Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Certification and Compliance Requirements for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles (Greenhouse Gases and Fuel Economy)

Byron J. Bunker
Environmental Protection Agency
27 February 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8478-8479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03984]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0759; FRL-9974-78-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Certification and Compliance Requirements for Medium- and Heavy-Duty 
Engines and Vehicles (Greenhouse Gases and Fuel Economy)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Certification and Compliance 
Requirements for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles 
(Greenhouse Gases and Fuel Economy),'' (EPA ICR Number 2394.06, OMB 
Control Number 2060-0048) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 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 April 30, 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 April 30, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing the Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2017-0759, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), 
by email to a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov 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: Mr. Fakhri Hamady, US Environmental 
Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; 
telephone number: 734-214-4330; and/or Ms. Nydia Y. Reyes-Morales, US 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Mail Code 
6405A, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-343-9264; email 
address: reyes-morales.nydia@epa.gov.

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 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, 
Room 3334, 1301

[[Page 8479]]

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 Paperwork Reduction Act, 
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: For this ICR, EPA is seeking a revision with a three-year 
extension to an existing package. Title II of the Clean Air Act, (42 
U.S.C. 7521 et seq.; CAA), charges the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) with developing standards for compounds deemed `pollutants' (as 
defined by the CAA itself) and with issuing certificates of conformity 
for those engines and motor vehicle designs that comply with applicable 
emission standards. Such a certificate must be issued before engines 
and vehicles may be legally introduced into commerce. The Supreme 
Court's decision in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, 
549 U.S. 497 (2007), extended that charge to greenhouse gases (GHGs) 
when it ruled that GHGs are in fact pollutants as defined in the CAA. 
Furthermore, 49 U.S.C. 32902 requires the National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration (NHTSA), in consultation with the Department of 
Energy and the EPA, to prescribe each model year average fuel economy 
standards. Under 49 U.S.C. 32907, manufacturers are required to submit 
reports to both NHTSA and EPA demonstrating how they plan to comply 
with applicable average fuel economy standards.
    Under this ICR, EPA, in collaboration with NHTSA, collects 
information necessary to discharge those obligations with regards to 
certain medium- and heavy-duty engines and vehicles [collectively 
referred to here as ``heavy-duty (HD) engines/vehicles'' for 
simplicity]. Specifically, EPA and NHTSDA (1) issue certificates of 
compliance with GHG emission requirements and fuel economy standards; 
and (2) verify compliance with regulatory provisions for manufacturers 
of HD engines, HD pickup trucks and vans, vocational vehicles and 
combination tractors.
    To apply for a certificate of conformity, manufacturers submit 
descriptions of their planned production engines or vehicles, including 
detailed descriptions of emission control systems and test data. They 
also submit compliance plans and annual production reports and keep 
records.
    To reduce the burden on affected manufacturers and enhance 
compliance flexibility, the CAA created the Averaging, Banking and 
Trading (AB&T). AB&T is a voluntary program that allows manufacturers 
to bank credits for groups of engines/vehicles that emit below the 
standard and use the credits for groups that emit above the standard. 
They may also trade banked credits with other manufacturers. AB&T 
participants are required to submit information regarding the 
calculation, actual generation and usage of credits.
    The information and test results manufacturers submit is verified 
by EPA through confirmatory testing and by NHTSA through limited 
equipment testing and modeling runs; and used to ensure compliance. It 
is collected electronically by EPA's Diesel Engine Compliance Center 
(DECC), Compliance Division, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, 
Office of Air and Radiation; and stored in DECC's databases. The 
information may also be used by EPA's Office of Enforcement and 
Compliance Assurance and the Department of Justice for enforcement 
purposes.
    Manufacturers may assert a claim of confidentiality over 
information provided to EPA. Confidentiality is granted in accordance 
with the Freedom of Information Act and EPA regulations at 40 CFR part 
2. Non-confidential information may be disclosed on OTAQ's website or 
upon request under the Freedom of Information Act to trade 
associations, environmental groups, and the public.
    Forms: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Manufacturers of heavy-duty (HD) 
engines, HD pickups and vans, vocational vehicles and combination 
tractors.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Regulated engine and vehicle 
manufacturers must respond to this collection if they wish to sell 
their products in the US, as prescribed by Section 206(a) of the CAA 
(42 U.S.C. 7521).
    Estimated number of respondents: 49 (total).
    Frequency of response: Annually or On Occasion, depending on the 
type of response.
    Total estimated burden: 2,095 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $229,102 (per year), includes $55,012 in 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: Preliminary estimates reflect a substantial 
decrease in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR 
currently approved by OMB. This is mainly due to two factors:
    (1) A net decrease in the total number of applications for 
certification submitted each year. While the number of respondents 
(manufacturers) has increased in comparison to the previous ICR, EPA 
had overestimated the number of HD engine/vehicle families each 
manufacturer would seek to certify; and
    (2) Manufacturer's use of carry over data. Now that the program has 
been in place for a few years, manufacturers are able to ``carry over'' 
test data from one model year to the next. Manufacturers may carry over 
(resubmit) test results if no significant emission-related changes have 
been made to an engine or vehicle family. This considerably lowers the 
burden and expense of preparing and submitting certification 
applications.

    Dated: February 15, 2018.
Byron J. Bunker,
Director, Compliance Division, Office of Transportation and Air 
Quality, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2018-03984 Filed 2-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P