Jan 3 -- The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), invites comments by March 6, 2023 regarding data collections for the Clean Cities Vehicle Programs.
At present, data are collected for three Clean Cities efforts: (1) community readiness for plug-in electric vehicles (PEV); (2) DOE's National Clean Fleets Partnership; and (3) Clean Cities coalition “Ride and Drive Surveys.” DOE is proposing to continue assessing levels of community readiness for PEVs and also to continue assessing progress and acceptance of advanced technology vehicles via “Ride and Drive Surveys.” DOE is proposing to include a new information collection instrument that is an active and effective Clean Cities Coalition self-assessment to ensure its coalitions can remain in good standing for designation purposes. DOE will no longer be collecting information regarding its National Clean Fleets Partnership.
DOE's Clean Cities initiative has developed three voluntary mechanisms by which communities, certain fleets, and the purchasing public can get a better understanding of their readiness for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), and to help DOE's Clean Cities coalitions prepare for the successful adoption of these vehicles and assess their progress in doing so. The voluntary PEV Scorecard is intended to assist its coalitions and stakeholders in assessing the level of readiness of their communities for PEVs. The principal objective of the scorecard is to provide respondents with an objective assessment and estimate of their respective community's readiness for PEV deployment as well as understand the respective community's commitment to deploying these vehicles successfully. DOE intends the scorecard to be completed by a city/county/regional sustainability or energy coordinator. As the intended respondent may not be aware of every aspect of local or regional PEV readiness, coordination among local stakeholders to gather appropriate information may be necessary.
DOE expects a total respondent population of approximately 1,250 respondents. Selecting the multiple-choice answers in completing a scorecard questionnaire is expected to take under 30 minutes, although additional time of no more than 20 hours may be needed to assemble information necessary to be able to answer the questions. Assembling information to update questionnaire answers in the future on a voluntary basis would be expected to take less time, on the order of 10 hours, as much of any necessary time and effort needed to research information would have been completed previously.
For the Clean Cities Coalition active and effective self-assessment, DOE seeks to gain information that allows DOE Clean Cities leadership to determine whether its coalitions can remain in good standing, and thereby retain designation as a Clean Cities coalition. There are 80 Clean Cities coalitions across the United States, each of which applies to DOE for designation. Achieving full designation requires a comprehensive, strategic, four-year Program Plan that spells out a much broader range of commitments from the coalition and associated stakeholder outlining education plans, technical assistance, and other strategies to overcome market barriers and adopt best practices for organizational excellence that ensure the long-term sustainability of the coalition itself. DOE expects approximately 80 coalitions to complete the self-assessment annually, and DOE expects a total respondent population of 80 corresponding respondents.
For the DOE Clean Cities initiative that involves the ride-and-drive surveys, DOE has developed a three-part voluntary survey to assist its coalitions and stakeholders in assessing the level of interest, understanding, and acceptance of PEVs and alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) by the purchasing public. DOE intends the surveys to be completed by individuals who are participating in one of many ride-and-drive events. There are three phases to the Survey: (1) pre Ride-and-Drive; (2) post Ride-and-Drive; and (3) a few months/sometime later to discern if the respondent followed through with acquisition of a PEV or another AFV. Respondents provide answers in the first two phases through a user-friendly paper survey and on-line survey, and in the third phase they answer questions via an electronic interface, although a paper survey may be used for those lacking access to an electronic device or computer.
The Surveys' effort relies on responses to questions the respondent chooses to answer. The multiple-choice questions address the following topic areas: (1) Demographics; (2) Current vehicle background; (3) How they learned about ride and drive event; (4) Perceptions of PEVs before and after driving; (5) Post-drive vehicle experience; (6) Purchase expectations; (7) Follow-up survey regarding subsequent behaviors; (8) Purchase information; (9) Barriers; and (10) Future intentions.
Clean Cities Coalition Network:
https://cleancities.energy.gov/
Current data collection instruments (expire 7/31/23):
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAICList?ref_nbr=202005-1910-001
Draft data collection instruments and technical documentation requested of DOE by AEA.
FRN:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-28498