[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 153 (Friday, August 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42768-42769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-20950]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[FERC-525]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

August 4, 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) (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 
October 7, 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 Miller, Information 
Services Division, ED-12.4, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael 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-525 ``Financial Audits'' (OMB No. 1902-0092) is 
used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of 
Sections 4(b), 301(b), 302, 307 and 308 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), 
16 U.S.C. 792-8280, Sections 6, 8(b), 9 and 10 of the Natural Gas Act 
(NGA), and Sections 19 and 20 of the Interstate Commerce Act, 49 U.S.C. 
20. FERC-525 involves field audits of books and records of public 
utilities and licenses, natural gas companies and oil pipeline 
carriers.
    The Commission periodically performs audits to ensure that 
companies' financial records conform with the Commission's accounting, 
financial reporting, and other regulations established under the 
mandatory provisions of the statutes listed above. Also audits are 
conducted to assess and evaluate the regulatory implication of certain 
industry accounting practices and standards. Over time, more of the 
audit focus will be shifted to the later type of audits. The Commission 
implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) under 18 CFR parts 41, 101, 104, 125, 141, 158, 201, 225, 260, 
351, 352, 356, 357.
    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:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Average burden                   
    Number of          Number of          hours per       Total annual  
   respondents       responses per    response (hours)  burden hours (1)
   annually (1)      respondent (2)          (3)          x  (2)  x  (3)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
77...............                1                100             7,700 
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated cost burden to respondents: 7,700 hours divided by 2087 
hours per year times $110,000 per year equals $405,846. The cost per 
respondent is equal to $5,271.
    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

[[Page 42769]]

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 Commission'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. 97-20950 Filed 8-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M