[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 3, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45609-45610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-18970]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC10-542-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-542); Comment
Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A)
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) (2006)
(Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the proposed information
collection described below.
DATES: Comments in consideration of the collection of information are
due October 4, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically (eFiled) or in
paper format, and should refer to Docket No. IC10-542-000. Documents
must be prepared in an acceptable filing format and in compliance with
Commission submission guidelines at http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. eFiling instructions are available at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. First-time users must follow
eRegister instructions at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/eregistration.asp, to establish a user name and password before
eFiling. The Commission will send an automatic acknowledgement to the
sender's e-mail address upon receipt of eFiled comments. Commenters
making an eFiling should not make a paper filing. Commenters that are
not able to file electronically must send an original and two (2) paper
copies of their comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in
this docket may do so through eSubscription at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp. In addition, all comments and FERC
issuances may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely through FERC's
eLibrary at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp, by searching
on Docket No. IC10-542. For user assistance, contact FERC Online
Support by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone, toll-
free, at: (866) 208-3676, or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by e-mail
at [email protected], telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at
(202) 273-0873.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the
requirements of FERC-542 ``Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Tracking'' (OMB No.
1902-0070) is used by the Commission to implement the statutory
provisions of Title IV of the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA), 15 U.S.C.
3301-3432, and Sections 4, 5 and 16 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (Pub.
L. 75-688) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w). These statutes empower the Commission
to collect natural gas transmission cost information from interstate
natural gas transporters for the purpose of verifying that these costs,
which are passed on to pipeline customers, are just and reasonable.
Interstate natural gas pipeline companies are required by the
Commission to track their transportation-associated costs to allow for
the Commission's review and, where appropriate, approve the pass-
through of these costs to pipeline customers. These FERC-542 tracking
filings are accountings of the cost of (1) research, development, and
deployment expenditures; (2) annual charge adjustments and (3) periodic
rate adjustments.
Tracking filings may be submitted at any time or on a regularly
scheduled basis in accordance with the pipeline company's tariff.
Filings may be either: (1) Accepted; (2) suspended and set for hearing;
(3) suspended, but not set for
[[Page 45610]]
hearing; or (4) suspended for further review, such as technical
conference or some other type of Commission action. The Commission
implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) under 18 CFR parts 154, 154.4, 154.7, 154.307, 154.201, 154.207-
154.208 and 154.401-154.403.
Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the
current expiration date, with no changes to the existing collection of
data.
Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is
estimated as:
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Number of Average burden
FERC data collection Annual number of responses per hours per Total annual burden
respondents respondent response hours
(1) (2) (3) (1) x (2) x (3)
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FERC-542........................ 95 3.5 40 13,300
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Estimated cost burden to respondents is $881,598 (13,300 hours/
2,080 hours \1\ times $137,874 \2\). The cost per respondent is $9,280.
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\1\ Number of hours an employee works each year.
\2\ Average annual salary per employee.
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The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial
resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide
the information including: (1) Reviewing instructions; (2) developing,
acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems for the
purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing, maintaining,
disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the existing ways
to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements;
(4) training personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5)
searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of
information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the
information.
The estimate of cost for respondents is based upon salaries for
professional and clerical support, as well as direct and indirect
overhead costs. Direct costs include all costs directly attributable to
providing this information, such as administrative costs and the cost
for information technology. Indirect or overhead costs are costs
incurred by an organization in support of its mission. These costs
apply to activities which benefit the whole organization rather than
any one particular function or activity.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the Commission, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (2) 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; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, including 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.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-18970 Filed 8-2-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P