[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 62 (Thursday, April 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15735-15736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8058]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection; 
comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting 
comments on the proposed extension to the forms listed below:

EIA-14, ``Refiners' Monthly Cost Report;''
EIA-182, ``Domestic Crude Oil First Purchase Report;''
EIA-782A, ``Refiners'/Gas Plant Operators' Monthly Petroleum Product 
Sales Report;''
EIA-782B, ``Resellers'/Retailers' Monthly Petroleum Product Sales 
Report;''
EIA-782C, ``Monthly Report of Petroleum Products Sold Into States for 
Consumption;''
EIA-821, ``Annual Fuel Oil and Kerosene Sales Report;''
EIA-856, ``Monthly Foreign Crude Oil Acquisition Report;''
EIA-863, ``Petroleum Product Sales Identification Survey;''
EIA-877, ``Winter Heating Fuels Telephone Survey;''
EIA-878, ``Motor Gasoline Price Survey,'' and
EIA-888, ``On-Highway Diesel Fuel Price Survey;''

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 1, 1999. If 
you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within the 60 days, 
contact the person identified below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Jacob Bournazian, Energy Information 
Administration, EI-42, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Jacob Bournazian may be reached by 
phone at (202) 586-1256, by e-mail

[[Page 15736]]

Jacob.B[email protected], or by FAX (202) 586-4913.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the forms and instructions should be directed to Jacob 
Bournazian at the addresses listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    I. Background
    II. Current Actions
    III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275, 15 
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the Department of Energy Organization Act (Pub. 
L. 95-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) requires the Energy Information 
Administration (EIA) to carry out a centralized, comprehensive, and 
unified energy information program. This program collects, evaluates, 
assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information on energy resource 
reserves, production, demand, technology, and related economic and 
statistical information. This information is used to assess the 
adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer term domestic 
demands.
    The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides 
the general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to 
comment on collections of energy information conducted by or in 
conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA to prepare 
data requests that maximize the utility of the information collected, 
and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the public. 
Also, the 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.
    The petroleum marketing survey forms collect information needed for 
determining the supply and demand of crude oil and refined petroleum 
products. These surveys provide a basic set of data pertaining to the 
structure, efficiency, and behavior of petroleum markets. These data 
are published by the Energy Information Administration in the Monthly 
Energy Review, Annual Energy Review, Petroleum Marketing Monthly, 
Petroleum Marketing Annual, Weekly Petroleum Status Report, and the 
International Energy Outlook.

II. Current Actions

    EIA requests a one-year extension to the existing survey forms to 
collect data in calendar year 2000. EIA is requesting a one-year 
extension to minimize the cost and burden to survey respondents who are 
devoting significant resources during 1999 to make computer changes to 
their reporting systems for year 2000. In addition, EIA is also 
incurring computer system changes to prepare for year 2000.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested persons are invited to 
comment on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines 
are provided to assist in the preparation of comments. Please indicate 
to which form(s) your comments apply.

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the 
information have 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 be made 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 information be submitted by the due date?
    C. Public reporting burdens for these collections are estimated to 
average per respondent:
    EIA-14 = 1.6 hour; EIA-182 = 4.3 hours; EIA-782A = 15.0 hours; EIA-
782B = 2.5 hours; EIA-782C = 2.1 hours; EIA-821 = 3.2 hours; EIA-856 = 
6.1 hours; EIA-863 = 1.0; EIA-877 = 0.1 hour; EIA-878 = 0.05 hour; and 
EIA-888 = 0.05. The estimated burden includes the total time, effort, 
or financial resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose 
and provide the information. Please comment on (1) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate and (2) how the agency could minimize the burden of 
the collecting this information, including the use of information 
technology.
    D. The agency estimates respondents will incur no additional costs 
for reporting other than the hours required to complete the collection. 
What is 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. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the 
methods of collection.

As a Potential User

    A. Is the information useful at the levels of detail indicated on 
the form?
    B. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
    C. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?
    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, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC, March 26, 1999.
Renee H. Miller,
Acting Director, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-8058 Filed 3-31-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P