[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7517-7518]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3706]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed 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 proposed modifications and a three-year extension to the 
Form EIA-28, Financial Reporting System (FRS).

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 proposed 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. 93-275, 15 
U.S.C. 761 et seq.), and the Department of Energy Organization Act 
(Pub. L. 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, Financial Reporting System (FRS), 
to ensure that the data collected provide ``a statistically accurate 
profile of each line of commerce in the energy industry in the United 
States.'' The standardized reporting and data content allow comparisons 
on a uniform basis among major energy companies. Data collected on Form 
EIA-28 are published in aggregate form to protect confidentiality and 
are used in analyses of the energy industry.

II. Current Actions

    For the FRS survey to be conducted in 2004 collecting information 
for 2003, EIA proposes to revise the Form EIA-28. Major energy 
companies have become increasingly involved in the supply and 
disposition of natural gas and electricity as both industries have 
deregulated. The current FRS is not currently designed to collect 
detailed information necessary for analyzing major energy companies' 
activities in electric power and downstream natural gas. Therefore, it 
is necessary for the FRS to revise its program in order to collect 
accurate information as mandated.
    The mandate (Pub. L. 95-91, section 205(h)) requires EIA to provide 
data to evaluate the competitive environment within which energy 
products are supplied and developed and to analyze the nature of 
institutional arrangements as they relate to energy resource 
development, supply, and distribution. EIA has consulted with data 
providers and data users to design a modified FRS that reflects the 
suggestions of both groups.
    The proposed modifications include the addition of the following 
schedules: Electric Power Income Statement, Electric Power Operating 
Expenses, Purchases and Sales of Fuel and Electric Power, Electric 
Power Capacity Measures, Electric Power Output Measures, Downstream 
Natural Gas Income Statement, Downstream Natural Gas Operating 
Expenses, Purchases and Sales of Natural Gas and Natural Gas Liquids, 
Downstream Natural Gas Capacity Measures, and Downstream Natural Gas 
Output Measures. These schedules will be similar in format to existing 
schedules used by major energy companies for reporting on petroleum 
operations. Copies of the proposed new schedules and the instructions 
are available from Mr. Filas. In addition to the proposed modifications 
in the FRS form and instructions, EIA will request an extension of OMB 
approval.

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

[[Page 7518]]

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 is 
currently estimated to average 449 hours per response. The estimated 
burden includes the total time, effort, or financial resources expended 
to generate, maintain, retain, disclose and provide the information. 
With regard to the new schedules for electric power and downstream 
natural gas, EIA is estimating those schedules will require an 
additional one-time burden in 2004 of between 150 to 300 hours per 
affected respondent to modify existing information systems to generate 
the additional information. After the systems are modified, EIA is 
estimating the average increase in reporting burden for the EIA-28 will 
be 186 hours annually for companies having downstream natural gas 
activities and 233 hours annually for companies having electric power 
activities. For those companies having both business activities, the 
average increase in burden is estimated at 419 hours annually. However, 
most FRS respondent companies will not be affected as they have no 
activities in electric power and/or downstream natural gas and thus 
will incur no additional burden for reporting.
    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.
    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. 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 indicated on 
the form?
    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 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. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC, February 7, 2003.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-3706 Filed 2-13-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P