Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; EPA's Light-Duty In-Use Vehicle Testing Program (Renewal)

Topics:  Toyota

Byron J. Bunker
Environmental Protection Agency
9 October 2020

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 197 (Friday, October 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64141-64142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22456]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0690; FRL 10015-59-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; EPA's 
Light-Duty In-Use Vehicle Testing Program (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), ``EPA's Light-Duty In-Use Vehicle 
Testing Program (Renewal); (EPA ICR No. 0222.12, OMB Control No. 2060-
0086)'' 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 June 30, 
2021. 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 8, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2010-0690, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to sohacki.lynn@epa.gov, or by mail to: Lynn Sohacki, Compliance 
Division, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105.
    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: Lynn Sohacki, Compliance Division, 
Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 2000 Traverwood, Ann Arbor,

[[Page 64142]]

Michigan 48105; telephone number: 734-214-4851; fax number: 734-214-
4869; email address: sohacki.lynn@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, 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: EPA has an ongoing program to evaluate the emissions 
performance of light-duty motor vehicles (i.e., passenger cars and 
light trucks) after they have been introduced into commerce. This 
program, known as EPA's ``in-use'' program, operates in conjunction 
with other motor vehicle emissions testing programs conducted by the 
Agency and the light-duty motor vehicle manufacturers. These other test 
programs include confirmatory certification testing of prototype 
vehicles by manufacturers and EPA and the mandatory manufacturer in-use 
verification program (IUVP.) The Clean Air Act directs EPA to ensure 
that motor vehicles comply with emissions requirements throughout their 
useful lives. The primary purpose of EPA's in-use program is 
information gathering. Nevertheless, EPA can require a recall if it 
receives information, from whatever source, including in-use testing, 
that a ``substantial number'' of any class or category of vehicles or 
engines, although properly maintained and used, do not conform to the 
emission standards, when in actual use throughout their useful life.
    The EPA in-use program can be broken down into three closely 
related components. The first component involves the selection of 
classes of passenger cars and light trucks, totaling approximately 119 
vehicles, for surveillance testing at EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel 
Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL). In some cases, surveillance testing may 
be followed by confirmatory testing to develop additional information 
related to test failures observed in a class during surveillance 
testing. Confirmatory testing involves the selection of approximately 
10 passenger cars and light trucks per class, averaging approximately 8 
vehicles per year, for further testing at EPA's NVFEL. Confirmatory 
testing differs from surveillance testing in that the vehicles must 
meet stricter maintenance and use criteria. However, the emissions 
tests that are conducted are the same for surveillance and confirmatory 
testing. The second program component involves the testing of a subset 
of vehicles from the surveillance recruitment for operation of on-board 
diagnostics (OBD) systems. EPA does not currently recruit vehicles for 
OBD testing but includes the testing in this ICR in the event that OBD 
testing is resumed. The third component involves the special 
investigation of vehicles to address specific issues. The number of 
vehicles procured under this category may vary from year to year. 
However, this information request does not ask for approval of the 
information burden corresponding to such vehicles because the vehicles 
for this program have not been procured from the public recently and, 
therefore, there is no information collection burden associated with 
this testing. Participation in the telephone screenings to identify 
qualifying light-duty vehicles, as well as the vehicle testing, is 
strictly voluntary. A group of 25 to 50 potential participants is 
identified from state vehicle registration records. These potential 
participants are asked to return a form indicating their willingness to 
participate and if so, to verify some limited vehicle information. 
Three of those who return the form are called and asked several 
screening questions concerning vehicle condition, operation and 
maintenance. Additional groups of potential participants may be 
contacted until a sufficient number of vehicles has been obtained. 
Owners verify the vehicle screening information when they deliver their 
vehicles to EPA or release the vehicle to EPA, voluntarily provide 
maintenance records for copying, receive a cash incentive and, if 
requested, a loaner car, and finally receive their vehicle from EPA at 
the conclusion of the testing.
    Form Numbers: 5900-304, 5900-305, 5900-306, 5900-307, 5900-308, 
5900-309.
    Respondents/affected entities: A group of 25 to 50 potential 
participants is identified from state vehicle registration records. 
These potential participants are asked to return a form indicating 
their willingness to participate and if so, to verify some limited 
vehicle information. Three of those who return the form are called and 
asked several questions concerning vehicle condition, operation and 
maintenance. Additional groups of potential participants may be 
contacted until a sufficient number of vehicles have been obtained.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: Approximately 993 vehicle owners/
lessees returned EPA's forms indicating interest in participating in 
the program and approximately 127 ultimately participated.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 228 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 
5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $5,864 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is a decrease of 74 hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. This decrease is due to a decrease in the number of responses 
returned to EPA by potential participants and the associated burden.

    Dated: October 2, 2020.
Byron J. Bunker,
Director, Compliance Division, Office of Transportation and Air 
Quality.
[FR Doc. 2020-22456 Filed 10-8-20; 8:45 am]
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