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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 99856-99857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29020]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0423; FRL-12291-01-OAR]

Information Collection Request Number 2265.04; Proposed 
Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Information Collection 
Activities Associated With the SmartWay Transport Partnership

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Information 
Collection Activities Associated with the SmartWay Transport 
Partnership'' (EPA ICR No. 2265.04, OMB Control No. 2060-0663) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is 
soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension 
of the ICR, which is currently approved through March 25, 2025. 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 10, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2024-0423 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221 T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erik Herzog, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, S-72, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; 
telephone number: 734-214-4487; Fax: 734-214-4906; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it 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. EPA 
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. 
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and 
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register 
document to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: The EPA's Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) developed the 
SmartWay Transport Partnership (``SmartWay'') under directives outlined

[[Page 99857]]

in Subtitle D of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 which calls on EPA to 
assess the energy and air quality impacts of activities within the 
freight industry. These activities include long-duration truck idling, 
the development and promotion of strategies for reducing idling, fuel 
consumption, and negative air quality effects. SmartWay's objectives 
also are consistent with the Clean Air Act, the Federal Technology 
Transfer Act and other laws that authorize and support research, 
training and air pollutant control activities.
    SmartWay is open to organizations that own, operate, or contract 
with fleet operations, including truck, rail, barge, air and multi-
modal carriers, logistics companies, and shippers. Organizations that 
do not operate fleets, but that are working to strengthen the freight 
industry, such as industry trade associations, state and local 
transportation agencies and environmental groups, also may join as 
SmartWay affiliates. All organizations that join SmartWay are asked to 
provide EPA with information as part of their SmartWay registration to 
annually benchmark their transportation-related operations and improve 
the environmental performance of their freight activities.
    A company joins SmartWay when it completes and submits a SmartWay 
Annual Reporting tool to EPA. The company submits an updated reporting 
tool annually thereafter. Truck carriers with fewer than 20 trucks may 
submit their annual updates through the On-Line Truck Tool Short Form, 
rather than the full On-Line Truck Tool version. The data outputs from 
the submitted tool are used by partners and SmartWay in several ways. 
First, the data provides confirmation that SmartWay partners are 
meeting established objectives in their Partnership Agreement. The 
reporting tool outputs enable EPA to provide partners with 
environmental performance information to assist them in incorporating 
freight efficiency in their goods movement decisions. Additionally, the 
data allows EPA to empower SmartWay partners, as appropriate, by 
providing them with environmental strategies and technology information 
that improve their efficiency. This information also improves EPA's 
knowledge and understanding of the environmental and energy impacts 
associated with goods movement, and the effectiveness of both proven 
and emerging strategies to lessen those impacts.
    In addition to requesting annual freight transportation-related 
data, EPA may ask its SmartWay partners for other kinds of information 
which could include opinions and test data on the effectiveness of new 
and emerging technology applications, sales volumes associated with 
SmartWay-recommended vehicle equipment and technologies, the reach and 
value of partnering with EPA through the SmartWay Partnership, and 
awareness of the SmartWay brand. In some instances, EPA might query 
other freight industry representatives (not just SmartWay partners), 
including trade and professional associations, nonprofit environmental 
groups, energy and community organizations, and universities, and a 
small sampling of the general public.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action include private and public organizations that join the 
SmartWay Transport Partnership; freight industry representatives who 
engage in activities related to the SmartWay Partnership; and 
representative samplings of consumers in the general public. These 
entities may be affected by EPA efforts to assess the effectiveness and 
value of the SmartWay program, awareness of the SmartWay brand, and 
ideas for developing and improving SmartWay.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 4,770.
    Frequency of response: The information collections described in the 
ICR must be completed in order for an organization to register as or 
continue its status as a SmartWay partner, to become a SmartWay 
affiliate, to use the SmartWay logo on an EPA-designated tractor or 
trailer, or to be considered for a SmartWay Excellence Award.
    Total estimated burden: The annual burden for this collection of 
information that all respondent partners and affiliates incur is 
estimated to average 8,879 hours with a projected annual aggregate cost 
of $732,210. The annual burden for this collection of information that 
federal agency respondents incur is estimated to average 4,578 hours 
with a projected annual aggregate cost of $122,602.
    This ICR estimates that approximately 5,844 respondent partners 
will incur burden associated with SmartWay in the first year, with a 
growth of 330 partners per year projected into the future. The 
estimated average burden time per respondent is 1.52 hours annually. 
This is an average across all Smart Way partners, regardless of whether 
they are affiliates, shippers, carriers or logistics companies. The 
average also includes 150 consumer and industry respondents, who spend 
far less time, providing the SmartWay program with basic information on 
their awareness of the program. Among respondent partners the burden 
hours are typically higher for larger companies with complex fleets, 
than for smaller companies.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, 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.
    Total estimated cost: The total annual cost to all respondent 
partners is $732,210. The total annual cost to federal agency 
respondents is $122,602.
    Changes in estimates: There is a decrease of 3,678 hours and 
$129,672 in the total estimated respondent partner burden compared with 
the ICR currently approved by OMB. This decrease reflects the following 
adjustments and program changes:
    (1) Implementation of a new On-Line Truck Tools for the majority of 
partners.
    (2) The reduction of the number of annual Affiliate Applications.
    There is also a decrease of 110 hours and $48,228 in the total 
estimated agency burden currently approved by OMB. This decrease is due 
to the following:
    (1) Implementation of a new On-Line Truck Tools for the majority of 
partners.
    (2) The reduction of the number of annual Affiliate Applications.

Karl Simon,
Director, Transportation and Climate Division, Office of Transportation 
and Air Quality.
[FR Doc. 2024-29020 Filed 12-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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