[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 165 (Thursday, August 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52493-52494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-1935]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC04-542-000; FERC-542]


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

August 20, 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 (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 18, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be

[[Page 52494]]

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. IC04-542-000.
    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-542 ``Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Tracking (OMB No. 
1902-0042) is used by the Commission to implement the statutory 
provisions of Title IV of the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA), 15 U.S.C. 
3301-3432, and Sections 4, 5 and 16 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (P.L. 
75-688)(15 U.S.C. 717-717w). These statutes empower the Commission to 
collect natural gas transmission cost information from interstate 
natural gas transporters for the purpose of verifying that these costs 
which are passed on to pipeline customers, are just and reasonable. 
Interstate natural gas pipelines are required by the Commission to 
track their transportation associated costs to allow for the 
Commission's review and where appropriate, approval of the pass through 
of these cost to pipeline customers. Most of these FERC-542 tracking 
filings are monthly accountings of the cost of fuel or electric power 
necessary to operate compressor stations. Others track the costs of (1) 
Gas Research Institute fees; (2) annual charges of various types, and 
(3) other types of rate adjustments.
    Tracking filings may be submitted at any time or on a regularly 
scheduled basis in accordance with the pipeline company's tariff. 
Filings may be either: (1) Accepted; (2) suspended and set for hearing; 
(3) suspended, but not set for hearing; or (4) suspended for further 
review, such as technical conference or some other type of Commission 
action. The Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR Part 154, Sec. Sec.  154.4, 
154.7, 154.101, 154.107, 154.201, 154.207-154.209 and 154.401-154.403.
    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:

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   Number of respondents       Number of responses per     Average burden hours per    Total annual burden hours
       annually  (1)               respondent  (2)               response  (3)                (1)x(2)x(3)
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                       57                            3                         140                      23,940
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    The estimated total cost to respondents is $1,233,658 (23,940 hours 
divided by 2,080 hours per employee per year times $107,185 per year 
average salary (including overhead) per employee (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 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. E4-1935 Filed 8-25-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P