[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9072-9073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3055]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed new surveys, 
EIA-911A-C (Supplement), ``Biweekly Surveys to Assess Effects of 
Interruptions of Natural Gas Supplies in the Northeast United States.''

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before April 9, 2001. If you 
anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within that period, 
contact the person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to William Trapmann, (EI-44), ATTN: Form EIA-
911, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 
20585. Alternatively, Mr. Trapmann may be reached by telephone at 202-
586-6408, by FAX at 202-586-4420 or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
a copy of the forms and instructions should be directed to Mr. Trapmann 
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 (FEA Act) (Pub. L. 
93-275, 15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. 
95-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require 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. To carry 
out this program, section 13(b) of the FEA Act (15 U.S.C. 772(b)) 
states that ``All persons owning or operating facilities or business 
premises who are engaged in any phase of energy supply or major energy 
consumption shall make available to the (Administrator) such 
information and periodic reports, records, documents, and other data, 
relating to the purposes of this Act, * * *''
    Under the authorities granted, EIA conducts mandatory surveys of 
companies involved in energy supply and consumption. EIA's current 
surveys of energy suppliers include monthly surveys of petroleum 
product resellers and retailers, electric power supply and marketing 
companies, and natural gas supply companies. Collecting information 
from all types of energy supply companies provides EIA with information 
used to accurately estimate energy prices and quantities. Users of 
EIA's information include analysts in Federal, State, and local 
governments, as well as analysts in energy trade associations, energy 
companies, the media, consultants, and other private organizations.
    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(a) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.
    In order to assess the interactions of the natural gas and 
distillate energy markets in the Northeast during the winter 2000/2001 
heating season and to answer questions on the effects that ``fuel-
switching'' customers (i.e., those that switch between natural gas and 
distillate) have on demand and market prices, EIA needs to collect 
information that is currently not available. An emergency clearance 
request was submitted to OMB on December 26, 2000, requesting OMB 
approval by January 3, 2001, to use the following three surveys to 
obtain biweekly data for the seven-week period, January 1, 2001, 
through April 8, 2001. OMB approved this request on January 8, 2001. In 
order for EIA to analyze data for the entire winter 2000/2001 heating 
season, EIA needs similar data for the October through December 2000 
period.
     Form EIA-911A (Supplement), ``Biweekly Gas Supplier 
Survey'' EIA will collect information on a biweekly basis from a sample 
of natural gas suppliers in the Northeast regarding deliveries and 
interruptions of service for the October through December 2000 period. 
For each two-week period, data

[[Page 9073]]

will be collected on deliveries (firm, non-firm); interruptions 
(volumes and days interrupted, both firm and non-firm); and customers 
interrupted.
     Form EIA-911B (Supp.), ``Biweekly Petroleum Product 
Suppliers Sales Report'' For the October through December 2000 period, 
EIA will collect information on a biweekly basis from petroleum product 
suppliers in the Northeast regarding customers serviced; volumes 
(gallons) sold by product to customers with fuel-switching 
capabilities; total retail and wholesale volumes sold by product, and 
beginning and ending secondary-system inventories by product.
     Form EIA-911C (Supplement), ``Biweekly Natural Gas And 
Petroleum Customer Survey.''
    For the October through December 2000 period, EIA will collect 
information on a biweekly basis from Northeast energy customers with 
fuel-switching capabilities regarding total natural gas and natural gas 
deliveries; involuntary interruptions of natural gas deliveries (firm/
non-firm); substitutions of petroleum products as fuel in place of 
natural gas; and inventories of distillate fuel oil and other fuels.

II. Current Actions

    EIA will be requesting a one-time OMB approval for the three 
surveys through August 31, 2001, to collect data for seven two-week 
periods (September 24, 2000 through December 31, 2000).

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are 
provided to assist in the preparation of comments.

General Issues

    A. Are the proposed collections 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 to the Request for Information

    A. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions need clarification?
    B. Can the information be submitted by the due date?
    C. Reporting burden is estimated to average:

EIA-911A (Supp.) = 2 hours per two-week reporting period,
EIA-911B (Supp.) = 1 hour per two-week reporting period, and
EIA-911C (Supp.) = 2 hours per two-week reporting period.

    The estimated burden includes the total time necessary to provide 
the requested information. In your opinion, how accurate are the burden 
estimates?
    D. EIA estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for the time 
it will take to prepare for and complete the surveys. Will a respondent 
incur any other start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual 
costs for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated 
with the information collection?
    E. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of 
these collections of information? Such actions may involve the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    F. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information that would be useful for developing the accurate and 
independent natural gas data that would be available from the proposed 
survey? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), the methods of 
collection, and the name and phone number of someone that EIA may 
contact for additional information.

As a Potential User of the Information to be Collected

    A. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be 
collected?
    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, please specify the sources and 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. The 
comments also will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC, January 31, 2001.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy 
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-3055 Filed 2-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P