[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38650-38651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18487]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC01-576-000, FERC-576]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

July 19, 2001.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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

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

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 
September 24, 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) 208-1415, and by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-576 ``Report by Certain Natural Gas Companies on 
Service Interruptions'' (OMB No. 1902-0004 is used by the Commission to 
implement the statutory provisions of Sections 4, 7, 10 and 16, of the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA)(PL 75-688, 52 Stat. 821-833, 15 U.S.C. 717-717w). 
The Commission is empowered to oversee continuity of service in the 
transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce. The information 
collected by FERC-576 notifies the Commission in a timely manner of any 
interruption of service or possible hazard to public health or safety.
    The Commission in response to timely notification of a serious 
interruption, may contact other pipelines to determine available 
supply, and if required, authorize transportation or construction of 
facilities to alleviate the problem. The data collected pertains to 
serious interruptions of service to any wholesale customer involving 
facilities operated under certificate authorization from the 
Commission. Specifically, the data collected may include: (1) Date of 
service interruption, (2) date of reporting the interruption to the 
Commission, (3) the location, (4) brief description of facility 
involved and cause of interruption, (5) customers affected, (6) 
duration of interruption, and (7) volumes of gas interrupted.
    These data are required by the Commission to provide timely 
information concerning interruptions to wholesale service. The 
reporting of

[[Page 38651]]

these interruptions will assist the Commission and the natural gas 
industry in fulfilling their obligations to the public to provide 
better service through increased efficiency and reliability. The data 
required to be filed for notification of interruptions is specified by 
18 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 260.9.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date, with no changes to the existing collection of 
data.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

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

    The estimated total cost to respondents is $844 (15 hours divided 
by 2,080 hours per year per employee times $117,041 per year per 
average employee = $844). The cost per respondent is $56.
    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.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-18487 Filed 7-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P