[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 165 (Monday, August 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54797-54799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21638]


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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.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting 
comments concerning proposed revisions to the Form EIA-846A/C, 
``Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey.''

DATES: Comments must be filed by October 25, 2002. If you anticipate 
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the 
person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Robert K. Adler. To ensure receipt of the 
comments by the due date, submission by FAX (202-586-0018) or e-mail 
([email protected]) is recommended. The mailing address is 
Energy Consumption Division, EI-63, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Washington, DC 20585-0660. Alternatively, Mr. Adler may be 
contacted by telephone at 202-586-1134.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of any forms and instructions should be directed to Robert K. 
Adler 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. 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. 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) under section 3507(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.
    The Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS) is a mail survey 
designed to collect energy consumption and expenditures data from 
establishments in the manufacturing sector; i.e., North American 
Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes 31-33. There are three 
MECS data collection forms and their use depends on an establishment's 
primary business activity classification under NAICS. Form EIA-846A 
collects information for all the manufacturing industries contained 
within NAICS 31-33 except for NAICS 321, 322, 324, 325, and 331111. 
Form EIA-846B is for establishments operating primarily in the 
petroleum refining industry (NAICS 324110). Form EIA-846C is for

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establishments in NAICS 321, 322, 324 (except 324110), 325 and 331111.
    The 2002 MECS will collect information during 2003 for business 
activities in calendar year 2002. For the 2002 MECS, EIA proposes to 
collect the following data from each MECS establishment: (1) For each 
energy source consumed--consumption (total, fuel and nonfuel uses) and 
the expenditures for each energy source, energy storage (as 
applicable), and energy produced onsite; (2) energy end uses; (3) 
general energy-saving technologies; (4) energy management activities; 
(5) square footage and number of buildings in the establishment; (6) 
fuel-switching capabilities; and (7) use of equipment and behaviors 
associated with the adaption to the digital economy.
    The MECS has been conducted five times previously, covering the 
years 1985, 1988, 1991, 1994, and 1998. In all five survey years, the 
MECS has collected baseline data on manufacturers' energy consumption 
and expenditures. The MECS collected data on fuel-switching 
capabilities in all years except 1998. In the 1991,1994, and 1998 
surveys, the MECS also collected data on end-uses, energy management 
technologies, building square footage, and energy-saving technologies.
    The MECS information is the basis for data and analytic products 
that can be found in http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mecs. Also on this 
website are past publications, articles, and a special analytic series, 
``Industry Analysis Briefs.'' The 2002 MECS will also be used to 
benchmark EIA's industry forecasting model and update changes in the 
energy intensity and greenhouse gases data series.
    The proposed 2002 MECS uses experience gained from the 
administration and processing of the five previous surveys and past 
consultations with respondents, trade association representatives, and 
data users. EIA has completed a web-based survey of users to obtain 
their advice and needs for data. The results of that survey can be 
found at http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/mecs/mecs2002/user_needs/results.html.

II. Current Actions

    EIA proposes making several changes from the 1998 MECS for use in 
the 2002 MECS. The MECS will reinstate the fuel-switching capability 
data collection questions that last appeared in the 1994 survey. 
Volatility in energy prices during periods since the 1998 survey 
coupled with a need to reestablish baseline data have led to its 
reinstatement. To compensate for the added respondent burden and cost 
to the government of collecting fuel-switching data, EIA intends to 
delete the questions on industry-specific technologies. Those questions 
have proven difficult to keep up-to-date and by themselves cannot give 
information on the extent to which such technologies influence energy 
consumption at the manufacturing establishment. The number of 
additional data items required to do that would be prohibitive. EIA 
will reexamine the collection of the industry-specific technologies in 
the future.
    EIA is also exploring ways in which the MECS can collect data which 
would cover energy issues in the area of the digital economy. ``Check-
off'' type questions would be added that would ask about the use of 
manufacturing controls and real-time electricity price response. 
Additionally, the number of MECS sample cases would be increased to 
enable a more detailed breakout of NAICS 334, ``Computer and Electronic 
Product Manufacturing.'' The additional questions and sample depend on 
upcoming funding levels.
    EIA would like to address certain data quality and reconciliation 
issues. A question under consideration for addition would ask MECS 
respondents to identify by name their suppliers of residual fuel oil 
and possibly other types of energy source suppliers, most likely 
natural gas. This reporting would be used to identify frame differences 
with other EIA reporting systems. The same level of strict 
confidentiality would be maintained for these data items that is in 
place for the rest of the MECS.
    A second small set of proposed new questions would involve the 
issue of onsite electricity generation. In order to understand the 
changing financial and operational relationship between manufacturing 
establishments and associated power generating equipment brought about 
by electricity restructuring, EIA wants to quantify more exactly the 
extent to which those generation facilities are being sold to other 
entities, in whole or in part, and how that change of ownership would 
affect MECS reporting. Further, there may be a related question about 
the types of ownership arrangements that could occur.
    A third area of interest is the reporting by petroleum refineries. 
EIA is reexamining the issue of co-located petrochemical plants and 
whether the current MECS is addressing energy flows properly in order 
for an energy accounting to be complete and nonduplicative. This 
reexamination may necessitate some changes in the special refinery form 
EIA-846B . In all the proposed data quality additions, the expected 
respondent burden increases would be minimal.
    The 1998 MECS made the transition from the Standard Industrial 
Classification (SIC) system to NAICS. To aid in that transition, the 
major energy consumption tables were presented in terms of both 
industry classification systems. EIA was able to do that for the 1998 
MECS because each manufacturing establishment in the MECS sample 
carried both a NAICS code and an SIC code. For the 2002 MECS, only the 
NAICS classifications will be maintained and thus data presentations 
will be in terms of NAICS only.
    Besides the changes already discussed, the content of the 2002 MECS 
will be largely unchanged from the 1998 survey. The questionnaire will 
again be primarily in a question-answer format as opposed to the matrix 
style presentation. The MECS information products will continue to 
present Census Region level data as well as national data.

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. Please indicate to 
which form(s) your comments apply.

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 to the Request for Information

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be 
collected?
    B. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions need clarification?
    C. Can the information be submitted by the due date?
    D. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average eight hours per response for Form EIA-846A,

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seven hours per response for Form EIA-846B, and nine hours per response 
for Form EIA-846C. The estimated burden includes the total time 
necessary to provide the requested information. In your opinion, how 
accurate is this estimate?
    E. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for 
the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent 
incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs 
for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with 
the information collection?
    F. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of 
this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    G. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the 
methods of collection.

As a Potential User of the Information to be Collected

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information 
disseminated?
    B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be 
collected?
    C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
    D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are 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. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority:  Section 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC, August 20, 2002.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy 
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-21638 Filed 8-23-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P