[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9937-9938]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-804]



[[Page 9937]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC05-549-000, FERC-549]


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

February 23, 2005.
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 April 25, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Copies of sample filings of the proposed collection of 
information can be obtained from Michael Miller, Office of the 
Executive Director, ED-33, 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. IC05-549-000.
    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:
    Abstract: The information collected under the requirements of FERC-
549, ``Gas Pipeline Rates: NGPA Title III and NGA Blanket Certificate 
Transactions'' (OMB No. 1902-0086) is used by the Commission to 
implement the statutory provisions of sections 311 and 312 of the 
Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA) and section 7 of the Natural Gas Act 
(NGA). Under part 284 of the Commission's regulations non-interstate 
pipelines that perform transportation service under NGPA section 311 
(intrastate pipelines) or blanket certificates issued under section 7 
of the NGA are required to file an annual report of transportation 
transactions with the Commission. The report must provide the name of 
the shipper, the type of transaction, the quantity shipped and the 
revenues received.
    In Order No. 636, the Commission required all pipelines that 
provide open-access transportation to offer their sales service on an 
unbundled basis. In administering the order, the Commission issued to 
pipelines holding a blanket transportation certificate under subpart G 
of part 284, or performing transportation under subpart B, a blanket 
certificate authorizing firm and interruptible sales for resale. In 
Order No. 547, as part of the industry restructuring begun by Order No. 
636, the Commission issued blanket certificates to all persons who are 
not interstate pipelines, authorizing them to make jurisdictional gas 
sales for resale at negotiated rates with pre-granted abandonment. The 
Commission required that all firm and interruptible sales services be 
provided as unbundled services. In Order No. 664, the Commission 
amended its regulations regarding blanket certificates for unbundled 
gas sales services held by interstate natural gas pipelines and the 
blanket marketing certificates held by persons making sales for resale 
of gas at negotiated rates in interstate commerce to require that 
pipelines and all sellers for resale adhere to a code of conduct with 
respect to gas sales. The information collected in these reports is 
used by the Commission to monitor the jurisdictional transportation 
activities of intrastate and Hinshaw pipelines and the unbundled sales 
activities of interstate natural gas pipelines and to ensure the 
integrity of the gas sales market that remains within the Commission's 
jurisdiction. The Commission implements these mandatory filing 
requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR 
284.126, 284.281-288, 284.401-403.
    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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                                   Annual responses   Average burden hours        Total annual burden hours
    Number of respondents (1)     per respondent (2)    per response (3)                 (1)x(2)x(3)
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77..............................                   1                   8.1  624 (Annual Report)
222.............................                   1                     1  222 (Code of Conduct)
222.............................                   1                    *2  444 (Code of Conduct)
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    Totals 222..................                   1                  11.2  1,290
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* Recordkeeping.

    Estimated cost burden to respondents is $544,628; (i.e., 1,290 
hours divided by 2,080 hours per full time employee per year multiplied 
by $108,558 per year equals $67,328 rounded off + $477,300 for 
recording keeping).
    The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, 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.

[[Page 9938]]

    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 
anyone 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,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-804 Filed 2-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P