Supporting Statement Part B

B. STATISTICAL METHODS

Bl. Description of Survey Design
The respondent universe for the EIA-22M, “Monthly Biodiesel Production Survey,” includes: entities that
produce biodiesel for commercial purposes.
The survey frame consists of biodiesel producers who are registered with the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and report their fuel properties under the form “Fuel Manufacturer Annual Report for
Motor Vehicle Gasoline or Diesel Fuel.”3 Individual biodiesel producers who do not introduce biodiesel
into commerce are not required to report. To maintain an up-to-date survey frame and create a list of
annual changes to the survey frame, EIA will use EPA’s weekly updated list of registered biodiesel
producers and National Biodiesel Board’s (NBB) list of biodiesel producers, as well as information on
respondent ownership and operating status (i.e., company was sold or merged, went out of business, etc.)
that are reported on the EIA-22M. Each plant is considered an individual reporting unit.
Description of Form EIA-22M, Monthly Biodiesel Production Survey

The EIA “Monthly Biodiesel Production Survey” is divided into 4 sections. Section 1 will collect
producer identification data, including contact information. Section 2 will collect plant location, capacity,
and operating status. The purpose of collecting location is to allow EIA to publish price and production
information by region and state, if allowable due to confidentiality concerns. Operating status will collect
information on any merger or sale information regarding facilities. Section 3 asks for plant biodiesel
production, inputs, stocks, and sales. Inputs to biodiesel production figures are gathered by feedstock
type and volume. Sales figures are collected by volume and total revenue for various end-uses and resale.
The purpose of this section is to discern market price data. Finally, Section 4 is for explaining answers
given or reasons why answers cannot be given.
EIA requests approval of the collection of the following data in the Form EIA-22M:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Respondent identification data and contacts.
Plant information, including location and capacity.
Plant operating status (active, inactive, permanently ceased, sold, leased, or merged.)
Biodiesel and co-product production (by volume.)
Inputs to biodiesel production (by input type and volume.)
Sales of biodiesel to end-user (by end-use type, volume, and revenue) and for resale (by volume
and revenue.)
7. End of month stocks (by volume.)
8. Tax credit information (actual or estimated in dollars) from federal, state, and local tax regulations

3

http://epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/forms/3520-12a.pdf

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EIA will provide Form EIA-22M respondents detailed instructions, reporting requirements, and
definitions of all elements in the form. The forms and instructions are designed to allow their efficient
use while the respondent is completing a filing and to lessen respondent burden.
Respondents would be expected to complete the EIA-22M survey and submit subsequent revisions as
necessary to correct errors in previously reported information.
B2. Sampling Methodology, Estimation Procedures, and Data Collection Procedures
B2a. Sampling Methodology
Form EIA-22M is required to be submitted by all biodiesel producers who are registered with the EPA,
and therefore this survey is a universe, not a sample. EIA will update the list of producers continually
using weekly lists of registered biodiesel producers from EPA and plant status information (i.e., sold or
merged, went out of business, etc.) that is reported on the EIA-22M.

B2b. Estimation Procedures
Published statistics from the form EIA-22M will represent the sum of actual counts reported by
respondents. The actual counts will be stratified by reporting region and various characteristics.
Nonresponse will be handled by follow-up telephone, letter, and e-mail data requests to the respondents,
as well as data element imputation where data requests are unsuccessful.
If the respondent did not complete the EIA-22M, capacity data will be obtained from the National
Biodiesel Board or other reliable source. Production values will be estimated using capacity data. Stocks
and B100 losses/adjustment will be set at zero. B100 sales will be assumed to equal B100 production.
Feedstock used in Production will be set equal to B100 production and will be split equally between
Soybean Oil and Yellow Grease. Methanol Used in Production will equal 10 percent of B100 Production.
Sales to End Users will be assumed to equal zero. Thus, Sales for Resale will equal B100 sales
determined above. Sales of biodiesel blends will be set at zero. All other items will be left blank.
The following imputation method will be used all months: when there is a non-respondent, the previous
month’s data for that plant will be used. If the previous month’s data were imputed, then the imputed data
will be carried forward.

These imputation procedures will be reexamined in later years once actual data have been analyzed.

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B2c. Data Collection Procedures
All of the data will be obtained from respondents reporting via electronic submission, fax or e-mail.
Respondents are encouraged to respond by electronic submission using an interactive, web-based survey
form. Instructions and guidelines on submitting the data electronically are provided with the initial data
call. Respondents are instructed to contact the EIA survey program manager if they have further
questions. Respondents are given approximately 20 days from the initial data call to submit electronically
or to return the form to EIA via e-mail or fax.
B3. Maximizing the Response Rate
After the deadline for submitting the completed form, companies that did not respond, or failed to
complete the survey form will be contacted by email or telephone and instructed to provide the requested
information. For respondents that use electronic submission, the system will automatically notify any
respondent who has not reported after the deadline. Nonrespondents are contacted for a period of
approximately 85 days in a prioritized fashion based on prior year production.

B4. Name and Telephone Number
Questions or comments on Form EIA-22M can be directed to Chris Buckner at (202) 586-6670 or
[email protected] . Questions regarding the clearance request overall may be directed to Jason
Worrall at (202) 586-6264 or [email protected] .

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