[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 63 (Thursday, April 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17135-17136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-727]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[IC04-549B-000, FERC-549B]


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

March 26, 2004.
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, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), 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 June 1, 
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 persons 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. 
IC04-549B-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. 
User assistance for electronic filings is available at 202-502-8258 or 
by e-mail to [email protected]. Comments should not be submitted to the 
e-mail address.
    All comments are available for review at the Commission or may be 
viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov, using the 
`eLibrary' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three 
digits in the docket number field to access the document. For 
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 is collected under the 
requirements of FERC-549B ``Gas Pipeline Rates: Capacity Information'' 
(OMB No. 1902-0169) which contains both the Index of Customers Report 
and the Capacity Report under Part 284 of the Commission's Regulations. 
The information is used by the Commission to implement the statutory 
provisions of the sections 4, 5, and 16 of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717c-
717o, PL. 75-688,52 Stat. 822 and 830) and Title III of the NGPA, 15 
U.S.C. 3301-3432, PL. 95-621.
    In Order No. 636, the Commission established a capacity release 
mechanism under which shippers can release firm transportation and 
storage capacity on either a short or long term basis to other shippers 
wanting to obtain capacity. In Order No. 636-A, the Commission 
determined that the efficiency of the capacity release mechanism would 
be enhanced by standardizing both the content of capacity release 
information and the methods by which shippers access that information.
    In Order No. 637, the Commission amended its regulations in 
response to the growing development of more competitive markets for 
natural gas. In the rule, FERC revised its current regulatory framework 
to improve the efficiency of the market and provide captive customers 
with the opportunity to reduce their cost of holding long-term capacity 
while continuing to protect against the exercise of market power.
    To create greater substitution between different forms of capacity 
and enhance competition across the pipeline grid, Order No. 637 also 
revised the regulations regarding scheduling, segmentation and flexible 
point rights, penalties, and reporting requirements. FERC revised 
pipeline scheduling procedures so that capacity release transactions 
can be better coordinated with the nomination process. Pipelines are 
required to permit shippers to segment capacity whenever feasible,

[[Page 17136]]

which increases potential capacity alternatives and helps to facilitate 
the development of market centers. The changes to the reporting 
requirements were to provide greater reliability about capacity 
availability and price data that shippers need to make informed 
decisions in a competitive market as well as improve shipper's and 
FERC's availability to monitor marketplace behavior to detect, and 
remedy anticompetitive behavior.
    In Order No. 582, the Commission created the Index of Customers 
filing requirement. Pipelines are required to identify all firm 
transportation services and contract demand for each customer for each 
rate schedule. Pipelines must file on the first business day of each 
calendar quarter and also post the information on their Internet Web 
sites. These filings include the following data elements: shipper's 
name (full legal name), contract identifier, rate schedule, contract 
start date, contract end date, contract quantity, receipt points, 
delivery points, information on capacity held by rate zones to permit 
verification of reservation billing determinants, data to assess 
storage capacity and conjunctions restrictions if any (provisions that 
operate across multiple points or contracts and may limit a shipper's 
rights at a particular receipt or delivery point). The index contains 
fundamental data about the natural gas industry--how much of the 
pipeline's capacity, shippers have under contract. With this 
information, the Commission remains apprised of trends in the industry, 
the willingness of shippers to hold firm capacity, the average length 
of time capacity remains under contract, the proportion of capacity 
rolling over under specific provisions. This information provides the 
Commission with the ability to analyze capacity held on pipelines and 
provides capacity information to the market which aids the capacity 
release system by enabling shippers to locate those holding capacity 
rights that shippers may want to acquire. The information filed with 
the Commission is mandatory. The Commission implements these filing 
requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR Part 
284.12 and 13.
    Action: The Commission is requesting reinstatement and a three-year 
approval of these reporting requirements, with no changes to the 
existing collection of data.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

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    Number of respondents annually     Number of responses per    Average burden hours     Total annual burden
--------------------------------------       respondent *             per response                hours
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                 (1)                             (2)                      (3)                  (1)x(2)x(3)
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100 (Index of Customers) 100.........  5.66 (6)...............  290.9 hours (3)........  297,201 hours 
                                                                                          (1,800 hours)
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* Estimated total number of responses per year = 478.95.
 Includes Index of Customers.

    Estimated cost burden to respondents: 297,201 hours/2,080 hours per 
year x $107,185 per year = $15,315,139. The cost per respondent is 
equal to $153,151.
    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 collected; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E4-727 Filed 3-31-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P