Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Detergent Gasoline (Renewal)

Byron J. Bunker
Environmental Protection Agency
6 October 2017

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 193 (Friday, October 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46806-46808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21609]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2060-0275; FRL-9968-96-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Detergent Gasoline (Renewal)

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), ``Regulation of Fuels and Fuel 
Additives: Detergent Gasoline (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1655.09, OMB 
Control No. 2060-0275) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval in accordance with

[[Page 46807]]

the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, the 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 November 30, 2017. 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 December 5, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2007-0595 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.
    The 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: James W. Caldwell, Environmental 
Engineer, Compliance Division, Office of Transportation and Air 
Quality, Mail Code 6405A, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; Telephone: (202) 343-
9303; Fax: (202) 343-2802; Email address: caldwell.jim@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, 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, the 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. The 
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, the 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: Gasoline combustion results in the formation of engine 
deposits. The accumulation of deposits, particularly in the orifices of 
fuel injectors and on intake valves, typically results in increased 
emissions and reduced engine performance. As fuel injectors replaced 
carburetors in the 1980's, a number of vehicle manufacturers 
experienced problems with deposit formation. Detergent additives, which 
had been available for years to control deposits in carbureted 
vehicles, were improved to accommodate the new technology. However, 
their use was voluntary and there were no regulatory standards by which 
to gauge their effectiveness. Congress recognized the importance of 
effective detergent additives in minimizing vehicle emissions, and 
added Section 211(1) in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. It 
required gasoline to contain detergent additives, effective January 1, 
1995, and provided the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the 
authority to establish specifications for such additives. The 
regulations at 40 CFR 80--Subpart G implemented certification 
requirements for detergents and imposed a variety of recordkeeping and 
reporting requirements for certain parties involved with detergents, 
gasoline, or post-refinery component (any gasoline blending stock or 
any oxygenate that is blended with gasoline subsequent to the gasoline 
refining process (PRC)). All gasolines must contain certified 
detergents, with the exception of research, racing, and aviation 
gasolines.
    The EPA maintains a list of certified gasoline detergents at 
https://www3.epa.gov/otaq/fuels1/ffars/web-detrg.htm. As of March 2014, 
there were 374 certified detergents and 17 detergent manufacturers. 
Most of the certification activity occurred during the early years of 
the program. In 2012, 12 detergents were certified. In 2013, only 3 new 
detergents were certified.
    There are approximately 250 refiners and importers of gasoline, 
1,350 blenders of detergent into gasoline or PRC, 8,000 carriers of 
gasoline or PRC, 200,000 gasoline retail outlets, and 100,000 fleet 
facilities which handle gasoline. The estimated total annual burden for 
respondents for this collection is 220,181 hours and $20,180,587, 
including $335,040 in annualized capital or O&M costs. The estimated 
total annual Agency burden is 200 hours and $16,400 in labor costs.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/Affected Entities:
    The respondents are related to the following major group Standard 
Industrialization Classification (SIC) codes:

5172--Petroleum Products
2911--Petroleum Refining

    The respondents are related to the following major group NAICS 
codes:

324110--Petroleum Refineries
324199--All Other Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing
325110--Petrochemical Manufacturing
325199--All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing
424710--Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
424720--Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers (except 
Bulk Stations and Terminals)

    Respondent's Obligation to Respond: Mandatory per 40 CFR 80--
Subpart G, Detergent Gasoline.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 69,504 (total).
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Burden: 220,181 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total Estimated Cost: $20,180,587.00 (per year), includes 
$335,040.00 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: The previous clearance consisted of 220,181 
hours (3.17 hours per response), labor costs of $18,500,528, and O&M 
costs of $335,040, for a total cost of $18,835,568. There is no 
increase of hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared 
with the ICR currently approved by OMB. The respondent universe and 
responses also remained the same in this collection. There was an 
increase in cost to the industry of $1,345,019 per year due to updated 
numbers used to calculate the industry burden and to account for 
inflation.


[[Page 46808]]


    Dated: September 28, 2017.
Byron J. Bunker,
Director, Compliance Division, Office of Transportation and Air 
Quality, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2017-21609 Filed 10-5-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P