[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 76 (Thursday, April 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16903-16904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9568]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Energy Information Administration

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, Energy.

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed one year extension of the Forms EIA-
800-804, 807, 810-814, 816, 817, 819M, 820 and 825 of the Petroleum 
Supply Reporting System (PSRS) for the collection of data in 1997. In 
addition, the EIA has eliminated the Form EIA-819A and will collect 
data by Form EIA-820 biennially, instead of annually.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 17, 1996. 
If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it 
difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, 
you should advise the contact listed below of your intention to do so 
as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Stacey Ungerleider, Energy Information 
Administration, EI-421, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Washington, D.C. 20585, telephone: (202) 586-5130, e-mail address: 
[email protected] or fax number: (202) 586-5846.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Stacey 
Ungerleider at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    In order to fulfill its responsibilities under the Federal Energy 
Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275) and the Department of 
Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91), the Energy Information 
Administration (EIA) is obliged to carry out a central, comprehensive, 
and unified energy data and information program. As part of this 
program, EIA collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates 
data and information related to energy resource reserves, production, 
demand, and technology, and related economic and statistical 
information relevant to the adequacy of energy resources to meet 
demands in the near and longer term future for the Nation's economic 
and social needs.
    The Energy Information Administration, as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden (required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)), conducts a presurvey 
consultation program to provide the general public and other Federal 
agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
reporting forms. This program helps to ensure that requested data can 
be provided in the desired format, reporting burden is minimized, 
reporting forms are clearly understood, and the impact of collection 
requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.
    The Petroleum Supply Reporting System collects data essential for 
determining the supply and demand of crude oil, petroleum products and 
natural gas liquids. These data are published by the Energy Information 
Administration in the Weekly Petroleum Status Report, Winter Fuels 
Report, Petroleum Supply Monthly and the Petroleum Supply Annual. 
Survey respondents include producers of oxygenates, operators of 
petroleum refining facilities, motor gasoline blending plants, bulk 
terminals, crude oil and petroleum product pipelines, natural gas plant 
facilities, tanker and barge operators and oil importers.

II. Current Actions

    The EIA requests a one year extension to the Forms EIA-800-804, 
807, 810-814, 816, 817, 819M, 820 and 825 of the Petroleum Supply 
Reporting System to collect data in 1997. In response to budget 
reductions, EIA is making immediate modifications to its current 
business practices. As a result, the EIA eliminated the survey, Form 
EIA-819A, ``Annual Oxygenate Report'' as of January 1, 1996; is using 
the Form EIA-820, ``Annual Refinery Report'' to collect data on a 
biennial basis beginning in 1997 (the form is not being used to collect 
data in 1996); and initiated a two-year development schedule for the 
implementation of revised survey forms in 1998.

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 responses. (If the notice 
covers more than one form, please indicate to which form(s) your 
comments apply.)

General Issues

    EIA is interested in receiving comments from persons regarding: A. 
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information will have practical utility. Practical utility is the 
actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into 
account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the 
agency's ability to process the information it collects.
    B. What enhancements can EIA make to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent

    A. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions require clarification?
    B. Can data be submitted in accordance with the due date specified 
in the instructions?
    C. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average per submission: EIA-800, 1 hour 10 minutes; EIA-801, 40 
minutes; EIA-802, 40 minutes; EIA-803, 25 minutes; EIA-804, 1 hour 10 
minutes; EIA-807, 50 minutes; EIA-810, 3 hours 10 minutes; EIA-811, 1 
hour 40 minutes; EIA-812, 2 hours; EIA-813, 1 hour 30 minutes; EIA-814, 
1 hour 5 minutes; EIA-816, 40 minutes; EIA-817, 1 hour 30 minutes; EIA-
819M, 30 minutes; EIA-820, 2 hours; and EIA-825, 30 minutes. Burden 
includes the total time, effort, or financial resources expended to 
generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide the information 
including: (1) reviewing instructions; (2) developing, acquiring, 
installing, and utilizing

[[Page 16904]]

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.
    Please comment on (1) the accuracy of our estimate and (2) how the 
agency could minimize the burden of the collection of information, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.
    D. What are the estimated (1) total dollar amount annualized for 
capital and start-up costs. and (2) recurring annual dollar amount of 
operation and maintenance and purchase of services costs associated 
with this data collection? The estimates should take into account the 
costs associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or 
providing the information.
    Estimates should not include purchases of equipment or services 
made as part of customary and usual business practices, or the cost of 
any burden hours for completing the form(s). EIA estimates that there 
are no additional costs other than those that the respondent incurs in 
keeping the information for its own uses.
    E. Do you know of any other Federal, State, or local agency that 
collects similar data? If you do, specify the agency, the data 
element(s), and the methods of collection.

As a Potential User

    A. Can you use data at the levels of detail indicated on the form?
    B. For what purpose would you use the data? Be specific.
    C. Are there alternate sources of data and do you use them? If so, 
what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?
    D. For the most part, information is published by EIA in U.S. 
customary units, e.g., cubic feet of natural gas, short tons of coal, 
and barrels of oil. Would you prefer to see EIA publish more 
information in metric units, e.g., cubic meters, metric tons, and 
kilograms? If yes, please specify what information (e.g., coal 
production, natural gas consumption, and crude oil imports), the metric 
unit(s) of measurement preferred, and in which EIA publication(s) you 
would like to see such information.
    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 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13).

    Issued in Washington, D.C., April 4, 1996.
John Gross,
Acting Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 96-9568 Filed 4-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P