[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64301-64303]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26240]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC11-537-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-537); Comment
Request; Extension
October 8, 2010.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
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 December 20, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically (eFiled) or in
paper format, and should refer to Docket No. IC11-537-000. 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 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. IC11-537. For user assistance, contact FERC Online
Support by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at: (866)
208-3676 (toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: 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-537, ``Gas Pipeline Certificates: Construction,
Acquisition, and Abandonment'' (OMB Control No. 1902-0060), is used by
the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of the Natural Gas
Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA), 15 U.S.C. 3301-3432, and the Natural Gas Act
(NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w). Under the NGA, natural gas pipeline
companies must obtain Commission authorization to undertake the
construction or extension of any facilities, or to acquire or operate
any such facilities or extensions in accordance with Section 7(c) of
the NGA. A natural gas company must also obtain Commission approval
under Section 7(b) of the NGA prior to abandoning any jurisdictional
facility or service. Under the NGA and the NGPA, interstate and
intrastate pipelines must also obtain authorization for certain
[[Page 64302]]
transportation and storage services and arrangements, particularly a
Part 284, Subpart G--Blanket Certificate (18 CFR 284.8).
The information collected is necessary to certificate interstate
pipelines engaged in the transportation and sale of natural gas, and
the construction, acquisition, and operation of facilities to be used
in those activities, to authorize the abandonment of facilities and
services, and to authorize certain NGPA transactions. If a certificate
is granted, the natural gas company can construct, acquire, or operate
facilities, plus engage in interstate transportation or sale of natural
gas. Conversely, approval of an abandonment application permits the
pipeline to cease service and/or discontinue the operation of such
facilities. Authorization under NGPA Section 311(a) allows the
interstate or intrastate pipeline applicants to render certain
transportation services.
The data required to be submitted consists of identification of the
company and responsible officials, factors considered in the location
of the facilities and the detailed impact on the project area for
environmental considerations. Also to be submitted are the following:
Flow diagrams showing proposed design capacity for
engineering design verification and safety determination;
Commercial and economic data presenting the basis for the
proposed action; and
Cost of the proposed facilities, plans for financing, and
estimated revenues and expenses related to the proposed facility for
accounting and financial evaluation.
The Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR 157.5-.11; 157.13-.20; 157.53;
157.201-.209; 157.211; 157.214-.218; 284.8; 284.11; 284.126; 284.221;
284.224.\1\
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\1\ Sections 284.223 and 284.227 have been removed from this
Notice since they have no reporting or records burden.
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Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the
FERC-537 reporting requirements.
Burden Statement: The following table shows the current total
burden estimate. Because the nature of the various filings that are
covered by FERC-537 are so varied, a table has been included as an
Appendix to this Notice to give a more detailed description of the
various elements of this burden estimate:
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Average No. of Average burden
FERC data collection No. of responses per hours per Total annual
respondents respondent \2\ response \3\ burden hours
(1) (2) (3) (1) x (2) x (3)
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FERC-537.................................... 225 3.44 133 102,942
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The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $6,823,570
(102,942 hours/2,080 hours \4\ per year, times $137,874 \5\).
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\2\ From Appendix: No. of Filings/No. of Respondents, or 775/225
= 3.44.
\3\ A weighted average based on the information provided in the
Appendix to this Notice.
\4\ Estimated number of hours an employee works each year.
\5\ Estimated average annual cost 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.
Appendix
Details for FERC-537, ``Gas Pipeline Certificates: Construction, Acquisition, and Abandonment''
[Based on Fiscal Year 2010 information and records]
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Number of Avg. hours to
Regulation section 18 CFR Regulation topic Number of filings or prepare a filing or
respondents responses application
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157.5-.11; & 157.13-.20......... Interstate 75 companies....... 82 500
certificate and (25 different).....
abandonment
applications.
157.53.......................... Exemptions. 10 100
[[Page 64303]]
157.201-.209; 157.211; 157.214- Blanket 45 200
.218. Certificates prior
notice filings.
157.201-.209; 157.211; 157.214- Blanket 145 companies...... 336 50
.218. Certificates--annu (145 different)....
al reports.
284.11.......................... NGPA Sec. 311
Construction--annu
al reports.
284.8........................... Capacity Release-- 168................ 168 75
record keeping.
284.126 (a) & (c)............... Intrastate bypass, 50 companies....... 100 30
semi annual (50 different).....
transportation &
storage--reports.
284.221......................... Blanket 20................. 20 100
Certificates--one
time filing, inc.
new tariff and
rate design
proposal.
284.224......................... Hinshaw Blanket 2.................. 2 75
Certificates--. (2 different)......
157.5-.11; & 157.13-.20;........ Non-facility 9.................. 12 75
certificate or (3 different)......
abandonment
applications.
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Totals...................... ................... 225 different...... 775 133 average,
weighted.
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[FR Doc. 2010-26240 Filed 10-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P