[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 81 (Monday, April 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22919-22920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10868]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments (FERC 
Form No. 543)

April 23, 1997.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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. 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 
June 27, 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 Form No. 543 ``Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Tracking 
(Formal)'' (OMB No. 1902-0152) is used by the Commission to implement 
the statutory provisions of Title IV of the Natural Gas Policy Act 
(NGPA), 15 U.S.C. 3301-3432, and Sections 4, 5, and 16, of the Natural 
Gas Act (NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w). As a result of the issuance and 
implementation of Order No. 636, the sales function performed by the 
interstate pipelines has mostly disappeared. Customers have 
overwhelmingly chosen to do their own procurement of gas supplies 
coupled with the use of transportation service on the pipelines rather 
than buying gas from pipelines. For pipelines to recover a variety of 
transportation costs they have developed filings to track these 
expenditures and include such charges as: Costs of obtaining the use of 
upstream pipeline capacity to fulfill pipeline service obligations; 
electric power cost filings; gas supply realignment transition cost 
flowthrough; fuel usage; and Gas Research Institute research fees. 
Tracking filings are submitted at any time to track upstream cost 
changes or are filed on a regularly scheduled basis as specified in the 
companies' tariffs establishing the tracking mechanism. Filings can be 
either: Accepted; suspended but not set for hearing; suspended for 
further review or a technical conference and additional Commission 
action as deemed necessary; or suspended and set for hearing. When a 
filing is suspended and set for hearing, it is considered a formal 
filing and the portion of the rate filing associated with the disputed 
issues becomes the subject of an investigation. Before the Commission 
allows the rate change to become effective, staff analysis is performed 
to ensure that the rate change is just and reasonable. The data 
submitted in the rate tracking filing are used by the Commission to 
verify the costs proposed to be recovered under those filings. The 
Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR 154.4; 154.7; 154.101; 154.107; 154.201; 
154.207-154.209 and 154.312; 154.314; 154.401-154.403; 154.601-154.603.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

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                                                                    Number of    Average burden   Total  annual 
               Number of respondents annually (1)                 responses per     hours per      burden hours 
                                                                 respondent (2)   response (3)   (1) x (2) x (3)
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2..............................................................               1           1,030            2,060
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    Estimated cost burden to respondents: 2,060 hours divided by 2,087 
hours per year times $104,350 per year equals $103,000. The cost per 
respondent is equal to $51,500.
    The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended to generate, maintain, retain,

[[Page 22920]]

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. 97-10868 Filed 4-25-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M