[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 62 (Wednesday, March 31, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16907-16908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-707]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC04-538-000; FERC-538]


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

March 24, 2004.
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 May 28, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained from and written comments may be submitted to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: 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 No. IC04-538-000.
    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 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. -538 ``Gas Pipeline Certificates: Initial 
Service (OMB No. 1902-0061) is used by the Commission to implement the 
statutory provisions of sections 7(a), 10(a), and 16 of the Natural Gas 
Act (NGA) (Pub. L. 75-688) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w). The reporting 
requirements contained in this collection of information are used by 
the Commission to determine whether a distributor applicant can 
economically construct and manage its facilities. Requests are made to 
the Commission by individuals or entities to have the Commission, by 
order, direct a natural gas pipeline to extend or improve its 
transportation facilities, and sell gas to an individual, entity or 
municipality for the specific purpose indicated in the order, and to 
extend the pipeline's transportation facilities to communities 
immediately adjacent to the municipality's facilities or to territories 
served by the natural gas company. In addition, the Commission reviews 
the supply data to determine if the pipeline company can provide the 
service without curtailing certain of its existing customers. The flow 
data and market data are also used to evaluate existing and future 
customer requirements on the system to find if sufficient capacity will 
be available. Likewise, the cost of facilities and the rate data are 
used to evaluate the financial impact of the cost of the project to 
both the pipeline company and its customers. The Commission implements 
these filing requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
under 18 CFR part 156.
    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      Total annual
   respondents       responses per       hours per        burden hours
   annually (1)     respondent (2)     response (3)       (1)x(2)x(3)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            1                 1               240                 240
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The estimated total cost to respondents is $12,368 (240 hours 
divided by 2,080 hours per employee per year times $107,185 per year 
average salary (including overhead) per employee = $12,368 (rounded 
off)).
    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

[[Page 16908]]

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.

Linda Mitry,
Acting Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E4-707 Filed 3-30-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P