[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53709-53710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22587]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC00-588-000; FERC-588]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

August 29, 2000.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13), the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public comment 
on the specific aspects of the information collection described below.

DATES: Consideration will be given to comments submitted on or before 
November 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained from and written comments may be submitted to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer, CI-1, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Miller may be reached by 
telephone at (202) 208-1415, by fax at (202) 208-2425, and by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC Form No. 588 ``Emergency Natural Gas 
Transportation, Sale and Exchange Transactions'' (OMB No. 1902-0144) is 
used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of 
sections 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (P.L. 75-688) (15 U.S.C. 
717-717w) and provisions of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA), 
15 U.S.C. 3301-3432. Under the NGA, a natural gas company must obtain 
Commission approval to engage in the transportation, sale or exchange 
of natural gas in interstate commerce. However, section 7(c) exempts 
from certificate requirements ``temporary acts or operations for which 
the issuance of a certificate will not be required in the public 
interest.'' The NGPA also provides for non-certificated interstate 
transactions involving intrastate pipelines and local distribution 
companies.
    A temporary operation, or emergency, is defined as any situation in 
which an actual or expected shortage of gas supply would require an 
interstate pipeline company, intrastate pipeline, or local distribution 
company, or Hinshaw pipeline to curtail deliveries of gas or provide 
less than the projected level of service to the customer. The natural 
gas companies file the necessary information with the Commission so 
that it may determine if the transaction/operation qualifies for 
exemption. A report within forty-eight hours of the commencement of the 
transportation, sale or exchange, a request to extend the sixty-day 
term of the emergency transportation, if needed, and a termination 
report are required. The data required to be filed for the forty-eight 
hour report is specified by 18 CFR 284.270.
    Action: The Commission is requesting reinstatement, without change, 
of the previously approved data collection for which approval expired 
July 31, 2000, and a three-year approval of the collection of data. 
This is a mandatory information collection requirement.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as follows:

[[Page 53710]]



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                                         Number of
                                         responses
 Number of respondents annually  (1)        per         Average burden hours per      Total annual burden hours
                                        respondent           response  (3)                   (1)X(2)X(3)
                                            (2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15...................................            1   10 hours                       150 hours.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The estimated total cost to respondents is $8,319 (150 hours 
divided by 2,080 hours per employee per year times $115,357 per year 
average salary (including overhead) per employee = $8,319 (rounded)).
    The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide 
the information including: (1) Reviewing instructions; (2) developing, 
acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems for the 
purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing, maintaining, 
disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the existing ways 
to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements: 
(4) training personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5) 
searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of 
information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the 
information.
    The estimate of cost for respondents is based upon salaries for 
professional and clerical support, as well as direct and indirect 
overhead costs. Direct costs include all costs directly attributable to 
providing this information, such as administrative costs and the cost 
for information technology. Indirect or overhead costs are costs 
incurred by an organization in support of its mission. These costs 
apply to activities which benefit the whole organization rather than 
any one particular function or activity.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Commission, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology e.g. permitting electronic submission of 
responses.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-22587 Filed 9-1-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M