[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11659-11660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6131]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collections; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: Proposed collections; 
Comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed renewal of approval for Forms EIA-63A, 
``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey,'' and EIA-63B, 
``Annual Photovoltaic Module/Cell Manufacturers Survey.''

DATES: Written comments must be submitted within 60 days of the 
publication of this notice. 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 James Holihan, Energy Information 
Administration, EI-523, Renewable Energy Branch, Forrestal Building, 
U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. 20585-0650, Telephone (202) 
426-1147; e-mail [email protected]; FAX (202) 426-1311.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Mr. Holihan 
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. No. 93-275) and the Department of 
Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 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 EIA, 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 EIA to prepare data requests in the desired format, minimize 
reporting burden, develop clearly understandable reporting forms, and 
assess the impact of collection requirements on respondents. Also, EIA 
will later seek approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for the collections under Section 3507(h) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, title 44, U.S.C. Chapter 35).

II. Current Actions

    The EIA will request a three-year extension through August 31, 
2001, to continue using Forms EIA-63A and EIA-63B. No substantive 
modifications to the currently approved forms will be proposed unless 
substantive suggestions are received and approved.
    The forms currently are used to gather information on the supply 
and distribution of solar thermal collectors, photovoltaic cells, and 
photovoltaic modules. Specifically, the forms collect information on 
manufacturing, imports, exports, and shipments. The EIA has been 
collecting this information annually and proposes to continue the 
surveys. The data collected will be published in the Renewable Energy 
Annual and will also be available through EIA's Internet site at http:/
/www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the actions discussed in item II. (If your comments apply to a 
specific form, please indicate one.) The following guidelines are 
provided to assist in the preparation of responses.

General Issues

    A. Are the proposed collections of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the 
information have

[[Page 11660]]

practical utility? Practical utility is defined as 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 by the due date?
    C. Public reporting burden for each form is estimated to average 
approximately three hours.
    Burden includes the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide 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 the use of information technology.
    D. EIA estimates that respondents will incur no additional costs 
for reporting other than the hours required to complete the collection. 
The information requested is expected to be available in each 
respondent's business information system. What are the estimated: (1) 
Total dollar amount annualized for capital and start-up costs, and (2) 
recurring annual costs of operation and maintenance, and purchase of 
services associated with this data collection?
    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(s)?
    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., March 4, 1998.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy 
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 98-6131 Filed 3-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P