[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23240-23241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11490]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC01-561-000; FERC Form 561]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

May 2, 2001.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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)(a) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 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 
July 9, 2001.

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 
mike.miller@ferc. fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC Form 561 ``Annual Report of Interlocking 
Positions'' (OMB No. 1902-0099) is used by the Commission to implement 
the statutory provisions of the Federal Power Act section 305 (FPA) as 
amended by Title II, Section 211 of the Public Utility Regulatory 
Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) (16 U.S.C. 825d). Submission of FERC Form 
561 satisfies the FPA section 305(b) and (c) annual reporting 
requirements for public utility officers and directors to report 
officer and director positions they hold with financial institutions, 
insurance companies, utility equipment providers, utility fuel 
providers, and a utility's top twenty customers of electric energy. FPA 
section 305(c)(3)(A) defines the public utilities who are required to 
file. FPA section 305(c)(2) requires that the filed information be made 
available to the public. FPA section 305(c)(1) requires an annual 
filing deadline of April 30th. The necessary filing information, the 
required filers, the requirement to make the information available to 
the public and the filing deadline are all mandated by the FPA. The 
Commission is not empowered to amend or waive these statutory 
requirements. Requirements the Commission has the authority to amend, 
such as the format of the filing itself and

[[Page 23241]]

the number of required copies, are found at 18 CFR 46.6 and 131.31.
    The Commission has used the information filed in FERC Form 561 for 
the identification of: (1) Possible interlocking positions where the 
relationship is employed for the director's own benefit or profit, or 
for the benefit or profit of any other person or persons and to the 
detriment of the utility's, or the public interest; (2) the possible 
existence of control over a large number and geographically widespread 
public utilities by a small group of individuals; (3) the lack of arm's 
length dealings between public utilities and organizations furnishing 
financial services to consumers; and (4) the evasion by means of common 
control of competition resulting in higher costs and poorer services to 
consumers.
    FERC Form 561 is available in an Excel spreadsheet and requires 
only updating of the prior year's information. One signed original hard 
copy and one photocopy are the required submission to the Commission; 
the electronic file is an optional submission.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date, with no changes to the existing collection of 
information.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Number of      Average burden
              Number of respondents annually                  responses per       hours per       Total annual
                                                               respondent         response        burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)                                                                     (2)               (3)   (1) x (2) x (3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1,600.....................................................                1              0.25               400

    The estimated total cost to respondents is $22,508. (400 hours 
divided by 2,088 hours per year per employee times $117,041 per year 
per average employee=$22,508). The cost per respondent is $14.
    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; (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.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-11490 Filed 5-7-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M