[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 189 (Friday, September 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49653-49654]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24293]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC01-002-000, FERC Form 2]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

September 24, 2001.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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

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[[Page 49654]]

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(a) 
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 27, 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 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC Form 2 ``Annual Report for Major Natural Gas 
Companies'' (OMB No. 1902-0028) is used by the Commission to implement 
the statutory provisions of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) 15 U.S.C. 717. 
The FERC Form 2 is a financial and operating report for natural gas 
rate regulation for major pipeline owners. ``Major'' is defined as 
companies having combined gas sold for resale and gas transported or 
stored for a fee that exceeds 50 million Dth in each of the three 
previous calendar years. Under the Form 2, the Commission investigates, 
collects and records data and prescribes rules and regulations 
concerning accounts, records and memoranda as necessary to administer 
the NGA. The Commission is empowered to prescribe a system of accounts 
for jurisdictional gas pipelines and after notice and opportunity for 
hearing, may determine the accounts in which particular outlays and 
receipts will be entered, charged or credited.
    Commission staff uses the data in the continuous review of the 
financial condition of jurisdictional companies, in various rate 
proceedings and in the Commission's audit program. FERC Form 2 data are 
also used to compute annual charges which are assessed against each 
jurisdictional natural gas pipeline and which are necessary to recover 
the Commission's annual costs.
    The NGA mandates the collection of information needed by the 
Commission to perform its regulatory responsibilities in the setting of 
just and reasonable rates. The Commission could be held in violation of 
the NGA if the information was not collected.
    The annual financial information filed with the Commission is a 
mandatory requirement submitted in a prescribed format which is filed 
electronically and on paper. The Commission implements these filing 
requirements in 18 CFR parts 158, 201, 260.1 and 385.2011.
    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:

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   Number of respondents       Number of responses per     Average burden hours per    Total annual burden hours
        annually (1)                respondent (2)               response (3)               (1) x (2) x (3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    57                            1                        1,485                      84,645
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated cost burden to respondents: 86,130 hours/2,080 hours per 
year  x  $117,041 per year = $4,762,949. The cost per respondent is 
equal to $83,561.
    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 cost estimate 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.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-24293 Filed 9-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P