[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 79 (Monday, April 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21731-21732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10094]


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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 three-year extension to the petroleum 
marketing survey 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'';
    EIA-888, ``On-Highway Diesel Fuel Price Survey.'';

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 23, 2000. 
If you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments on or before June 
23, 2000, 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,

[[Page 21732]]

Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Jacob Bournazian may be contacted 
by phone at (202) 586-1256, by e-mail [email protected], or 
by FAX (202) 586-4913.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Jacob 
Bournazian 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. No. 93-275, 
15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the Department of Energy Organization Act 
(Pub. L. No. 95-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) requires the 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 of and demand for 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 EIA on its web site, 
www.eia.doe.gov, as well as in hardcopy publications, such as the 
Monthly Energy Review, Annual Energy Review, Petroleum Marketing 
Monthly, Petroleum Marketing Annual, Weekly Petroleum Status Report, 
and the International Energy Outlook. EIA also maintains a 24-hour 
telephone hotline number, (202) 586-6966, for the public to obtain 
retail prices estimates for on-highway diesel fuel and motor gasoline.

II. Current Actions

    EIA requests a three-year extension to the existing survey forms 
with no changes to the existing collection.

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 specified in the 
instructions?
    C. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average per respondent: EIA-14--1.6 hours; 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; EIA-888--0.05 hours. The estimated 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 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? The estimates should take into account the costs associated 
with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing the 
information.
    Estimates should not include purchases of equipment or services 
made as part of customary and usual business practices, or the cost of 
any burden hours for completing the form(s). EIA estimates that there 
are no additional costs other than those that the respondent incurs in 
keeping the information for its own uses.
    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, April 18, 2000.
Nancy J. Kirkendall,
Acting Director, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-10094 Filed 4-21-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P