Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements |
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Gregory A. Walter
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
December 19, 2012
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 244 (Wednesday, December 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75255-75257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30621]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-2011-0126]
Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of
information.
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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit
public comment on proposed collections of information, including
extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections.
This document describes one collection of information for which
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 19, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the docket number in
the heading of this document, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on
the electronic docket site by clicking on ``Help'' or ``FAQ.''
Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Regardless of how you submit comments, you should mention the docket
number of this document.
You may call the Docket Management Facility at 202-366-9826.
Instructions: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and
additional information on the rulemaking process, see the Public
Participation heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this
document. Note that all comments received will be posted without change
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://www.dot.gov/privacy.html.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov, or the street
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets.
[[Page 75256]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kil-Jae Hong, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., W52-232, NPO-520, Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Hong's
telephone number is (202) 493-0524 and email address is kil-jae.hong@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB
for approval, it must first publish a document in the Federal Register
providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of
the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of
information. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must
be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR
1320.8(d)),\1\ an agency must ask for public comment on the following:
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\1\ Available at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title5-vol3/pdf/CFR-2012-title5-vol3-sec1320-5.pdf (last accessed Dec. 11,
2012).
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(i) 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) 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) how to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected;
(iv) how to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including 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 compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public
comments on the following proposed collection of information for which
the agency is seeking approval from OMB:
Title: 49 CFR 575--Consumer Information Regulations Consumer
Education Program Qualitative Research.
OMB Control Number: Not Assigned.
Form Number: None.
Affected Public: Passenger vehicle consumers and users.
Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from approval
date.
Abstract
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), enacted in
December 2007, included a requirement that the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) develop a consumer information and
education campaign to improve consumer understanding of automobile
performance with regard to fuel economy, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions
and other pollutant emissions; of automobile use of alternative fuels;
and of thermal management technologies used on automobiles to save
fuel. In order to achieve the objectives of the consumer education
program and fulfill its statutory obligations, NHTSA proposes a multi-
phased research project to gather the data and apply analyses and
results from the project to develop the consumer information program
and education campaign.
As NHTSA develops content and materials related to the consumer
information program, it is important to test these materials to ensure
they are effective at providing important information about fuel
economy, GHGs and other emissions and alternative fuels. Although
previous research provided the data necessary to inform draft
development of these materials, including relevant knowledge gaps among
consumers and topics that are most interesting and compelling, this new
research will be to identify any refinements needed prior to finalizing
the NPRM content and proposed campaign direction. The purpose of this
research is to ensure that NHTSA's communication efforts utilize
materials that are interesting, appealing and easy to comprehend.
Asking consumers to share their opinions about the concepts, design and
content will help NHTSA refine materials so that the campaign
effectively engages and educates consumers, thus fulfilling NHTSA's
statutory requirements.
NHTSA is seeking to conduct qualitative focus group research to
guide the development and refinement of materials that will be used in
this consumer information program. Specifically, the objectives guiding
this research include the following:
1. Understand consumer perceptions of existing information on fuel
economy, GHGs and other emissions, thermal management technologies and
alternative fuels.
2. Determine the most effective and compelling messages that will
improve understanding about fuel economy, GHGs and other emissions,
thermal management technologies and alternative fuels.
3. Test materials and content developed to assess consumer
comprehension and likelihood to encourage behavior change.
The materials that NHTSA expects to test in this research include
the following:
Key messages
Interactive infographic blueprint
YouTube driving video game user experience brief
Fuel economy video storyboard and script
Online banner advertisements (as animated GIFs)
[cir] 5 previously tested that have been adjusted to meet current
messaging
[cir] 5 new ads
Specifically, NHTSA seeks to conduct two (2) focus groups each,
homogeneous by gender, in three (3) cities (six groups in total). In
order to obtain consumer feedback in different regions of the country,
we recommend conducting these groups in one city in each of the
following regions: Northeast, South or Midwest, and West. With
consideration to the cities previously used for this research we plan
to conduct these groups in the following metro areas:
Philadelphia, PA (high-congestion Northeast market)
Portland, OR (``green'' West Coast market)
St. Louis, MO (general consumer Midwest market)
For the purposes of this study, the recommended screening criteria are
broad enough to include a cross-section of all vehicle drivers and
purchasers throughout the U.S. Potential subjects will be asked several
questions to determine their eligibility to participate in the focus
groups. Respondents will be screened based on the following criteria:
Participants must be 18 years or older.
Participants must currently possess a valid driver's
license.
Participants must currently own or lease a vehicle.
Participants must be the primary or a shared decision
maker for vehicle purchases in their household.
Respondents in each city will be split into one of two groups: (1)
Females; and (2) Males. It is our experience that in mixed-gender focus
groups that cover technical or vehicle information, males will dominate
the conversation and the females in the room will defer to their
opinions. Splitting the groups in each city based on gender will allow
us to collect information and feedback from both genders to inform the
communications campaign.
Each focus group will last approximately two hours, and will
include eight participants. Trends heard throughout various
conversations will inform the consumer education plan and will be
tested quantitatively
[[Page 75257]]
through additional research. Throughout these groups, there will be
opportunities to include quantitative aspects; however, strategic
recommendations will be based on an analysis of conversations that
explore whether or not consumers understand the fuel economy-related
content being communicated and whether or not the messages provide
consumers with the information they require and encourage them to seek
out additional relevant information.
Estimated Annual Burden: 96 hours.
Number of Respondents: 48.
Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the Department, including whether the information will have practical
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents.
Public Participation
How do I prepare and submit comments?
Your comments must be written and in English. To ensure that your
comments are filed correctly in the Docket, please include the docket
number of this document in your comments. Your comments must not be
more than 15 pages long (see 49 CFR 553.21). We established this limit
to encourage you to write your primary comments in a concise fashion.
However, you may attach necessary additional documents to your
comments. There is no limit on the length of the attachments.
If you are submitting comments in hard copy, please submit two
copies of your comments, including the attachments, to DOT's Docket
Management at the address given under ADDRESSES.
You may also submit your comments to the docket electronically by
logging onto http://www.regulations.gov. Click on ``Help'' at the top
of the screen to obtain instructions for filing the document
electronically.
How can I be sure that my comments were received?
If you wish DOT's Docket Management to notify you upon its receipt
of your comments, enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard in the
envelope containing your comments. Upon receiving your comments, Docket
Management will return the postcard by mail.
How do I submit confidential business information?
If you wish to submit any information under a claim of
confidentiality, you should submit three copies of your complete
submission, including the information you claim to be confidential
business information, to the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the address given
above under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. In addition, you should
submit two copies, from which you have deleted the claimed confidential
business information, to Docket Management at the address given above
under ADDRESSES. When you send a comment containing information claimed
to be confidential business information, you should include a cover
letter setting forth the information specified in our confidential
business information regulation (49 CFR part 512).
Will the agency consider late comments?
We will consider all comments that Docket Management receives
before the close of business on the comment closing date indicated
above under DATES. To the extent possible, we also will consider
comments that Docket Management receives after that date. If Docket
Management receives a comment too late for us to consider it, we will
consider that comment as an informal suggestion for future rulemaking
action.
How can I read the comments submitted by other people?
You may read the comments received by Docket Management at the
address given under ADDRESSES. The hours of the Docket are indicated
above in the same location. You also may see the comments on the
Internet. To read the comments on the Internet, go to http://www.regulations.gov, and follow the instructions for accessing the
Docket.
Please note that even after the comment closing date, we will
continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it becomes
available. Further, some people may submit late comments. Accordingly,
we recommend that you periodically check the Docket for new material.
Gregory A. Walter,
Senior Associate Administrator, Policy and Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012-30621 Filed 12-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P