[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 20 (Friday, January 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4498-4499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-147]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC04-580-000, FERC Form 580]


Commission Information Collection Activities, Proposed 
Collection; Comment Request Extension

January 22, 2004.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 4499]]

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 specifics of the information collection described below.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by March 26, 
2004.

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 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 IC04-580-
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 
acknowledgement 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 home page 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: 

Description

    The information collected under FERC Form No. 580, ``Interrogatory 
on Fuel and Energy Purchase Practices, Docket No. IN79-6'' (OMB Control 
No. 1902-0137) is used by the Commission to carry out its 
responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions of the 
Federal Power Act (FPA). The FPA was amended by the Public Utility 
Regulatory Policies Act (49 Stat. 851; 16 U.S.C. 824d) to require the 
Commission to review ``not less frequently than every two (2) years * * 
* of practices * * * to ensure efficient use of resources (including 
economical purchase and use of fuel and electric energy) * * *.'' The 
information is used to: (1) Review as mandated by statute, fuel 
purchase and cost recovery practices to insure efficient use of 
resources, including economical purchase and use of fuel and electric 
energy, under fuel adjustment clauses on file with the Commission; (2) 
evaluate fuel costs in individual rate filings; (3) to supplement 
periodic utility audits; and (4) to monitor changes and trends in the 
electric wholesale market. The information has also been used by the 
Energy Information Administration under a Congressional mandate to 
study various aspects of coal, oil, and gas transportation rates. 
Electric market participants and the public are using the information 
to assess the marketplace during its transition to a fully competitive 
regime.
    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 responses     Average burden    Total annual burden
          Number of respondents annually              per respondent     hours per response         hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)                                                               (2)                  (3)          (1)x(2)x(3)
--------------------------------------------------
114..............................................               *59.5                   64                3,648
(114 responses every two years)
Estimated cost burden to Respondents: 3,648 hours / 2,080 hours per year x $107,185 = $196,231.

    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 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 
of information technology. Indirect or overhead costs are costs 
incurred by an organization in support of its mission. These costs 
apply to the 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.

Pubic Utility Regulatory Policies Act.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E4-147 Filed 1-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P