[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 145 (Friday, July 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44227-44229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-18288]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OECA-2012-0157; FRL 9519-9]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Enforcement Policy Regarding the
Sale and Use of Aftermarket Catalytic Converters (Renewal)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing
approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the
nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before August 27,
2012.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OECA-
2012-0157, to: (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred
method), by email to docket.oeca@epa.gov or by mail to: EPA
[[Page 44228]]
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, and to (2) OMB by mail to:
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David E. Alexander, Air Enforcement
Division (2242A), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-2109; fax
number: (202) 564-0069; email address: alexander.david@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR
1320.12. On April 19, 2012 (77 FR 23478), EPA sought comments on this
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any
additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OECA-2012-0157, which is available for online viewing at
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Enforcement and
Compliance Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room
3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC 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 Enforcement and
Compliance Docket is 202-566-1752.
Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at
www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made
available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov 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. For further
information about the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov.
Title: Enforcement Policy Regarding the Sale and Use of Aftermarket
Catalytic Converters (Renewal).
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1292.09, OMB Control No. 2060-0135.
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2012.
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
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
in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
Abstract: The aftermarket catalytic converter policy (AMCC Policy)
(51 FR 28114-28119, 28113 (Aug. 5, 1986); 52 FR. 42144 (Nov. 3, 1987))
allows aftermarket automobile catalytic converter (AMCC) manufacturers
and reconditioners to compete with the automobile manufacturers for the
AMCC replacement market. Without this policy, it would be illegal,
under section 203 of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7522, to sell or
install AMCCs that do not conform exactly to the automobile
manufacturers' original equipment (OE) versions of these parts. The
AMCC Policy makes it possible for automobile repair shops, which are
often small businesses, to take on a significant share of the AMCC
replacement market. In doing so, consumers are able to purchase AMCCs
at a much lower price than they would pay for an OE catalytic
converter. This helps to ensure that vehicles will not create excessive
air pollution because motorists are more likely to replace damaged
catalytic converters if they can be obtained at a cost that is
significantly less than OE catalytic converters (cost savings resulting
from the AMCC Policy are estimated to be about $716 million in 2007
dollars).
New AMCC manufacturers are required to report, on a one-time basis
for each type or line of converter manufactured, the supplier
identities, physical specifications of each AMCC line produced, and
information regarding pre-production testing of the AMCCs that show
they meet the AMCC Policy emission reduction standards for certain
specified vehicle applications. The AMCC Policy requires new AMCC
manufacturers to retain warranty and sales records.
Reconditioners (sellers of used catalytic converters) must report,
on a one-time basis, the identity of the company, a description of the
test bench used for testing used catalytic converters, and the intended
vehicle application(s) for each catalytic converter type. All used
catalytic converters must be tested individually to ensure they are
still functional. The current AMCC Policy also requires reconditioners
to retain sales and customer records.
Installers of AMCCs have no reporting requirements. They must fill
out a written warranty and give it to the customer, include a statement
with each invoice stating the need for replacing the original
converter, and tag each removed converter with a reference to the
invoice for repair, and retain the tagged catalytic converters for 15
days and the invoices for six months.
The reporting and recordkeeping requirements for manufacturers of
new AMCCs and sellers of reconditioned catalytic converters help ensure
that proper AMCCs are manufactured, tested and distributed to
installers and help ensure proper retail level installation of AMCCs.
The installer requirements enable EPA to monitor whether correct AMCCs
are installed at the retail level and whether AMCCs are used only in
appropriate circumstances. The information required to be maintained or
reported is not otherwise available and is not covered under any other
information request since it is unique to the AMCC Policy. The
information collected is necessary for the proper performance of the
functions of the Agency, particularly enforcement.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 7
hours per response. 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 which have subsequently changed; train
personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search
data sources; complete and review the collection of information;
[[Page 44229]]
and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
Respondents/Affected Entities: Manufacturers, Reconditioners, and
Installers of Aftermarket Catalytic Converters.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 30,014.
Frequency of Response: On Occasion.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 220,860.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $7,896,947, including $777,112
annualized capital or O&M costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 68 hours in the
total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of
Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to the correction of two
errors. First, we failed to account for the fact that new catalyst
manufacturers submit information on average every other year.
Therefore, although the burden of submitting is two hours per
respondent, the annual average is one hour per respondent. This
correction decreased the burden estimate by eight hours. Second, we
corrected a multiplication error affecting the burden hour calculation
for installers, a decrease of 60 hours. The decrease reflects an
adjustment in ICR estimates, not a program change.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2012-18288 Filed 7-26-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P