[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 120 (Thursday, June 23, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15339]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 23, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. RM94-6-000; RM87-5-016]

 

Standards of Conduct and Reporting Requirements for 
Transportation and Affiliate Transactions

June 17, 1994.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of request for expedited Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) review of data request.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sections 1320.15 and 1320.18 of OMB's regulations, 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is submitting to 
OMB a request for expedited review of an information collection 
requirement concerning the transactions between Interstate pipelines 
and their marketing affiliated pipelines (FERC Form 592, OMB Control 
No. 1902-0157). The Commission requires this information in order to 
administer regulatory programs that implement mandates of the Natural 
Gas Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA) and the Natural Gas Act (NGA) of 1938. 
The information is used by the Commission to monitor the transportation 
transactions of interstate pipelines and their marketing or brokering 
companies to deter undue discrimination by pipeline companies in favor 
of their marketing affiliates.

DATES: Comments for RM87-05-16 are due to OMB by June 28, 1994. The 
Commission is requesting OMB extend the clearance of the data 
collection by no later than 5 p.m., June 30, 1994. Comments for RM94-6-
000 are due to OMB by July 22, 1994. The Commission is requesting OMB 
approve the clearance of the data collection by no later than July 29, 
1994.

ADDRESSES: Send Comments to: Michael Miller, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Information Services Division, 941 North Capitol Street, 
NE., Washington, DC 20426. Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Goldenberg, (202) 208-2294, 
Office of General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 
North Capitol Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Sections 1320.15 and 1320.18 of 
OMB's regulations, the Commission is seeking expedited OMB approval of 
an information collection requirement concerning the transactions 
involving interstate pipelines and their affiliate pipelines (FERC Form 
592). These reporting requirements were extended by the Commission in 
Order 497-E from December 31, 1993 to June 30, 1994. Concurrent with 
the issuance of that order, the Commission issued a proposed rule to 
reduce the reporting requirements contained in Order 497 due to the 
effect of Order 636. Order 497 set standards for conduct between 
pipelines and their marketing affiliates to ensure that pipelines do 
not preferentially treat their marketing or brokering affiliates. The 
reporting requirements were imposed to ensure that standards were met. 
Order 636 required pipelines to unbundle their transportation services 
from their sales services. Based on the comments the Commission 
received to its proposal, the Commission in this final rule, RM94-6-000 
is reducing the number of reporting requirements for pipelines that 
allocate capacity based upon contract execution dates, service request 
dates or other data. Pipelines must maintain a log of the appropriate 
dates or data for both affiliates and non-affiliates. In addition, 
those pipelines must post the allocation dates or data for affiliate 
transactions on their electronic bulletin boards (EBBs).
    Simultaneously with the issuance of the final rule, the Commission 
is issuing RM87-5-016 to prevent a regulatory gap between the 
termination of the existing reporting requirements and the effective 
date of August 1, 1994 for the new reporting requirements, the 
Commission is extending the sunset date for the existing reporting 
requirements from June 30, 1994 until July 31, 1994.
    The respondents are 60 interstate natural gas pipeline companies. 
The current annual reporting burden is estimated to be 7,882 hours for 
the reporting requirements associated with FERC Form No. 592. RM94-6-
000 significantly reduces this burden, in fact by more than to 3,500 
hours. This burden is based on an estimated average of 58 hours per 
filing for the respondents to complete 60 filings of FERC Form 592 
requirements. This estimate includes the time for reviewing 
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and obtaining 
data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of 
information.
    Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of 
this collection of information to Mr. Michael Miller, Information 
Services Division, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 941 N. Capitol 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 and to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk 
Officer for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20503. The telephone number for the OMB Desk Officer is (202) 395-3087, 
the facsimile number is (202) 395-5167. Comments to OMB should be 
submitted on or before June 28, 1994 for RM87-05-16 and July 22, 1994 
for RM94-6-000 in order to provide adequate time for OMB to review the 
comments on the data request.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-15339 Filed 6-22-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P