E7-16449. Agency Information Collection Activities; Continuing Collection; Comment Request; Detergent Gasoline; EPA ICR No. 1655.06, OMB Control No. 2060-0275

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2008. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before October 22, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0595 by one of the following methods:

• www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
• E-mail: [e-mail].
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Air and Radiation Docket, Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0595, Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
• Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Public Reading Room, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0595. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at www.regulations.gov,, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an “anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/​epahome/​dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jaimee Dong, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Mailcode: 6406J, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: [phone]; fax number: [phone]; e-mail address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0595, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov,, or in person viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST, 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 is 202-566-1742.

Use www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.

What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested in?

Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically solicits 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your comments:

1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific examples.

2. Describe any assumptions that you used.

3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used that support your views.

4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you arrived at the estimate that you provide.

5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.

6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified under DATES.

7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are those who (1) manufacture gasoline, post-refinery component, or detergent additives, (2) blend detergent additives into gasoline or post-refinery component, or (3) transport or receive a detergent additive, gasoline, or post-refinery component.

Title: Detergent Gasoline: Certification Requirements for Manufacturers of Detergent Additives; Requirements for Transferors and Transferees of Detergent Additives; Requirements for Blenders of Detergents into Gasoline or Post-refinery Component; Requirements for Manufacturers, Transferors, and Transferees of Gasoline or Post-refinery Component (40 CFR 80—Subpart G).

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1655.06, OMB Control No. 2060-0275.

ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on January 31, 2008. 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 in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.

Abstract: Gasoline combustion results in the formation of engine deposits that contribute to increased emissions. Detergent additives deter deposit formation. The Clean Air Act requires gasoline to contain a detergent additive. The regulations at 40 CFR part 80—Subpart G specify certification requirements for manufacturers of detergent additives, recordkeeping or reporting requirements for blenders of detergents into gasoline or post-refinery component (any gasoline blending stock or any oxygenate which is blended with gasoline subsequent to the gasoline refining process), and reporting or recordkeeping requirements for manufacturers, transferors, or transferees of detergents, gasoline, or post-refinery component (PRC). These requirements ensure that (1) a detergent is effective before it is certified by EPA, (2) a certified detergent, at the minimum concentration necessary to be effective (known as the lowest additive concentration (LAC)), is blended into gasoline, and (3) only gasoline which contains a certified detergent at its LAC is delivered to the consumer. The EPA maintains a list of certified gasoline detergents, which is publicly available. As of June 2007 there were 393 certified detergents and 18 detergent manufacturers.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 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 which have subsequently changed; 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.

EPA estimates that the average burden for detergent certification is 60 hours and $4,104, and that there will be approximately 10 applications for detergent certification each year for the next three years. Thus, the annual certification burden is estimated at 600 hours and $41,040. Most of the burden is incurred by the blenders of detergent into gasoline or PRC. The regulations require that they generate and maintain records of the amount of detergent blended and the amount of gasoline into which it is blended. These records are known as volumetric additive reconciliation (VAR) records and must demonstrate that the proper amount of a certified detergent has been used. For blenders with automated equipment, the annual burden is estimated at 150 hours and $10,344. There are approximately 1300 blenders that use automated equipment. Thus, the annual burden is 195,000 hours and $13.5 million. For blenders with non-automated equipment, the annual burden is estimated at 500 hours and $34,480. There are about 50 blenders in this category, for an annual burden of 25,000 hours and $1,724,000.

There are no capital or start-up costs beyond those incurred by industry at the program's inception in 1995. Operating and maintenance (O&M) costs are in three categories. First, the on-road engine testing to demonstrate that the detergent meets the deposit-control standards is performed at contractor facilities. However, just about all detergent certifications are able to rely on previous testing, so new testing is only performed about once a year at a cost of $200,000. The second O&M cost is for copying and postage for the estimated 10 submissions annually for detergent certification and 8 submissions annually for research notification. At an estimated $10 per submission, the annual cost is $180. The third O&M cost is for the storage of the VAR records at the 1300 automated detergent blending facilities and 50 non-automated detergent blending facilities. The estimated annual cost per facility is $100, for a total of $135,000. The total annual estimated burden for industry is 220,608 hours and $15.5 million. 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.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

The previous clearance consisted of 221,808 hours and $13,277,604 in total costs. The small changes are due to a decrease in annual certification applications, from 30 to 10, and an update in labor costs.

What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?

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 pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Dated: August 15, 2007.

Christopher Grundler,

Acting Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality.