Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 12750-12752 [2010-5750]
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12750
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 51 / Wednesday, March 17, 2010 / Notices
Address: 611 Live Oak Drive, McLean,
VA 22101.
Date Revoked: February 21, 2010.
Reason: Failed to maintain valid
bonds.
License Number: 021640F.
Name: C. Steinweg (Houston), Inc.
Address: 1717 East Loop North
(Turning Basin Drive) Suite 430,
Houston, TX 77029–4025.
Date Revoked: February 26, 2010.
Reason: Surrendered license
voluntarily.
License Number: 021649F.
Name: D.A.T. International, Inc.
Address: 11512 W. 183rd Street, Unit
SE, Orland Park, IL 60467.
Date Revoked: February 27, 2010.
Reason: Failed to maintain a valid
bond.
License Number: 021870F.
Name: AKM International, LLC.
Address: 301 Varick Street, Jersey
City, NJ 07302.
Date Revoked: February 19, 2010.
Reason: Failed to maintain a valid
bond.
License Number: 021925F.
Name: AAA International Shipping,
LLC.
Address: 509 Largovista Drive,
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Date Revoked: February 19, 2010.
Reason: Failed to maintain a valid
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Name: Cargolinx, Inc.
Address: 6405 NW. 36th Street, Suite
107, Miami, FL 33166.
Date Revoked: February 27, 2010.
Reason: Failed to maintain a valid
bond.
Sandra L. Kusumoto,
Director, Bureau of Certification and
Licensing.
[FR Doc. 2010–5830 Filed 3–16–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6730–01–P
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission
(‘‘FTC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
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 March 31, 2013, the current
VerDate Nov<24>2008
15:08 Mar 16, 2010
Jkt 220001
PRA clearance for information
collection requirements contained in its
Alternative Fuel Rule (or ‘‘Rule’’). This
clearance expires on March 31, 2010.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before April 16, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties are
invited to submit written comments
electronically or in paper form, by
following the instructions in the
Request for Comments part of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
below. Comments in electronic form
should be submitted by using the
following Web link: (https://
public.commentworks.com/ftc/
alternativefuelrulepra2) (and following
the instructions on the web-based form).
Comments in paper form should be
mailed or delivered to the following
address: Federal Trade Commission,
Office of the Secretary, Room H–135
(Annex J), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC 20580, in the
manner detailed in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information
should be addressed to Hampton
Newsome, Attorney, Division of
Enforcement, Bureau of Consumer
Protection, Federal Trade Commission,
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., M8102B, Washington, DC 20580, (202)
326–2889.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background:
Under the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520,
federal agencies must obtain approval
from OMB for each collection of
information they conduct or sponsor.
‘‘Collection of information’’ means
agency requests or requirements that
members of the public submit reports,
keep records, or provide information to
a third party. 44 U.S.C. 3502(3); 5 CFR
1320.3(c). The Alternative Fuel 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 nonliquid 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.
On January 5, 2010, the FTC sought
comment on the information collection
requirements associated with the Rule.1
No comments were received. Pursuant
to the OMB regulations, 5 CFR Part
1320, that implement the PRA, the FTC
is providing this second opportunity for
1 75
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FR 366.
Frm 00028
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
public comment while seeking OMB
approval to renew the pre-existing
clearance for the Rule (OMB Control No.
3084-0094). All comments should be
filed as prescribed in the ADDRESSES
section above and in the Request for
Comments (found below), and must be
received on or before April 16, 2010.
Request for Comments:
Interested parties are invited to
submit written comments electronically
or in paper form. Comments should
refer to ‘‘Alternative Fuel Rule: FTC File
No. R311002’’ to facilitate the
organization of comments. Please note
that your comment — including your
name and your state — will be placed
on the public record of this proceeding,
including on the publicly accessible
FTC Web site, at (https://www.ftc.gov/os/
publiccomments.shtm).
Because comments will be made
public, they should not include any
sensitive personal information, such as
an individual’s Social Security Number;
date of birth; driver’s license number or
other state identification number, or
foreign country equivalent; passport
number; financial account number; or
credit or debit card number. Comments
also should not include any sensitive
health information, such as medical
records or other individually
identifiable health information. In
addition, comments should not include
any ‘‘[t]rade secret or any commercial or
financial information which is obtained
from any person and which is privileged
or confidential. . .,’’ as provided in
Section 6(f) of the Federal Trade
Commission Act (‘‘FTC Act’’), 15 U.S.C.
46(f), and Commission Rule 4.10(a)(2),
16 CFR 4.10(a)(2). Comments containing
material for which confidential
treatment is requested must be filed in
paper form, must be clearly labeled
‘‘Confidential,’’ and must comply with
FTC Rule 4.9(c).2
Because paper mail addressed to the
FTC is subject to delay due to
heightened security screening, please
consider submitting your comments in
electronic form. Comments filed in
electronic form should be submitted by
using the following Web link: (https://
public.commentworks.com/ftc/
alternativefuelrulepra2) (and following
the instructions on the web-based form).
To ensure that the Commission
2 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 FTC
Rule 4.9(c), 16 CPR 4.9(c).
E:\FR\FM\17MRN1.SGM
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wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 51 / Wednesday, March 17, 2010 / Notices
considers an electronic comment, you
must file it on the web-based form at the
Web link: (https://
public.commentworks.com/ftc/
alternativefuelrulepra2). If this Notice
appears at (https://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.
A comment filed in paper form
should include the ‘‘Alternative Fuel
Rule: FTC File No. R311002’’ reference
both in the text and on the envelope,
and should be mailed or delivered to the
following address: Federal Trade
Commission, Office of the Secretary,
Room H–135 (Annex J), 600
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington,
DC 20580. The FTC is requesting that
any comment filed in paper form be sent
by courier or overnight service, if
possible, because U.S. postal mail in the
Washington area and at the Commission
is subject to delay due to heightened
security precautions.
Comments on any proposed filing,
recordkeeping, or disclosure
requirements that are subject to
paperwork burden review under the
Paperwork Reduction Act (‘‘PRA’’)
should additionally be submitted to:
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget (‘‘OMB’’), Attention: Desk Officer
for Federal Trade Commission.
Comments should be submitted via
facsimile to (202) 395-5167 because U.S.
postal mail at the OMB is subject to
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. The Commission will
consider all timely and responsive
public comments that it receives,
whether filed in paper or electronic
form. Comments received will be
available to the public on the FTC’s Web
site, to the extent practicable, at (https://
www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm).
As a matter of discretion, the
Commission makes every effort to
remove home contact information for
individuals from the public comments it
receives before placing those comments
on the FTC’s 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.shtm).
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
VerDate Nov<24>2008
15:08 Mar 16, 2010
Jkt 220001
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.3
Nonetheless, there is still some burden
associated with posting labels. There is
also 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 require label posting and
manufacturers produce very few new
models each year.
(1) Estimated total annual hours
burden: 38,000 total burden hours,
rounded to nearest thousand (includes
Non-liquid Alternative Fuels4 and
Alternative Fuel Vehicle
Manufacturers).
Non-liquid Alternative Fuels:
Certification: Staff estimates that the
Rule’s fuel rating certification
requirements 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)
are subject to the Rule’s recordkeeping
requirements (associated with fuel
rating certification) and that compliance
requires approximately one-tenth hour
each per year for a total of 190 hours.
Labeling: Staff estimates that labeling
requirements 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
3 Label specifications were designed to produce
labels to withstand the elements for several years.
4 This includes compressed natural gas producers
and distributors and manufacturers of electric
vehicle fuel dispensing systems.
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12751
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 (Non-liquid Alternative
Fuels): 1,080 hours (550 + 190 + 340).
AFV Manufacturers:
Recordkeeping: Staff estimates that a
total of 8 manufacturers require 30
minutes to comply with the Rule’s
recordkeeping requirements for a total
of 4 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 1,121,153 new
AFVs manufactured each year for a total
of 37,371 hours.
Sub-total (AFV Manufacturers):
37,388 hours (4 + 12.5 + 37,371).
Thus, the total burden for these
industries combined is approximately
38,000 hours (1,080 + 37,388), rounded
to nearest thousand.
(2) Estimated labor costs: $1,155,017
per year rounded (includes both Nonliquid Alternative Fuels and AFV
Manufacturers).
Labor costs are derived by applying
appropriate hourly cost figures to the
burden hours described above.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics
data for 2008 (most recent available
whole-year information), the average
compensation for producers and
distributors in the fuel industry is
$27.28 per hour and $9.46 per hour for
service station employees; the average
compensation for workers in the vehicle
industry is $30.18 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 $24,279. [(550 certification hours +
340 labeling hours) × $27.28]
Recordkeeping: Only 1/6 of the total
recordkeeping hours will be performed
by the producers and distributors of
fuels (1/6 of 190 hours = approximately
32 hours; 32 hours × $27.28 = $872.96);
the other 5/6 is attributable to service
station employees (5/6 of 190 hours =
approximately 158 hours; 158 hours ×
$9.46 = $1,494.68). Thus, the labor cost
due to recordkeeping for the entire
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12752
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 51 / Wednesday, March 17, 2010 / Notices
industry is approximately $2,368
($872.96 for producers and distributors
of fuels +$1,494.68 for service station
employees).
The total paperwork related labor cost
for the entire industry (Non-liquid
alternative fuels) is approximately
$26,647 ($24,279 for certification and
labeling costs + $2,368 for
recordkeeping costs).
AFV manufacturers:
The maximum labor cost for the entire
industry (AFV manufacturers) is
approximately $1,128,370 per year for
recordkeeping and producing and
posting labels (37,388 hours × $30.18/
hour).
Thus, the estimated total labor cost for
both industries for all paperwork
requirements is $1,155,017 ($26,647 +
$1,128,370) per year, rounded.
(3) Estimated annual non-labor cost
burden: $426,251 rounded (includes
both Non-liquid Alternative Fuels and
AFV Manufacturers).
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 560 fuel dispensers
(assumptions: an estimated 20% of
1,400 total fuel retailers need to replace
labels in any given year given an
approximate five-year life for labels—
i.e., 280 retailers—multiplied by an
average of two dispensers per retailer) at
thirty-eight cents for each label (per
industry sources), is $212.8 ($0.38 ×
560).
wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
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 1,121,153 new and used AFVs
each year at thirty-eight cents for each
label (per industry sources), the annual
AFV labeling cost is estimated to be
$426,038.14 ($0.38 × 1,121,153).
Thus, the estimated total annual
nonlabor cost burden associated with
VerDate Nov<24>2008
15:08 Mar 16, 2010
Jkt 220001
Dated: March 3, 2010.
Becky Rhodes,
Deputy Associate Administrator.
the Rule is $426,251 ($212.8 +
$426,038.14), rounded.
Willard Tom,
General Counsel
[FR Doc. 2010–5832 Filed 3–16–10; 8:45 am]
[FR Doc. 2010–5750 Filed 3–16–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820–14–P
BILLING CODE 6750–01–S
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
GENERAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION
Maximum Per Diem Rates for the
Continental United States (CONUS)
Office of Governmentwide
Policy, General Services Administration
(GSA).
AGENCY:
ACTION: Notice of FTR Bulletin 10–02,
Relocation Allowance—Standard
Mileage Rate for Moving Purposes.
SUMMARY: On December 3, 2009, the IRS
announced a $0.075 cent decrease in the
Standard Mileage Rate for moving
purposes from $0.24 cents to $0.165
cents per mile. This new Standard
Mileage Rate for moving purposes is
effective January 1, 2010, through
December 31, 2010. Thus, the
reimbursement rate for privately owned
vehicles (POV) used in conjunction with
official relocation will also be $0.165 for
the same period.
DATES: This notice is effective January 1,
2010, and applies for travel performed
on January 1, 2010 through December
31, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
clarification of content, contact Mr. Ed
Davis, Office of Governmentwide Policy
(M), Office of Travel, Transportation,
and Asset Management (MT), General
Services Administration at (202) 208–
7638 or via e-mail at ed.davis@gsa.gov.
Please cite Notice of FTR Bulletin 10–
02.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Change in Standard Procedure
GSA issues/publishes the standard
mileage rate for moving purposes in
conjunction with relocation, formerly
published in 41 CFR Chapter 302, solely
on the Internet at http:www.gsa.gov/
relopolicy. This process, implemented
in 2008, ensures more timely updates in
relocation mileage rates by GSA for
Federal employees on official travel
within CONUS. Notices published
periodically in the Federal Register,
such as this one, now constitute the
only notification of revisions in the
relocation mileage rate to Federal
agencies.
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4703
Office of the National Coordinator for
Health Information Technology; HIT
Policy Committee’s Workgroup
Meetings; Notice of Meetings
AGENCY: Office of the National
Coordinator for Health Information
Technology, HHS.
ACTION: Notice of Meetings.
This notice announces forthcoming
subcommittee meetings of a Federal
advisory committee of the Office of the
National Coordinator for Health
Information Technology (ONC). The
meetings will be open to the public via
dial-in access only.
Name of Committees: HIT Policy
Committee’s Workgroups: Meaningful
Use, Privacy & Security Policy, Strategic
Plan, Adoption/Certification, and
Nationwide Health Information
Infrastructure (NHIN) workgroups.
General Function of the Committee:
To provide recommendations to the
National Coordinator on a policy
framework for the development and
adoption of a nationwide health
information technology infrastructure
that permits the electronic exchange and
use of health information as is
consistent with the Federal Health IT
Strategic Plan and that includes
recommendations on the areas in which
standards, implementation
specifications, and certification criteria
are needed.
Date and Time: The HIT Policy
Committee Workgroups will hold the
following public meetings during April
2010: April 6th Strategic Plan
Workgroup, 12 to 3 p.m./ET, a public
listening session, details will be posted
on ONC Web site; April 8th Meaningful
Use Workgroup, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m./ET;
April 14th NHIN Workgroup, 9 a.m. to
12 p.m./ET; April 16th Strategic Plan
Workgroup, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m./ET; April
20th Meaningful Use Workgroup
hearing on Patient Engagement, 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m./ET; April 26th Privacy &
Security Policy Workgroup, 2 p.m. to 4
p.m.; and April 30th Certification/
Adoption Workgroup, 10 a.m. to 12
p.m./ET.
Location: All workgroup meetings
will be available via webcast; for
instructions on how to listen via
telephone or Web visit https://
E:\FR\FM\17MRN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 17, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12750-12752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5750]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'').
ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 March 31,
2013, the current PRA clearance for information collection requirements
contained in its Alternative Fuel Rule (or ``Rule''). This clearance
expires on March 31, 2010.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 16, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments
electronically or in paper form, by following the instructions in the
Request for Comments part of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
below. Comments in electronic form should be submitted by using the
following Web link: (https://public.commentworks.com/ftc/alternativefuelrulepra2) (and following the instructions on the web-
based form). Comments in paper form should be mailed or delivered to
the following address: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the
Secretary, Room H-135 (Annex J), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20580, in the manner detailed in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information should be addressed to Hampton
Newsome, Attorney, Division of Enforcement, Bureau of Consumer
Protection, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., M-
8102B, Washington, DC 20580, (202) 326-2889.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background:
Under the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, federal agencies must obtain
approval from OMB for each collection of information they conduct or
sponsor. ``Collection of information'' means agency requests or
requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records,
or provide information to a third party. 44 U.S.C. 3502(3); 5 CFR
1320.3(c). The Alternative Fuel 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.
On January 5, 2010, the FTC sought comment on the information
collection requirements associated with the Rule.\1\ No comments were
received. Pursuant to the OMB regulations, 5 CFR Part 1320, that
implement the PRA, the FTC is providing this second opportunity for
public comment while seeking OMB approval to renew the pre-existing
clearance for the Rule (OMB Control No. 3084-0094). All comments should
be filed as prescribed in the ADDRESSES section above and in the
Request for Comments (found below), and must be received on or before
April 16, 2010.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 75 FR 366.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request for Comments:
Interested parties are invited to submit written comments
electronically or in paper form. Comments should refer to ``Alternative
Fuel Rule: FTC File No. R311002'' to facilitate the organization of
comments. Please note that your comment -- including your name and your
state -- will be placed on the public record of this proceeding,
including on the publicly accessible FTC Web site, at (https://www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm).
Because comments will be made public, they should not include any
sensitive personal information, such as an individual's Social Security
Number; date of birth; driver's license number or other state
identification number, or foreign country equivalent; passport number;
financial account number; or credit or debit card number. Comments also
should not include any sensitive health information, such as medical
records or other individually identifiable health information. In
addition, comments should not include any ``[t]rade secret or any
commercial or financial information which is obtained from any person
and which is privileged or confidential. . .,'' as provided in Section
6(f) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (``FTC Act''), 15 U.S.C.
46(f), and Commission Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2). Comments
containing material for which confidential treatment is requested must
be filed in paper form, must be clearly labeled ``Confidential,'' and
must comply with FTC Rule 4.9(c).\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ 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 FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CPR
4.9(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because paper mail addressed to the FTC is subject to delay due to
heightened security screening, please consider submitting your comments
in electronic form. Comments filed in electronic form should be
submitted by using the following Web link: (https://public.commentworks.com/ftc/alternativefuelrulepra2) (and following the
instructions on the web-based form). To ensure that the Commission
[[Page 12751]]
considers an electronic comment, you must file it on the web-based form
at the Web link: (https://public.commentworks.com/ftc/alternativefuelrulepra2). If this Notice appears at (https://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.
A comment filed in paper form should include the ``Alternative Fuel
Rule: FTC File No. R311002'' reference both in the text and on the
envelope, and should be mailed or delivered to the following address:
Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, Room H-135 (Annex
J), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. The FTC is
requesting that any comment filed in paper form be sent by courier or
overnight service, if possible, because U.S. postal mail in the
Washington area and at the Commission is subject to delay due to
heightened security precautions.
Comments on any proposed filing, recordkeeping, or disclosure
requirements that are subject to paperwork burden review under the
Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') should additionally be submitted to:
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget (``OMB''), Attention: Desk Officer for Federal Trade Commission.
Comments should be submitted via facsimile to (202) 395-5167 because
U.S. postal mail at the OMB is subject to 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. The Commission will consider all timely and responsive
public comments that it receives, whether filed in paper or electronic
form. Comments received will be available to the public on the FTC's
Web site, to the extent practicable, at (https://www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm). As a matter of discretion, the Commission makes
every effort to remove home contact information for individuals from
the public comments it receives before placing those comments on the
FTC's 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.shtm).
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.\3\ Nonetheless, there is still some
burden associated with posting labels. There is also 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 require label posting and
manufacturers produce very few new models each year.
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\3\ Label specifications were designed to produce labels to
withstand the elements for several years.
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(1) Estimated total annual hours burden: 38,000 total burden hours,
rounded to nearest thousand (includes Non-liquid Alternative Fuels\4\
and Alternative Fuel Vehicle Manufacturers).
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\4\ This includes compressed natural gas producers and
distributors and manufacturers of electric vehicle fuel dispensing
systems.
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Non-liquid Alternative Fuels:
Certification: Staff estimates that the Rule's fuel rating
certification requirements 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) are subject to
the Rule's recordkeeping requirements (associated with fuel rating
certification) and that compliance requires approximately one-tenth
hour each per year for a total of 190 hours.
Labeling: Staff estimates that labeling requirements 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 (Non-liquid Alternative Fuels): 1,080 hours (550 + 190 +
340).
AFV Manufacturers:
Recordkeeping: Staff estimates that a total of 8 manufacturers
require 30 minutes to comply with the Rule's recordkeeping requirements
for a total of 4 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
1,121,153 new AFVs manufactured each year for a total of 37,371 hours.
Sub-total (AFV Manufacturers): 37,388 hours (4 + 12.5 + 37,371).
Thus, the total burden for these industries combined is
approximately 38,000 hours (1,080 + 37,388), rounded to nearest
thousand.
(2) Estimated labor costs: $1,155,017 per year rounded (includes
both Non-liquid Alternative Fuels and AFV Manufacturers).
Labor costs are derived by applying appropriate hourly cost figures
to the burden hours described above. According to Bureau of Labor
Statistics data for 2008 (most recent available whole-year
information), the average compensation for producers and distributors
in the fuel industry is $27.28 per hour and $9.46 per hour for service
station employees; the average compensation for workers in the vehicle
industry is $30.18 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
$24,279. [(550 certification hours + 340 labeling hours) x $27.28]
Recordkeeping: Only 1/6 of the total recordkeeping hours will be
performed by the producers and distributors of fuels (1/6 of 190 hours
= approximately 32 hours; 32 hours x $27.28 = $872.96); the other 5/6
is attributable to service station employees (5/6 of 190 hours =
approximately 158 hours; 158 hours x $9.46 = $1,494.68). Thus, the
labor cost due to recordkeeping for the entire
[[Page 12752]]
industry is approximately $2,368 ($872.96 for producers and
distributors of fuels +$1,494.68 for service station employees).
The total paperwork related labor cost for the entire industry
(Non-liquid alternative fuels) is approximately $26,647 ($24,279 for
certification and labeling costs + $2,368 for recordkeeping costs).
AFV manufacturers:
The maximum labor cost for the entire industry (AFV manufacturers)
is approximately $1,128,370 per year for recordkeeping and producing
and posting labels (37,388 hours x $30.18/hour).
Thus, the estimated total labor cost for both industries for all
paperwork requirements is $1,155,017 ($26,647 + $1,128,370) per year,
rounded.
(3) Estimated annual non-labor cost burden: $426,251 rounded
(includes both Non-liquid Alternative Fuels and AFV Manufacturers).
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 560 fuel dispensers
(assumptions: an estimated 20% of 1,400 total fuel retailers need to
replace labels in any given year given an approximate five-year life
for labels--i.e., 280 retailers--multiplied by an average of two
dispensers per retailer) at thirty-eight cents for each label (per
industry sources), is $212.8 ($0.38 x 560).
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 1,121,153 new and used AFVs each year
at thirty-eight cents for each label (per industry sources), the annual
AFV labeling cost is estimated to be $426,038.14 ($0.38 x 1,121,153).
Thus, the estimated total annual nonlabor cost burden associated
with the Rule is $426,251 ($212.8 + $426,038.14), rounded.
Willard Tom,
General Counsel
[FR Doc. 2010-5750 Filed 3-16-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-S