Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

AGENCY:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed information collection and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described below.

DATES:

Consideration will be given to comments submitted on or before November 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

Copies of the proposed collection of information can be obtained from and written comments may be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Office of the Chief Information Officer, CI-1, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Miller may be reached by telephone at (202) 208-1415, by fax at (202) 208-2425, and by e-mail at mike.miller@ferc.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The information collected under the requirements of FERC Form No. 588 “Emergency Natural Gas Transportation, Sale and Exchange Transactions” (OMB No. 1902-0144) is used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of sections 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (P.L. 75-688) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w) and provisions of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA), 15 U.S.C. 3301-3432. Under the NGA, a natural gas company must obtain Commission approval to engage in the transportation, sale or exchange of natural gas in interstate commerce. However, section 7(c) exempts from certificate requirements “temporary acts or operations for which the issuance of a certificate will not be required in the public interest.” The NGPA also provides for non-certificated interstate transactions involving intrastate pipelines and local distribution companies.

A temporary operation, or emergency, is defined as any situation in which an actual or expected shortage of gas supply would require an interstate pipeline company, intrastate pipeline, or local distribution company, or Hinshaw pipeline to curtail deliveries of gas or provide less than the projected level of service to the customer. The natural gas companies file the necessary information with the Commission so that it may determine if the transaction/operation qualifies for exemption. A report within forty-eight hours of the commencement of the transportation, sale or exchange, a request to extend the sixty-day term of the emergency transportation, if needed, and a termination report are required. The data required to be filed for the forty-eight hour report is specified by 18 CFR 284.270.

Action: The Commission is requesting reinstatement, without change, of the previously approved data collection for which approval expired July 31, 2000, and a three-year approval of the collection of data. This is a mandatory information collection requirement.

Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated as follows:

The estimated total cost to respondents is $8,319 (150 hours divided by 2,080 hours per employee per year times $115,357 per year average salary (including overhead) per employee = $8,319 (rounded)).

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.