[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71445-71446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33049]



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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 revision and extension of approval to the Form 
EIA-902, ``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers Survey.''

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before February 22, 
2000. If you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within that 
period, contact the person identified below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Peter Holihan, Energy Information 
Administration (EI-52), Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Washington, D.C. 20585. Alternatively, Mr. Holihan may be reached by 
phone at (202) 426-1147, by e-mail James.H[email protected], or by 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

    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.) require 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) of the collections under Section 3507(h) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.
    The Form EIA-902 collects information on shipments of geothermal 
heat pumps. The survey tracks shipments of the following three main 
types of geothermal heat pumps, as classified by the Air Conditioning & 
Refrigeration Institute (ARI), and the much smaller shipped volume of 
non-ARI rated systems. A brief description of the ARI-classified system 
is as follows:
    ARI 320--Water-Source Heat Pumps (WSHP)--These systems are 
installed in commercial buildings, where a central chiller or boiler 
supplies chilled or heated water, respectively, to heat pumps installed 
in series. The heat pumps reject building heat to chilled water during 
the cooling season and, during the heating season, take heat from 
boiler water.
    ARI 325--Ground Water-Source Heat Pumps (GWHP)--The GWHP is an 
open-loop system in which ground water is drawn from an aquifer or 
other natural body of water into piping. At the heat pump, heat is 
drawn from or dumped to the water through a heat exchanger to the 
refrigerant in the heat pump. The heated or cooled water returns to its 
source.
    ARI 330--Ground Source Closed-Loop Heat Pumps (GSHP)--A water or 
water/glycol (antifreeze) solution flows continuously through a closed 
loop of pipe buried underground. Ground heat is absorbed into or 
rejected from the solution flowing in the closed loop. At the heat 
pump, heat is drawn from or dumped to the closed loop solution via heat 
transfer through a heat exchanger, which passes heat to or removes heat 
from the refrigerant in the heat pump. Depending on the type of ground 
and land area, systems can either be installed horizontally or 
vertically.
    Data are collected by model type, heat pump capacity, region of 
destination, customer type, and economic sector. Respondents are all 
U.S. geothermal heat pump manufacturers.

II. Current Actions

    EIA will be requesting a three-year extension of Office of 
Management and Budget approval to continue using Form EIA-902 through 
2003.

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.

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 need clarification?
    B. Can information be submitted by the due date?
    C. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average four hours per response. The estimated burden includes the 
total time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate, 
maintain, retain, disclose and provide the information. Please comment 
on the accuracy of the estimate.
    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. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of 
this collection of information, including the use of information 
technology? For example, should the agency develop additional 
electronic methods (e.g., forms and instruction on diskettes, touch 
tone data entry, forms that may be completed and submitted directly 
through the Internet, and data submission by fax or e-mail) for 
respondents to submit information?
    F. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the 
method(s) of collection.

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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 weaknesses 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, December 15, 1999.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy 
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-33049 Filed 12-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P