[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57682-57683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25226]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[IC03-577-000 FERC-577]


Commission Collection Activities, Proposed Collection; Comment 
Request; Extension

September 29, 2003.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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. No. 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 December 1, 
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 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. IC03-577-000.
    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.
    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-577, ``Gas Pipeline Certificates: Environmental 
Impact Statement'' (OMB No. 1902-0128) is a filing requirement of the 
environmental assessment of pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) 
facility construction projects. The filing collects information from 
all Natural Gas Act (NGA) jurisdictional pipeline companies as well as 
companies whose Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA) are reviewed by the 
Commission.
    The information collected under FERC-577 is used by the Commission 
to implement the statutory provisions of section 102 (2) (C) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (Pub. L. 91-190) (42 
U.S.C. 4332). NEPA requires that all Federal agencies must include in 
every recommendation or report on proposals for legislation and other 
major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of human 
environment, a detailed statement on: the environmental impact on the 
proposed actions; any adverse environmental effects which cannot be 
avoided should the proposal be implemented; alternatives to the 
proposed action; the relationship between local short-term uses of 
man's environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long term 
productivity; and any irreversible and irretrievable commitment of 
resources which would be involved in the proposed action should it be 
implemented. The Commission uses the pipeline's data to evaluate the 
environmental aspects of construction proposals and may be used in the 
Commission staff's independent preparation of Environmental Assessments 
or Environmental Impact Statements. The staff examines and projects 
potential effects on soils, geology, water resources, land use, 
recreation, aesthetics, air and noise quality, vegetation, wildlife, 
cultural resources and pipeline and liquefied natural gas safety. The 
Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR parts 2; 157; 284; 375 and 380.
    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:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Average  burden
    Number of      Annual  responses     hours  per       Total  annual
   respondents      per  respondent       response        burden hours
(1)                            (2)                (3)       (1)x(2)x(3)
------------------
             76              16.57              185.2        * 233,226
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Detail may not calculate to totals because of rounding.

    Estimated Burden: 233,226 total burden hours, 76 respondents, 1,259 
responses annually, and 185.2 hours per response (average).
    Estimated cost burden to respondents is $13,123,5620; (i.e., 
233,226 hours divided by 2,080 hours per full time employee per year 
multiplied by $117,041 per year equals $13,123,560)(rounded off). The 
cost per respondent is equal to $172,678.
    The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended to generate, maintain, retain,

[[Page 57683]]

or 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. 03-25226 Filed 10-3-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P