Request for Comments on a Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection: Automotive Fuel Economy Reports

Christopher J. Bonanti
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
September 11, 2012

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 55898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22322]



[[Page 55898]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2012-0059]


Request for Comments on a Renewal of a Previously Approved 
Information Collection: Automotive Fuel Economy Reports

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments. A 
Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting 
comments on the following information collection was published on May 
18, 2012 (77 FR 29751). No comments were received.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 11, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Katz, Fuel Economy 
Division, Office of International Policy, Fuel Economy and Consumer 
Programs, NVS-132, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, 
DC 20590, Phone: (202) 366-4936.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 49 CFR Part 537, Automotive Fuel Economy Reports.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0019.
    Type of Request: Renewal of a Previously Approved Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: 49 United States Code (U.S.C.) 32907(a) requires a 
manufacturer to submit reports to the Secretary of Transportation on 
whether a manufacturer will comply with an applicable average fuel 
economy standard under 49 U.S.C. 32902 of this title for the model year 
for which the report is made, the actions a manufacturer has taken or 
intends to take to comply with the standard, and other information the 
Secretary requires by regulation. Under 49 CFR Part 537, NHTSA also 
requires manufacturers to provide data on vehicle footprint so that the 
agency can determine a manufacturer's required fuel economy level and 
its compliance with that level. The information collected provides the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with advance 
indication whether automotive manufacturers expect to comply with the 
applicable average fuel economy standards; furnishes NHTSA with the 
necessary information to prepare its annual update on the Automotive 
Fuel Economy Program; aids NHTSA in responding to general requests 
concerning automotive fuel economy; and supplies NHTSA with detailed 
and current technical and economic information that will be used to 
evaluate possible future average fuel economy standards.
    Affected Public: Automobile manufacturers.
    Number of Respondents: Thirty.
    Number of Responses: Fifty-four; some manufacturers have multiple 
fleets and 49 CFR Part 537 requires a separate report for each fleet.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: Thirty automotive manufacturers must 
comply with 49 CFR 537. For each current model year, each manufacturer 
is required to submit semi-annual reports: a pre-model year report and 
a mid-model year report. The pre-model year report must be submitted 
during the month of December, and the mid-model year report must be 
submitted during the month of July. The total number of responses 
submitted by automotive manufacturers is 54. We currently have a 
clearance for 2,339 hours based on reports being received from 22 
manufacturers. Including the 8 additional manufacturers results in an 
additional reporting burden of 850 hours. Adding that burden to the 
existing burden of 2,339 hours results in a total of 3,189 hours.
    Frequency of Collection: A pre-model report and a mid-model report 
are required to be submitted by manufacturers once per model year for 
each applicable fleet (domestic passenger car, imported passenger car, 
light trucks).

ADDRESSES: Please send comments regarding the burden estimate, 
including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of the 
Secretary of Transportation, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503. 
Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1:48.

    Issued on: September 5, 2012.
Christopher J. Bonanti,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2012-22322 Filed 9-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P