[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7364-7365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-3889]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Extension of 
Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, DOE.

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

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting 
comments on the proposed three-year extension to the Form EIA-28, 
Financial Reporting System (FRS), under section 3507(h)(1).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted within 60 days of the 
publication of this notice. If you anticipate difficulty in submitting 
comments within that period, contact the person identified below as 
soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to Gregory P. Filas of EIA. To 
ensure receipt of the comments by the due date, submission by FAX (202-
586-9753) or e-mail ([email protected]) is recommended. Mr. Filas 
mailing address is Energy Information Administration (EI-62), Financial 
Analysis Team, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Washington, DC 20585. Mr. Filas may be telephoned at (202) 586-1347.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Mr. Filas 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, (Pub. L. No. 93-275, 
15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.), and the Department of Energy Organization Act 
(Pub. L. No. 95-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), require the Energy 
Information Administration (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. This information is used 
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer-term 
domestic demands.
    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(h) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.
    Under Pub. L. 95-91, section 205(h), the Administrator of the EIA 
is required to ``identify and designate'' the major energy companies 
who must annually file Form EIA-28 to ensure that the data collected 
provide ``a statistically accurate profile of each line of commerce in 
the energy industry in the United States.'' Data collected on Form EIA-
28 are published and used in analyses of the energy industry.

II. Current Actions

    EIA is proposing a three-year extension with no changes to the 
previously approved Form EIA-28.

III. Request for Comments

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

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection 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

    A. Are the Form EIA-28 instructions and definitions clear and 
sufficient? If not, which instructions require clarification?
    B. Can information be submitted by the due date?
    C. Public reporting burden for the Form EIA-28 collection, 
including proposed changes, is estimated to average 450 hours per 
response. The estimated burden includes the total time, effort, or 
financial resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose 
and provide the information.
    Please comment on (1) the accuracy of the agency's estimate and (2) 
how the agency could minimize the burden of collecting this 
information, including the use of information technology.

[[Page 7365]]

    D. The agency estimates respondents will incur no additional costs 
for reporting other than the hours required to complete the collection. 
What is the estimated: (1) Total dollar amount annualized for capital 
and start-up costs; and (2) recurring annual costs of operation and 
maintenance, and purchase of services associated with this data 
collection?
    E. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the 
method(s) of collection.

As a Potential User

    A. Is the information useful at the levels of detail indicated on 
the form?
    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, what are their deficiencies 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. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Section 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Nancy J. Kirkendall,
Director, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-3889 Filed 2-15-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P