[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
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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