Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-98-3420]

Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping 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.

The proposed information for which OMB approval is being sought

pertains to the content of petitions for exemption from the minimum

driving range requirement for dual fuel electric passenger automobiles.

This may be necessary for a manufacturer to secure a favorable

corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) calculation.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 11, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket and notice number cited at

the beginning of this notice and be submitted to U.S. Department of

Transportation, Docket Management, PL-401, 400 Seventh Street,

Southwest, Washington, DC 20590. Please identify the proposed

collection of information for which a comment is provided, by

referencing its OMB Control Number. It is requested, but not required,

that one original plus two copies of the comments be provided. The

Docket Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

[[Page 12148]]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for

collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Mr. Michael

Robinson, NHTSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, NHTSA, 400

Seventh Street, Southwest, Room 5110, NAD-52, Washington, D.C. 20590.

Mr. Robinson's telephone number is (202) 366-9456. Please identify the

relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Control

Number.

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)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:

(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; and

(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:

Title 49, United States Code, Chapter 329

Background

A manufacturer of a dual fueled electric passenger automobile may

enjoy a favorable calculation of its corporate average fuel economy

(CAFE), provided it can meet certain minimum driving range requirements

that are established by NHTSA and shall be based on the Environmental

Protection Agency's urban and highway fuel economies as determined for

average fuel economy purposes for those vehicles. The minimum driving

range that is established, must be accomplished when operating on the

alternative fuel only (49 U.S.C. 32901(c)).

49 U.S.C. 32901 (c)(2)(A) states that ``The Secretary may prescribe

a lower minimum driving range for a specific model than that prescribed

under paragraph (1) of this subsection.'' It further states that ``A

manufacturer may petition for a lower range than prescribed under

paragraph (1) for a specific model.''

In order to ascertain whether an exemption should be granted and a

lower minimum driving range should be established for a specific model,

the Secretary shall consider such items as consumer acceptability,

economic practicability, available technology, environmental impact,

safety, drivability, performance, and any other factors the Secretary

considers relevant. Ref. (49 U.S.C. 32901 (c)(3)).

Type of Request: Reinstatement of clearance.

OMB Clearance Number: 2127-0554.

Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard form,

however, it allows for a manufacturer to petition the agency for an

exemption from the established minimum driving range for dual fueled

electric passenger automobiles when operating on electricity only.

Certain prescribed information is requested to be included that will

enable the agency to make a determination whether to grant an exemption

or not and aid in the assigning a lower minimum driving range.

Requested Expiration Date of Approval: March 1, 2001.

Description of the Need for and Proposed Use of the Information:

This information will be used by NHTSA to determine whether

manufacturers are complying with certain provisions of the applicable

statutes (Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988, and Average Fuel Economy

Standards). It will also allow the agency to evaluate the overall

vehicle design in terms of environmental impact, safety, performance,

and other factors that might justify the granting of an exemption.

Description of Likely Respondents: Based on responses from other

notices such as the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) and

the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), it is anticipated that there

would be fewer than 10 passenger car manufacturers that would seek such

an exemption over a three year period. There is a possibility that some

of these manufacturers would be small businesses (i.e., ones that

employ less than 500 persons) and may not have access to some of the

latest technology needed to meet the minimum driving range on

electricity only. These small businesses that might be adversely

affected could also be eligible for an exemption under the low volume

criteria. The frequency of the petitioning burden would then be market

driven. The others would be large volume manufacturers seeking to

improve their CAFE.

Estimate of Total Annual Reporting and Record Keeping Burden

Resulting From the Collection of Information: NHTSA estimates from

previous information collection that the vehicle manufacturers will

incur a total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden of less than

two hundred sixty six hours (266 hr.). This is based on an estimate of

no more than 80 hr. to prepare the petition, spread between ten (10)

manufacturers, over a three year period.

Issued on: March 4, 1998.

L. Robert Shelton,

Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 98-6299 Filed 3-11-98; 8:45 am]

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