2018-12912. Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Fuel Use Requirements for Great Lake Steamships (Renewal)

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), “Fuel Use Requirements for Great Lakes Steamships” (EPA ICR No. 2458.03, OMB Control No. 2060-0679) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. 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 August 31, 2018. 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 August 14, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0928, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), 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:

Alan Stout, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, 2565 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; 734-214-4805; [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Supporting documents explaining 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, 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.

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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted requirements for marine vessels operating in and around U.S. territorial waters to use reduced-sulfur diesel fuel. This requirement does not apply for steamships, but it would apply for steamships that are converted to run on diesel engines. A regulatory provision allows vessel owners to qualify for a waiver from the fuel-use requirements for a defined period for such converted vessels.

One condition of the exemption from the fuel standard is that engines meet current emission standards. EPA uses the data to oversee compliance with regulatory requirements, including communicating with affected companies and answering questions from the public or other industry participants regarding the waiver in question. Since the IMO Tier III NO_X standards apply for Category 3 engines installed on U.S. vessels, we don't expect anyone to use the steamship exemption.

Form Numbers: None.

Respondents/affected entities: 0.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain a benefit (40 CFR 1043.95).

Estimated number of respondents: 0.

Frequency of response: One time for a new notification.

Total estimated burden: 0 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).

Total estimated cost: $0.

Changes in Estimates: The burden estimate decreases from the current estimate of 14 hours per year in the total estimated respondent burden currently approved by OMB. Since the IMO Tier III NO_X standards apply for Category 3 engines installed on U.S. vessels, we don't expect anyone to use the steamship exemption.

Dated: June 4, 2018.

William J. Charmley,

Director, Assessment and Standards Division.