Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 3145-3147 [E7-952]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 15 / Wednesday, January 24, 2007 / Notices Dated: January 19, 2007. Bryant L. VanBrakle, Secretary. [FR Doc. E7–1001 Filed 1–23–07; 8:45 am] 3. Ennis Knupp Report. 4. Watson Wyatt Worldwide survey report. 5. Legislation. 6. New business. Contact Person for More Information: Thomas K. Emswiler, Committee Management Officer, (202) 942–1660. BILLING CODE 6730–01–P FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Sunshine Act Meeting Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. TIME AND DATE: 12:00 p.m., Monday, January 29, 2007. PLACE: Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building, 20th and C Streets, NW., Washington, D.C. 20551. STATUS: Closed. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 1. Personnel actions (appointments, promotions, assignments, reassignments, and salary actions) involving individual Federal Reserve System employees. 2. Any items carried forward from a previously announced meeting. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Smith, Director, or Dave Skidmore, Assistant to the Board, Office of Board Members at 202–452–2955. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: You may call 202–452–3206 beginning at approximately 5 p.m. two business days before the meeting for a recorded announcement of bank and bank holding company applications scheduled for the meeting; or you may contact the Board’s Web site at https:// www.federalreserve.gov for an electronic announcement that not only lists applications, but also indicates procedural and other information about the meeting. AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, January 19, 2007. Robert deV. Frierson, Deputy Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. 07–311 Filed 1–19–07; 5:06 pm] BILLING CODE 6210–01–S FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES Employee Thrift Advisory Council Time and Date: 2 p.m. (EST), February 7, 2007. Place: 4th Floor Conference Room, 1250 H Street, NW., Washington, DC. Status: Open. Matters to be Considered: 1. Approval of the minutes of the March 7, 2006 meeting. 2. Report of the Executive Director on Thrift Savings Plan status. VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:44 Jan 23, 2007 Jkt 211001 3145 SUMMARY: The information collection requirements described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (‘‘PRA’’). The FTC is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through February 28, 2010 the current PRA clearance for information collection requirements contained in its Alternative Fuel Rule. That clearance expires on February 28, 2007. DATES: Comments must be filed by February 23, 2007. ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments. Comments should refer to ‘‘Alternative Fuel Rule: FTC File No. R311002’’ to facilitate the organization of comments. A comment filed in paper form should include this reference both in the text and on the envelope and should be mailed or delivered, with two complete copies, to the following address: Federal Trade Commission, Room H–135 (Annex J), 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20580. Because paper mail in the Washington area and at the Commission is subject to delay, please consider submitting your comments in electronic form, as prescribed below. However, if the comment contains any material for which confidential treatment is requested, it must be filed in paper form, and the first page of the document must be clearly labeled ‘‘Confidential.’’ 1 Comments filed in electronic form should be submitted by following the instructions on the Web-based form at https://secure.commentworks.com/ AlternativeFuelRule. To ensure that the Commission considers an electronic comment, you must file it on the Webbased form at the https:// secure.commentworks.com/ AlternativeFuelRule Weblink. If this notice appears at www.regulations.gov, you may also file an electronic comment through that Web site. The Commission will consider all comments that regulations.gov forwards to it. All comments should additionally be submitted to: Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the Federal Trade Commission. Comments should be submitted via facsimile to (202) 395–6974 because U.S. Postal Mail is subject to lengthy delays due to heightened security precautions. The FTC Act and other laws the Commission administers permit the collection of public comments to consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. All timely and responsive public comments will be considered by the Commission and will be available to the public on the FTC Web site, to the extent practicable, at https://www.ftc.gov. As a matter of discretion, the FTC makes every effort to remove home contact information for individuals from the public comments it receives before placing those comments on the FTC Web site. More information, including routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, may be found in the FTC’s privacy policy at https://www.ftc.gov/ftc/ privacy.htm. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for copies of the collection of information and supporting documentation should be addressed to Hampton Newsome, Attorney, Division of Enforcement, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., NJ– 2122, Washington, DC 20580, (202) 326– 2889. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 22, 2006, the FTC sought comment on the information collection requirements associated with the Alternative Fuel Rule (‘‘Rule’’), 16 CFR part 309 (Control Number: 3084–0094). See 71 FR 55474. No comments were received. Pursuant to the OMB regulations, 5 CFR Part 1320, that implement the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501– 3520, the FTC is providing this second 1 Commission Rule 4.2(d), 16 CFR 4.2(d). The comment must be accompanied by an explicit request for confidential treatment, including the factual and legal basis for the request, and must identify the specific portions of the comment to be withheld from the public record. The request will be granted or denied by the Commission’s General Counsel, consistent with applicable law and the public interest. See Commission Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c). Dated: January 19, 2007. Thomas K. Emswiler, General Counsel, Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. [FR Doc. 07–312 Filed 1–19–07; 5:08 pm] BILLING CODE 6760–01–P FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Federal Trade Commission (‘‘FTC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1 3146 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 15 / Wednesday, January 24, 2007 / Notices pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES opportunity for public comment while seeking OMB approval to extend the existing paperwork clearance for the Rule. All comments should be filed as prescribed in the ADDRESSES section above, and must be received on or before February 23, 2007. The Rule, which implements the Energy Policy Act of 1992, Pub. L. 102– 486, requires disclosure of specific information on labels posted on fuel dispensers for non-liquid alternative fuels and on labels on Alternative Fueled Vehicles (AFVs). To ensure the accuracy of these disclosures, the Rule also requires that sellers maintain records substantiating product-specific disclosures they include on these labels. Burden Statement It is common practice for alternative fuel industry members to determine and monitor fuel ratings in the normal course of their business activities. This is because industry members must know and determine the fuel ratings of their products in order to monitor quality and to decide how to market them. ‘‘Burden’’ for PRA purposes is defined to exclude effort that would be expended regardless of any regulatory requirement. 5 CFR 1320.2(b)(2). Moreover, as originally anticipated when the Rule was promulgated in 1995, many of the information collection requirements and the originally-estimated hours were associated with one-time start up tasks of implementing standard systems and processes. Other factors also limit the burden associated with the Rule. Certification may be a one-time event or require only infrequent revision. Disclosures on electric vehicle fuel dispensing systems may be useable for several years.2 Nonetheless, there is still some burden associated with posting labels. There also will be some minimal burden associated with new or revised certification of fuel ratings and recordkeeping. The burden on vehicle manufacturers is limited because only newly-manufactured vehicles will require label posting and manufacturers produce very few new models each year. Estimated total annual hours burden: 24,000 total burden hours, rounded Non-liquid alternative fuels: Certification: Staff estimates that the Rule’s fuel rating certification requirements will affect approximately 550 industry members (compressed natural gas producers and distributors and manufacturers of electric vehicle 2 Label specifications were designed to produce labels to withstand the elements for several years. VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:44 Jan 23, 2007 Jkt 211001 fuel dispensing systems) and consume approximately one hour each per year for a total of 550 hours. Recordkeeping: Staff estimates that all 1,900 industry members (non-liquid fuel producers, distributors, and retailers) will be subject to the Rule’s recordkeeping requirements (associated with fuel rating certification) and that compliance will require approximately one-tenth hour each per year for a total of 190 hours. Labeling: Staff estimates that labeling requirements will affect approximately nine of every ten industry members (or roughly 1,700 members), but that the number of annually affected members is only 340 because labels may remain effective for several years (staff assumes that in any given year approximately 20% of 1,700 industry members will need to replace their labels). Staff estimates that industry members require approximately one hour each per year for labeling their fuel dispensers for a total of 340 hours. Sub-total: 1,080 hours (550 + 190 + 340). AFV manufacturers: Recordkeeping: Staff estimates that all 58 manufacturers will require 30 minutes to comply with the Rule’s recordkeeping requirements for a total of 29 hours. Producing labels: Staff estimates 2.5 hours as the average time required of manufacturers to produce labels for each of the five new AFV models introduced industry-wide each year for a total of 12.5 hours. Posting labels: Staff estimates 2 minutes as the average time to comply with the posting requirements for each of the approximately 680,000 new AFVs manufactured each year for a total of 22,667 hours. Sub-total: 22,709 hours (29 + 12.5 + 22,667). Thus, the total burden for these industries combined is approximately 24,000 hours (1,080 + 22,709), rounded. Estimated labor costs: $698,000, rounded. Labor costs are derived by applying appropriate hourly cost figures to the burden hours described above. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 2005 (most recent available whole-year information), the average compensation for producers and distributors in the fuel industry is $19.34 per hour and $9.13 per hour for service station employees; the average compensation for workers in the vehicle industry is $29.90 per hour. Non-liquid alternative fuels: Certification and labeling: Generally, all of the estimated hours except for recordkeeping will be performed by PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 producers and distributors of fuels. Thus, the associated labor costs would be $17,212.60. [(550 certification hours + 340 labeling hours) × $19.34] Recordkeeping: Only 1⁄6 of the total 190 recordkeeping hours will be performed by the producers and distributors of fuels (1⁄6 of 190 hours = approximately 32 hours; 32 hours × $19.34 = $618.88); the other 5⁄6 is attributable to service station employees (5⁄6 of 190 hours = approximately 158 hours; 158 hours × $9.13 = $1,442.54). Thus, the labor cost due to recordkeeping for the entire industry is approximately $2,061.42 ($618.88 for producers and distributors of fuels + $1,442.54 for service station employees) and the total paperwork related labor cost for the entire industry is approximately $19,274.02 ($17,212.60 for certification and labeling costs + $2,061.42 for recordkeeping costs). AFV manufacturers: The maximum labor cost for the entire industry is approximately $678,999.10 per year for recordkeeping and producing and posting labels (22,709 total hours × $29.90/hour). Thus, the estimated total labor cost for both industries for all paperwork requirements is $698,000 ($19,274.02 + $678,999.10) per year, rounded. Estimated annual non-labor cost burden: $259,000 rounded. Non-liquid alternative fuels: Staff believes that there are no current start-up costs associated with the Rule, inasmuch as the Rule has been effective since 1995. Industry members, therefore, have in place the capital equipment and means necessary to determine automotive fuel ratings and comply with the Rule. Industry members, however, incur the cost of procuring fuel dispenser and AFV labels to comply with the Rule. The estimated annual fuel labeling cost, based on estimates of 540 fuel dispensers (assumptions: an estimated 20% of 1,350 total fuel retailers need to replace labels in any given year given an approximate five-year life for labels— i.e., 270 retailers—multiplied by an average of two dispensers per retailer) at thirty-eight cents for each label (per industry sources), is $205.00 ($0.38 × 540). AFV manufacturers: Here, too, staff believes that there are no current start-up costs associated with the Rule, for the same reasons as stated immediately above regarding the nonliquid alternative fuel industry. However, based on the labeling of an estimated 680,000 new and used AFVs each year at thirty-eight cents for each label (per industry sources), the annual E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 15 / Wednesday, January 24, 2007 / Notices AFV labeling cost is estimated to be $258,400 ($0.38 × 680,000). Thus, the estimated total annual nonlabor cost burden associated with the Rule is $259,000 ($205 + $258,400), rounded. William Blumenthal, General Counsel. [FR Doc. E7–952 Filed 1–23–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6750–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the Secretary Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Notice. pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: This notice provides an update of the HHS poverty guidelines to account for last calendar year’s increase in prices as measured by the Consumer Price Index. DATES: Effective Date: Date of publication, unless an office administering a program using the guidelines specifies a different effective date for that particular program. ADDRESSES: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Room 404E, Humphrey Building, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Washington, DC 20201. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about how the guidelines are used or how income is defined in a particular program, contact the Federal, State, or local office that is responsible for that program. Contact information for two frequently requested programs is given below: For information about the Hill-Burton Uncompensated Services Program (free or reduced-fee health care services at certain hospitals and other facilities for persons meeting eligibility criteria involving the poverty guidelines), contact the Office of the Director, Division of Facilities Compliance and Recovery, Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS, Room 10–105, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857. To speak to a person, call (301) 443–5656. To receive a Hill-Burton information package, call 1–800–638– 0742 (for callers outside Maryland) or 1–800–492–0359 (for callers in Maryland). You may also visit https:// www.hrsa.gov/hillburton/default.htm. The Division of Facilities Compliance and Recovery notes that as set by 42 VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:44 Jan 23, 2007 Jkt 211001 CFR 124.505(b), the effective date of this update of the poverty guidelines for facilities obligated under the HillBurton Uncompensated Services Program is sixty days from the date of this publication. For information about the percentage multiple of the poverty guidelines to be used on immigration forms such as USCIS Form I–864, Affidavit of Support, contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at 1–800–375– 5283 or visit https://www.uscis.gov/files/ form/I-864p.pdf. For information about the number of people in poverty or about the Census Bureau poverty thresholds, visit the Poverty section of the Census Bureau’s Web site at https://www.census.gov/ hhes/www/poverty/poverty.html or contact the Census Bureau’s Demographic Call Center Staff at (301) 763–2422 or 1–866–758–1060 (toll-free). For general questions about the poverty guidelines themselves, contact Gordon Fisher, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Room 404E, Humphrey Building, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC 20201— telephone: (202) 690–7507—or visit https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to update, at least annually, the poverty guidelines, which shall be used as an eligibility criterion for the Community Services Block Grant program. The poverty guidelines also are used as an eligibility criterion by a number of other Federal programs. The poverty guidelines issued here are a simplified version of the poverty thresholds that the Census Bureau uses to prepare its estimates of the number of individuals and families in poverty. As required by law, this update is accomplished by increasing the latest published Census Bureau poverty thresholds by the relevant percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI–U). The guidelines in this 2007 notice reflect the 3.2 percent price increase between calendar years 2005 and 2006. After this inflation adjustment, the guidelines are rounded and adjusted to standardize the differences between family sizes. The same calculation procedure was used this year as in previous years. (Note that these 2007 guidelines are roughly equal to the poverty thresholds for calendar year 2006 which the Census Bureau expects to publish in final form in PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3147 August 2007.) The guideline figures shown represent annual income. 2007 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Persons in family 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. Poverty guideline $10,210 13,690 17,170 20,650 24,130 27,610 31,090 34,570 For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,480 for each additional person. 2007 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR ALASKA Persons in family ..................................................... 2 .................................................. 3 .................................................. 4 .................................................. 5 .................................................. 6 .................................................. 7 .................................................. 8 .................................................. Poverty guideline $12,770 17,120 21,470 25,820 30,170 34,520 38,870 43,220 For families with more than 8 persons, add $4,350 for each additional person. 2007 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR HAWAII Persons in family 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. Poverty guideline $11,750 15,750 19,750 23,750 27,750 31,750 35,750 39,750 For families with more than 8 persons, add $4,000 for each additional person. Separate poverty guideline figures for Alaska and Hawaii reflect Office of Economic Opportunity administrative practice beginning in the 1966–1970 period. (Note that the Census Bureau poverty thresholds—the version of the poverty measure used for statistical purposes—have never had separate figures for Alaska and Hawaii.) The poverty guidelines are not defined for Puerto Rico or other outlying jurisdictions. In cases in which a E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 15 (Wednesday, January 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3145-3147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-952]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The information collection requirements described below will 
be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for 
review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''). The FTC 
is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through February 
28, 2010 the current PRA clearance for information collection 
requirements contained in its Alternative Fuel Rule. That clearance 
expires on February 28, 2007.

DATES: Comments must be filed by February 23, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments. 
Comments should refer to ``Alternative Fuel Rule: FTC File No. 
R311002'' to facilitate the organization of comments. A comment filed 
in paper form should include this reference both in the text and on the 
envelope and should be mailed or delivered, with two complete copies, 
to the following address: Federal Trade Commission, Room H-135 (Annex 
J), 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20580. Because paper 
mail in the Washington area and at the Commission is subject to delay, 
please consider submitting your comments in electronic form, as 
prescribed below. However, if the comment contains any material for 
which confidential treatment is requested, it must be filed in paper 
form, and the first page of the document must be clearly labeled 
``Confidential.'' \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Commission Rule 4.2(d), 16 CFR 4.2(d). The comment must be 
accompanied by an explicit request for confidential treatment, 
including the factual and legal basis for the request, and must 
identify the specific portions of the comment to be withheld from 
the public record. The request will be granted or denied by the 
Commission's General Counsel, consistent with applicable law and the 
public interest. See Commission Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Comments filed in electronic form should be submitted by following 
the instructions on the Web-based form at https://
secure.commentworks.com/AlternativeFuelRule. To ensure that the 
Commission considers an electronic comment, you must file it on the 
Web-based form at the https://secure.commentworks.com/
AlternativeFuelRule Weblink. If this notice appears at 
www.regulations.gov, you may also file an electronic comment through 
that Web site. The Commission will consider all comments that 
regulations.gov forwards to it.
    All comments should additionally be submitted to: Office of 
Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the Federal Trade 
Commission. Comments should be submitted via facsimile to (202) 395-
6974 because U.S. Postal Mail is subject to lengthy delays due to 
heightened security precautions.
    The FTC Act and other laws the Commission administers permit the 
collection of public comments to consider and use in this proceeding as 
appropriate. All timely and responsive public comments will be 
considered by the Commission and will be available to the public on the 
FTC Web site, to the extent practicable, at https://www.ftc.gov. As a 
matter of discretion, the FTC makes every effort to remove home contact 
information for individuals from the public comments it receives before 
placing those comments on the FTC Web site. More information, including 
routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, may be found in the FTC's 
privacy policy at https://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for copies of the collection 
of information and supporting documentation should be addressed to 
Hampton Newsome, Attorney, Division of Enforcement, Bureau of Consumer 
Protection, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., NJ-
2122, Washington, DC 20580, (202) 326-2889.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 22, 2006, the FTC sought 
comment on the information collection requirements associated with the 
Alternative Fuel Rule (``Rule''), 16 CFR part 309 (Control Number: 
3084-0094). See 71 FR 55474. No comments were received. Pursuant to the 
OMB regulations, 5 CFR Part 1320, that implement the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 
3501-3520, the FTC is providing this second

[[Page 3146]]

opportunity for public comment while seeking OMB approval to extend the 
existing paperwork clearance for the Rule. All comments should be filed 
as prescribed in the ADDRESSES section above, and must be received on 
or before February 23, 2007.
    The Rule, which implements the Energy Policy Act of 1992, Pub. L. 
102-486, requires disclosure of specific information on labels posted 
on fuel dispensers for non-liquid alternative fuels and on labels on 
Alternative Fueled Vehicles (AFVs). To ensure the accuracy of these 
disclosures, the Rule also requires that sellers maintain records 
substantiating product-specific disclosures they include on these 
labels.

Burden Statement

    It is common practice for alternative fuel industry members to 
determine and monitor fuel ratings in the normal course of their 
business activities. This is because industry members must know and 
determine the fuel ratings of their products in order to monitor 
quality and to decide how to market them. ``Burden'' for PRA purposes 
is defined to exclude effort that would be expended regardless of any 
regulatory requirement. 5 CFR 1320.2(b)(2). Moreover, as originally 
anticipated when the Rule was promulgated in 1995, many of the 
information collection requirements and the originally-estimated hours 
were associated with one-time start up tasks of implementing standard 
systems and processes.
    Other factors also limit the burden associated with the Rule. 
Certification may be a one-time event or require only infrequent 
revision. Disclosures on electric vehicle fuel dispensing systems may 
be useable for several years.\2\ Nonetheless, there is still some 
burden associated with posting labels. There also will be some minimal 
burden associated with new or revised certification of fuel ratings and 
recordkeeping. The burden on vehicle manufacturers is limited because 
only newly-manufactured vehicles will require label posting and 
manufacturers produce very few new models each year.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Label specifications were designed to produce labels to 
withstand the elements for several years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated total annual hours burden: 24,000 total burden hours, 
rounded
    Non-liquid alternative fuels:
    Certification: Staff estimates that the Rule's fuel rating 
certification requirements will affect approximately 550 industry 
members (compressed natural gas producers and distributors and 
manufacturers of electric vehicle fuel dispensing systems) and consume 
approximately one hour each per year for a total of 550 hours.
    Recordkeeping: Staff estimates that all 1,900 industry members 
(non-liquid fuel producers, distributors, and retailers) will be 
subject to the Rule's recordkeeping requirements (associated with fuel 
rating certification) and that compliance will require approximately 
one-tenth hour each per year for a total of 190 hours.
    Labeling: Staff estimates that labeling requirements will affect 
approximately nine of every ten industry members (or roughly 1,700 
members), but that the number of annually affected members is only 340 
because labels may remain effective for several years (staff assumes 
that in any given year approximately 20% of 1,700 industry members will 
need to replace their labels). Staff estimates that industry members 
require approximately one hour each per year for labeling their fuel 
dispensers for a total of 340 hours.
    Sub-total: 1,080 hours (550 + 190 + 340).
    AFV manufacturers:
    Recordkeeping: Staff estimates that all 58 manufacturers will 
require 30 minutes to comply with the Rule's recordkeeping requirements 
for a total of 29 hours.
    Producing labels: Staff estimates 2.5 hours as the average time 
required of manufacturers to produce labels for each of the five new 
AFV models introduced industry-wide each year for a total of 12.5 
hours.
    Posting labels: Staff estimates 2 minutes as the average time to 
comply with the posting requirements for each of the approximately 
680,000 new AFVs manufactured each year for a total of 22,667 hours.
    Sub-total: 22,709 hours (29 + 12.5 + 22,667).
    Thus, the total burden for these industries combined is 
approximately 24,000 hours (1,080 + 22,709), rounded.
    Estimated labor costs: $698,000, rounded.
    Labor costs are derived by applying appropriate hourly cost figures 
to the burden hours described above. According to Bureau of Labor 
Statistics data for 2005 (most recent available whole-year 
information), the average compensation for producers and distributors 
in the fuel industry is $19.34 per hour and $9.13 per hour for service 
station employees; the average compensation for workers in the vehicle 
industry is $29.90 per hour.
    Non-liquid alternative fuels:
    Certification and labeling: Generally, all of the estimated hours 
except for recordkeeping will be performed by producers and 
distributors of fuels. Thus, the associated labor costs would be 
$17,212.60. [(550 certification hours + 340 labeling hours) x $19.34]
    Recordkeeping: Only \1/6\ of the total 190 recordkeeping hours will 
be performed by the producers and distributors of fuels (\1/6\ of 190 
hours = approximately 32 hours; 32 hours x $19.34 = $618.88); the other 
\5/6\ is attributable to service station employees (\5/6\ of 190 hours 
= approximately 158 hours; 158 hours x $9.13 = $1,442.54). Thus, the 
labor cost due to recordkeeping for the entire industry is 
approximately $2,061.42 ($618.88 for producers and distributors of 
fuels + $1,442.54 for service station employees) and the total 
paperwork related labor cost for the entire industry is approximately 
$19,274.02 ($17,212.60 for certification and labeling costs + $2,061.42 
for recordkeeping costs).
    AFV manufacturers:
    The maximum labor cost for the entire industry is approximately 
$678,999.10 per year for recordkeeping and producing and posting labels 
(22,709 total hours x $29.90/hour).
    Thus, the estimated total labor cost for both industries for all 
paperwork requirements is $698,000 ($19,274.02 + $678,999.10) per year, 
rounded.
    Estimated annual non-labor cost burden: $259,000 rounded.
    Non-liquid alternative fuels:
    Staff believes that there are no current start-up costs associated 
with the Rule, inasmuch as the Rule has been effective since 1995. 
Industry members, therefore, have in place the capital equipment and 
means necessary to determine automotive fuel ratings and comply with 
the Rule. Industry members, however, incur the cost of procuring fuel 
dispenser and AFV labels to comply with the Rule. The estimated annual 
fuel labeling cost, based on estimates of 540 fuel dispensers 
(assumptions: an estimated 20% of 1,350 total fuel retailers need to 
replace labels in any given year given an approximate five-year life 
for labels--i.e., 270 retailers--multiplied by an average of two 
dispensers per retailer) at thirty-eight cents for each label (per 
industry sources), is $205.00 ($0.38 x 540).
    AFV manufacturers:
    Here, too, staff believes that there are no current start-up costs 
associated with the Rule, for the same reasons as stated immediately 
above regarding the non-liquid alternative fuel industry. However, 
based on the labeling of an estimated 680,000 new and used AFVs each 
year at thirty-eight cents for each label (per industry sources), the 
annual

[[Page 3147]]

AFV labeling cost is estimated to be $258,400 ($0.38 x 680,000).
    Thus, the estimated total annual non-labor cost burden associated 
with the Rule is $259,000 ($205 + $258,400), rounded.

William Blumenthal,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E7-952 Filed 1-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.