[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 20 (Thursday, January 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4521-4522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2262]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[FERC-588]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

January 24, 1997.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(a) 
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 
March 13, 1997.

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 P. Miller, Information 
Services Division, ED-12.4, 888 First Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 
20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael P. Miller may be reached by 
telephone at (202) 208-1415, by fax at (202) 273-0873, and by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-588 ``Emergency Natural Gas Transportation, Sale 
and Exchange Transactions'' (OMB No. 1902-0144) is used by the 
Commission to implement the statutory provisions of

[[Page 4522]]

Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w) and 
provisions of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (NGP), 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, local distribution 
company, or Hinshaw pipeline to curtail deliveries of gas or provide 
less than the projected level of service to any 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 (a) (b), (c). The 
termination report is required by 18 CFR 284.270(d).

Action

    The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the current 
expiration date, with no changes to the existing collection of data.

Burden Statement

    Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated as:

                                                                        
                Number of                                               
  Number of     responses      Average                                  
 respondents       per      burden hours     Total annual burden hours  
  annually     respondent   per response                                
(1)                   (2)           (3)   (1) x (2) x (3)               
                                                                        
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55..........            1            10   550 hours.                    
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    The estimated total cost to respondents is $27,500 (550 hours 
divided by 2,087 hours per year per employee times $104,350 per year 
per average employee = $27,500). The cost per respondent is $500.
    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.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-2262 Filed 1-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M