[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53149-53150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22852]


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FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMMISSION

[IC03-592-000 FERC Form No. 592]


Commission Collection Activities, Proposed Collection; Comment 
Request; Extension

September 2, 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 (Pub. L. 104-13), 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 October 31, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained from Michael Miller, Office of the Executive Director, ED-30, 
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. Comments on the proposed 
collection of information 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 should refer to Docket No. IC03-592-000.
    Documents filed electronically via the Internet can be prepared in 
a variety of formats, including WordPerfect, MS Word, Portable Document 
Format, Rich Text 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 end 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 this e-mail address.
    All comments may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely via the 
Internet through FERC's homepage using the eLibrary 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) 273-0873 and by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The information collected under the requirements of FERC Form No. 
592, ``Marketing Affiliates of Interstate Pipelines'' (OMB No. 1902-
0157) is used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions 
of Sections 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 14, 16 and 20 of the Natural Gas

[[Page 53150]]

Act (NPA), 15 U.S.C. 717-717w and Title II, Section 311 and Sections 
501 and 504 of the Natural Gas Policy Act (Pub. L. 95-621)
    The information under FERC Form 592 applies only to those major 
natural gas pipelines involved in transactions with affiliated 
marketing or brokering companies. In Order No. 497, 53 FR 22161, June 
14, 1988, the Commission addressed possible abuses in the relationship 
between interstate natural gas pipelines and their marketing or 
brokering entity. The rule established standards of conduct and 
reporting requirements intended to prevent preferential treatment of an 
affiliated marketer by an interstate pipeline in the provision of 
transportation services. In Order No. 637, 65 FR 10219, February 25, 
2000, the Commission in response to growing competition in the natural 
gas marketplace and to further ensure that it could monitor 
transactions for the exercise of marketpower revised its reporting 
requirements. These provisions have improved the availability and 
usefulness of the information reported. Under these revisions, periodic 
reporting to the Commission was reduced and instead a greater reliance 
was placed on Internet posting and information maintenance. 
Specifically with regard to interstate pipelines and their affiliates, 
respondents have to post the list of names of operating personnel and 
facilities shared by the interstate pipeline and its marketing 
affiliate plus organizational charts and job descriptions were also to 
be posted with specified information. Respondents also have to file 
with the Commission a set of procedures to show compliance with the 
Commission's standards of conduct; maintain books of accounts and 
records separate from those of its affiliate; contemporaneously inform 
all potential shippers of information provided to marketing affiliates 
about the transportation of natural gas; maintain a log of waivers that 
the pipeline grants with respect to tariff provisions that provide for 
discretionary waivers and make the log available within a 24-hour 
period from when a request is made; and contemporaneously provide to 
similarly situated non-affiliated shippers the same transportation 
discount that it made to an affiliated marketer.
    The information maintained and provided by respondents is used by 
the Commission to monitor pipelines' transportation and sales 
activities for their marketing affiliates to deter undue discrimination 
by pipeline companies in favor of their marketing affiliates. These 
reporting requirements act to deter undue discrimination and 
preference, and permit the market to monitor and self-police affiliate 
transactions. The information is also used by nonaffiliated shippers or 
others (such as state commissions) to determine whether they have been 
harmed by affiliate preference and, in some cases, to prepare evidence 
for formal proceedings following the filing of a complaint. The 
Commission implements these filings requirements in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR section 161.3 and section 250.16.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension without 
any changes to the Reporting requirements.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this information 
collection is estimated as:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Average burden     Total annual
    Number of          Number of      (number of hours    burden (total
   respondents       responses per      per response)   number of hours)
   annually (1)     respondent  (2)          (3)           (1)x(2)x(3)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             74                  2              29.8*            4,409
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Rounded off.

    Estimated cost to respondents: 4,409 hours / 2,080 per year x 
$117,041 = $248,093. The cost per respondent = $3,353. 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 purpose of 
collection, 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. 03-22852 Filed 9-8-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M