[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 175 (Thursday, September 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 48485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24211]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[IC98-73-001 FERC Form No. 73]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

September 3, 1998.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of submission for review by the Office of Management and 
Budget and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) has 
submitted the information collection listed in this notice to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under provisions of 
Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-
13). Any interested person may file comments on the information 
collection directly with OMB and should address a copy of those 
comments to the Commission as explained below. The Commission did not 
receive any comments in response to an earlier notice issued June 19, 
1998 and published in the Federal Register on June 25, 1998 (63 FR 
34638).

DATES: Comments regarding this collection of information are best 
assured of having their full effect if received on or before October 
13, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Address comments to the Office of Management and Budget, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Desk Officer, 725 17th Street, N.W. Washington, 
D.C. 20503. A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
Attention: Mr. Michael Miller, 888 First Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 
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:

Description

    1. Collection of Information: FERC Form No. 73 ``Oil Pipelines 
Service Life Data''
    2. Sponsor: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
    3. Control No.: OMB No. 1902-0019. The Commission is now requesting 
that OMB approve a three-year extension of the current expiration date, 
with no changes to the existing collection. This is a mandatory 
information collection requirement.
    4. Necessity of Collection of Information: Submission of the 
information is used by the Commission to implement the statutory 
provisions of Sections 306 and 402 of the Department of Energy 
Organization Act 42 U.S.C. 7155 and 7172, and Executive Order No. 
12009, 42 FR 46277 (September 13, 1977). From these statutory sections 
the Commission assumed jurisdictional responsibility for oil pipelines 
from the Interstate Commerce Act, 49 U.S.C. 6501, et al. As part of the 
information necessary for the subsequent investigation and review of 
the oil pipeline company's proposed depreciation rates, the pipeline 
companies are required to provide service life data as part of their 
data submission if the proposed depreciation rates are based on 
remaining physical life calculations. This service life data is 
collected and submitted on FERC Form No. 73.
    Data submitted by an oil pipeline company during an investigation 
may be either initial data or it may be an update to existing data 
already on file. These data are then used by the Commission as input to 
several computer programs known collectively as the Depreciation Life 
Analysis System (DLAS) to assist in the selection of appropriate 
service lives and book depreciation rates.
    Book depreciation rates are used by oil pipeline companies to 
compute the depreciation portion of their operating expense which is a 
component of their cost of service which in turn is used to determine 
the transportation rate to assess customers. Staff's recommended book 
depreciation rates become legally binding when issued in an order by 
the Commission. These rates remain in effect until a subsequent review 
is requested and the outcome indicates that a modification is 
justified. The Commission implements these filing requirements in the 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR Parts 347 and 357.
    5. Respondent Description: The respondent universe currently 
comprises on average, 5 respondents subject to the Commission's 
jurisdiction.
    6. Estimated Burden: 200 total burden hours, 5 respondents, 1 
response annually, 40 hours per response (average).
    7. Estimated Cost Burden to Respondents: 200 hours  2,088 
hours per year times $109,889 per year equals $10,525. The cost per 
respondent is equal to $2,105.

    Statutory Authority: 49 U.S.C. 6501.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-24211 Filed 9-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M