Agency Information Collection Activities: Continuing Collection; Comment Request; Gasoline Volatility, EPA ICR Number 1367.07, OMB Control Number 2060-0178

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that EPA is planning to submit a continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2004. 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 25, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2004-0090, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to a-and-r-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation Docket, Mail code 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James W. Caldwell, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Mail Code 6406J, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9303; fax number: (202) 343-2801; e-mail address: caldwell.jim@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID number OAR-2004-0090, which is available for public viewing at the Office of Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Office of Air and Radiation Docket is (202) 566-1742. An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket . Use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public 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 above.

Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 60 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, confidential business information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the official public docket, and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal Register notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov./edocket .

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are those which produce or import gasoline containing ethanol, or who wish to obtain a testing exemption.

Title: Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives; Gasoline Volatility; Reporting Requirements for Parties Which Produce or Import Gasoline Containing Ethanol, and Reporting Requirements for Parties Seeking a Testing Exemption (40 CFR 80.27), EPA ICR Number 1367.07.

OMB Control Number: 2060-0178, expiring 12-31-04.

Abstract: Gasoline volatility, as measured by Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) in pounds per square inch (psi), is controlled in the spring and summer in order to minimize evaporative hydrocarbon emissions from motor vehicles. RVP is subject to a Federal standard of 7.8 psi or 9.0 psi, depending on location. The addition of ethanol to gasoline increases the RVP by about 1 psi. Gasoline that contains at least 9 volume percent ethanol is subject to a standard that is 1.0 psi greater. As an aid to industry compliance and EPA enforcement, the product transfer document, which is prepared by the producer or importer and which accompanies a shipment of gasoline containing ethanol, is required by regulation to contain a legible and conspicuous statement that the gasoline contains ethanol and the percentage concentration of ethanol. This is intended to deter the mixing within the distribution system, particularly in retail storage tanks, of gasoline which contains ethanol with gasoline which does not contain ethanol. Such mixing would likely result in a gasoline with an ethanol concentration of less than 9 volume percent but with an RVP above the standard. Also, a party wishing a testing exemption for research on gasoline that is not in compliance with the applicable volatility standard, must submit certain information to EPA. 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 are listed in 40 CFR part 9.

The EPA would like to solicit comments 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.

Burden Statement: EPA estimates that there at 4,600,000 shipments annually of gasoline containing ethanol. Thus the required statement must be placed on 4,600,000 product transfer documents annually. Such documents are generated by the producer or importer as a customary business practice, so the burden is limited to the placement of the statement, which is generally computer-generated or hand-stamped. EPA estimates an average burden of 5 seconds per document, for a total annual burden for 4,600,000 documents of 6,389 hours. At an estimated industry labor cost of $65 per hour, EPA estimates the labor cost burden at $415,285 for about 1,500 parties that produce or import gasoline containing ethanol. Thus the cost per party is about $277 annually. Annualized start-up costs are estimated at $3,250, based on 50 new producers or importers of gasoline with ethanol each year, and a burden of one hour each to implement the requirement. There are no annualized capital costs and no operation and maintenance costs because the product transfer documents are in use for other reasons, and there are no recordkeeping requirements. There are no purchase-of-services costs. It is estimated that EPA will receive 2 requests annually for testing exemptions, at 4 hours burden and $260 labor cost per request, for a total of $520. An operating and maintenance cost for postage and copying of $10 per request is estimated, for a total of $20. 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.