99856 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 11, 2024 / Notices 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 

Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 

20460; telephone number: (202) 566– 

1204; email address: 

Sleasman.katherine@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a 

proposed extension of the ICR, which is 

currently approved through January 31, 

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. 

Public comments were previously 

requested via the Federal Register on 

April 23, 2024, during a 60-day 

comment period (89 FR 30358). This 

notice allows for an additional 30 days 

for public comments. 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 http://www.epa.gov/dockets. 

Abstract: This ICR covers reporting 

and recordkeeping requirements 

associated with EPA’s workplace 

standards for the protection of state and 

local government employees who work 

with asbestos and who are not covered 

by a state plan approved by the 

Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration. Currently, some 23 

states and state equivalent territories 

have reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements under the Toxic 

Substances Control Act, Section 8, 

documenting worker protection actions 

for state and local government 

employees involved in asbestos work. 

EPA’s asbestos work protection 

regulations incorporate, by reference, 

the OSHA Construction Industry 

Standard for Asbestos, and the General 

Industry Standard for Asbestos. EPA 

does not collect any information under 

this collection. All information subject 

to this collection request is to be 

gathered and maintained by the 

employer. 

Form number(s): None. 

Respondents/affected entities: Public 

Administration, Educational Services. 

North American Industrial 

Classification System (NAICS) codes 

identified in question 12 of the ICR. 

Respondent’s obligation to respond: 

Mandatory. (15 U.S.C 2605, 2607(a)). 

Estimated number of respondents: 

34,138 (total). 

Frequency of response: On occasion. 

Total estimated burden: 358,049 

hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 

CFR 1320.3(b). 

Total estimated cost: $21,175,968 (per 

year), which includes $0 annualized 

capital or operation & maintenance 

costs. 

Changes in the estimates: There is a 

decrease of 14,920 hours in the total 

estimated respondent burden compared 

with the ICR currently approved by 

OMB. This change, which is discussed 

in more detail in the ICR, reflects a 

decrease in the number of states subject 

to the rule. This change is an 

adjustment. 

Courtney Kerwin, 

Director, Information Engagement Division. 

[FR Doc. 2024–29065 Filed 12–10–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

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. 

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 smartway_

transport@epa.gov, 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: herzog.erik@

epa.gov. 

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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 11, 2024 / Notices 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 OnLine 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 SmartWayrecommended 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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