[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 49 (Monday, March 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12227-12229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5566]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy
(DOE).
ACTION: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request.
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SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed three-year
extension to the Form EIA-846, ``Manufacturing Energy Consumption
Survey.''
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DATES: Comments must be filed by May 14, 2010. If you anticipate
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the
person listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Tom Lorenz. To ensure receipt of the
comments by the due date, submission by FAX (202-586-9753) or e-mail
([email protected]) is recommended. The mailing address is
Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy Consumption Division, EI-
63, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence
Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Mr. Lorenz may be
contacted by telephone at 202-586-3442.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of any forms and instructions for the Manufacturing Energy
Consumption Survey (MECS) should be directed to Tom Lorenz at the
address listed above. To view the form online please go to: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mecs/mecs2006/forms2006.html.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments
I. Background
The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 761 et
seq.) and (42 U.S.C. 7135(i)) require the EIA to carry out a
centralized, comprehensive, and unified energy information program.
This program collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates
information on energy resource reserves, production, demand,
technology, and related economic and statistical information. This
information is used to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet
near and longer term domestic demands and to promote sound
policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and
its interaction with the economy and the environment.
The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), provides the general
public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to comment on
collections of energy information conducted by or in conjunction with
the EIA. Also, the EIA will later seek approval for this collection by
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under section 3507(a) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
The Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS) is a self-
administered sample survey designed to collect energy consumption and
expenditures data from establishments in the manufacturing sector;
i.e., North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes 31-
33. Previous MECS required multiple collection forms depending on an
establishment's primary business activity classification under NAICS.
The increased use of technology by means of an Internet data collection
system however, has allowed the MECS to eliminate the need to have
multiple forms.
The 2010 MECS will collect information during 2011 for business
activities in calendar year 2010. For the 2010 MECS, as in the past,
EIA proposes to collect the following data from each MECS
establishment: (1) For each energy source consumed--consumption (total,
fuel and nonfuel uses) and the expenditures for each energy source,
energy storage (as applicable), energy produced onsite, and shipments
(as applicable); (2) energy end uses; (3) fuel-switching capabilities
(4) general energy-saving technologies; (5) energy management
activities; and (6) square footage, and number of buildings in the
establishment.
The MECS has been conducted seven times previously, covering the
years 1985, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006. In all seven survey
years, the MECS has collected baseline data on manufacturers' energy
consumption and expenditures. The MECS collected data on fuel-switching
capabilities in all years except 1998. In the 1991, 1994, 1998, 2002,
and 2006 surveys, the MECS also collected data on end-uses, energy
management activities, building square footage, and energy-saving
technologies.
The MECS information is the basis for data and analytic products
that can be found at http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mecs. Also on this Web
site are past publications, articles, and a special analytic series,
``Industry Analysis Briefs.'' The 2010 MECS will also be used to
benchmark EIA's industry forecasting model and update changes in the
energy intensity and greenhouse gases data series.
The proposed 2010 MECS uses experience gained from the
administration and processing of the seven previous surveys and past
consultations with respondents, trade association representatives, and
data users to improve the survey.
Please refer to the proposed forms and instructions for more
information about the purpose, who must report, when to report, where
to submit, the elements to be reported, detailed instructions,
provisions for confidentiality, and uses of the information. For
instructions on obtaining materials, see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section.
II. Current Actions
EIA is requesting a three-year extension of approval to its
Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey with no changes from the
previous survey.
III. Request for Comments
Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are
provided to assist in the preparation of comments.
As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information
A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the
information have practical utility?
B. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be
collected?
C. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If
not, which instructions need clarification?
D. Can the information be submitted by the respondent by the due
date?
E. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to
average eight hours per response for Form EIA-846. The estimated burden
includes the total time necessary to provide the requested information.
In your opinion, how accurate is this estimate?
F. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for
the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent
incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs
for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with
the information collection?
G. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of
this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
H. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the
methods of collection.
As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected
A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the
information have practical utility?
B. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information
disseminated?
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C. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be
collected?
D. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
E. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also
will become a matter of public record.
Statutory Authority: Section 13(b) of the Federal Energy
Administration Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-275, codified at 15 U.S.C.
772(b).
Issued in Washington, DC, March 9, 2010.
Renee H. Miller,
Director, Forms Clearance and Information Quality Division, Statistics
and Methods Group, Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-5566 Filed 3-12-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P