2020-24129. Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Gasoline Volatility (Renewal)

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Gasoline Volatility (EPA ICR Number 1367.13, OMB Control Number 2060-0178) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through December 31, 2020. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on April 1, 2020 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 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:

Additional comments may be submitted on or before November 30, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0478, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to [e-mail], 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.

Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James W. Caldwell, Compliance Division, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Mail Code 6406J, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: [phone]; fax number: [phone]; email address: [e-mail].

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 https://www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. 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.

Abstract: Gasoline volatility, as measured by Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) in pounds per square inch (psi), is controlled in the spring and summer in order to minimize evaporative hydrocarbon emissions from motor vehicles. RVP is subject to a Federal standard of 7.8 psi or 9.0 psi, depending on location. The addition of ethanol to gasoline increases the RVP by about 1 psi. Gasoline that contains nine volume percent to 15 volume percent ethanol is subject to a standard that is 1.0 psi greater. As an aid to industry compliance and EPA enforcement, the product transfer document (PTD), which is prepared by the producer or importer and which accompanies a shipment of gasoline containing ethanol, is required by regulation to contain a legible and conspicuous statement that the gasoline contains ethanol and the percentage concentration of ethanol. This is intended to deter the mixing within the distribution system, particularly in retail storage tanks, of gasoline which contains ethanol in the nine to 15 percent range with gasoline which does not contain ethanol in that range. Such mixing would likely result in a gasoline which is in violation of its RVP standard. Also, a party wishing a testing exemption, for research on gasoline that is not in compliance with the applicable volatility standard, must submit certain information to EPA. EPA has additional PTD requirements for gasoline containing ethanol at 40 CFR 80.1503. Those requirements are covered in a separate ICR.

Form Numbers: None.

Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are those who produce or import gasoline containing ethanol, or who wish to obtain a testing exemption.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory per 40 CFR 80.27(d) and (e).

Estimated number of respondents: 2,200 (total).

Frequency of response: On occasion.

Total estimated burden: 1,410 hours per year. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).

Total estimated cost: $154,030, includes $10 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.

Changes in estimates: With nearly all PTDs now being computer generated, the average time to include the regulatory language on each PTD has decreased from one second to 0.1 second. As a result, the total annual burden has decreased from 12,330 hours per year to 1,410 hours per year.

Courtney Kerwin,

Director, Regulatory Support Division.