[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4183-4184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1927]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC03-539-000, FERC-539]


Commission Information Collection Activities, Proposed 
Collection; Comment Request; Extension

January 22, 2003.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(a) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public 
comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described 
below.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by March 24, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained from Michael Miller, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
CI-1, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. Comments may be filed 
either in paper format or electronically. Those parties filing 
electronically do not need to make a paper filing.
    For paper filings, the original and 14 copies of such comments 
should be submitted to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 and 
refer to Docket No. IC03-539-000.
    Documents filed electronically via the Internet must be prepared in 
WordPerfect, MS Word, Portable Document Format, or ASCII format. To 
file the document, access the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov and click on ``Make an E-filing,'' and then follow the 
instructions for each screen. First time users will have to establish a 
user name and password. The Commission will send an automatic 
acknowledgment to the sender's e-mail address upon receipt of comments. 
User assistance for electronic filings is available at 202-502-8258 or 
by e-mail to [email protected] Comments should not be submitted to the 
e-mail address.
    All comments may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely via the 
Internet through FERC's homepage using the

[[Page 4184]]

FERRIS link. For user assistance, contact [email protected] or 
toll-free at (866) 208-3676 or for TTY, contact (202)502-8659.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Miller may be reached by 
telephone at (202)502-8415, by fax at (202)208-2425, and by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-539 ``Gas Pipeline Certificates: Import/Export'' 
(OMB No. 1902-0062) is used by the Commission to implement the 
statutory provisions of Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), 15 
U.S.C. 717-717w. Section 3 requires prior authorization before 
reporting or importing natural gas from or to the United States. 
Section 3 authorizes the Commission to grant an application, in whole 
or in part, with modifications and upon terms and conditions as the 
Commission may find necessary or appropriate. The 1992 amendments to 
Section 3 of the NGA concern the importation or exportation from/to a 
nation which has a free trade agreement with the United States. With 
the passage of both the North American Free Trade Agreement and the 
Canadian Free Trade Agreement, the construction, operation and siting 
of import or export facilities are also the subject of the Commission's 
regulatory focus.
    In Order No. 608, the Commission created voluntary procedures 
whereby prospective applicants could use a collaborative process to 
resolve significant issues prior to filing an application. This 
collaborative process allows applicants and interested parties to come 
together and come to mutual agreements that may help to defuse some of 
the controversial issues which may otherwise arise once an application 
has been filed with the Commission. The pre-filing consultation process 
combines efforts to address NGA issues with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) review process into a single pre-filing collaborative 
process that also includes the administrative processes associated with 
the Clean Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the 
Endangered Species Act and other relevant statutes. Combining the pre-
filing consultation and environmental review into a single pre-filing 
process simplifies and expedites the authorization of gas facilities 
and services.
    The Commission uses the information to determine the 
appropriateness of the proposed facilities and their location. The 
determination involves among other things, an examination of adequacy 
of design, cost, reliability, redundancy and environmental 
acceptability. This information is necessary for the Commission to make 
a determination that the facilities and location are consistent with 
the public interest. The Commission implements these filing 
requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR part 
153.
    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)
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             12                  1                241             2,886
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    Estimated cost burden to respondents: 2,886 hours / 2,080 hours per 
year x $117,041 per year = $162,394. The cost per respondent is equal 
to $ 13,533.
    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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-1927 Filed 1-27-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P