toxic and ozone-forming (smog) emissions. The
Act also requires that in the process of producing reformulated
gasoline (RFG), dirty components removed in the reformulation process
not be ``dumped'' into the remainder of the country's gasoline, known
as conventional gasoline (CG). The EPA promulgated regulations at 40
CFR part 80 establishing standards for RFG and CG, as specified in the
Act, and establishing mandatory reporting and recordkeeping
requirements for demonstrating compliance and as an aid to enforcement.
The primary requirements are to test each batch of gasoline for various
properties, report the results to EPA, and demonstrate compliance with
the standards on an annual basis.
    The collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the Agency and have practical utility.
Section 211(k) of the Act specifically recognizes the need for
recordkeeping, reporting and sampling/testing requirements for
enforcement of this program. This is understandable given the
complicated performance requirements and the averaging and trading
provisions set forth in the Act. These provisions make it impossible
for EPA to determine compliance merely by taking samples of gasoline at
various facilities, unlike some other fuels programs. Moreover, in the
negotiated regulation process, EPA agreed to accept industry's desire
for national averaging, credits, yearly averaging periods, etc. EPA
cannot enforce the regulations, as negotiated, without the
recordkeeping controls included in the rule, some of which were
specifically agreed to by industry (e.g., covered area sampling and
testing surveys and quarterly RFG refiner reporting). For example, EPA
believes the attest procedures (discussed later) have led to discovery
of significant violations and the prevention of future violations and
believes that this process is very important. Further, the World Trade
Organization ruled that the original RFG regulations discriminate
against foreign refiners. EPA revised the RFG regulations to be GATT-
consistent. If EPA could not use these enforcement tools for domestic
refineries it would not be able to use them for foreign refineries.
This would greatly hinder EPA's ability to regulate foreign refiners.
    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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. The
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting
comments on this collection of information was published on October 13,
2000, (65 FR 60939). One comment was received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2
hours 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: Refiners, Oxygenate blenders,
Importers of gasoline, Parties in the gasoline distribution network .
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,190.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly, annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 101,586 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, O&M Cost Burden: $23 million.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of
automated collection techniques to the addresses listed above. Please
refer to EPA ICR No. 1591.13 and OMB Control No. 2060-0277 in any
correspondence.

    Dated: December 21, 2000.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 00-33359 Filed 12-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

 
 

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