[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 48 (Monday, March 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12461-12462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-1047]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC05-603-000; FERC-603]


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

March 4, 2005.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for 
comments.

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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 2, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained from the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov/help/how-to/ceii-req-form.doc) or click on ``Legal Resources'', ``CEII'', 
``Help'' and then click on CEII Request form. Written comments may be 
submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: 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. IC05-603-000.
    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: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-603 ``Critical Energy Infrastructure Information'' 
(OMB No. 1902-0197) is used by the Commission to implement procedures 
for gaining access to critical energy infrastructure information (CEII) 
that would not otherwise be available under the Freedom of Information 
Act (5 U.S.C. 552). On February, 21, 2003, the Commission issued Order 
No. 630 (66 FR 52917) to address the appropriate treatment of CEII in 
the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and to 
restrict unrestrained general access due to the ongoing terrorism 
threat. These steps enable the Commission to keep sensitive 
infrastructure information out of the public domain, decreasing the 
likelihood that such information could be used to plan or execute 
terrorist attacks. The process adopted in Order No. 630 is a more 
efficient alternative for handling requests for previously public 
documents than FOIA. The Commission has defined CEII to include 
information about ``existing or proposed critical infrastructure that 
(i) relates to the production, generation, transportation, 
transmission, or distribution of energy; (ii) could be useful to a 
person planning an attack on critical infrastructure; (iii) is exempt 
from mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act; and 
(iv) does not simply give the location of the critical infrastructure. 
Critical infrastructure means existing and

[[Page 12462]]

proposed systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, the 
incapacity or destruction of which would negatively affect security, 
economic security, public health or safety, or any combination of those 
matters. A person seeking access to CEII may file a request for that 
information by providing information about their identity and reason as 
to the need for the information. Through this process, the Commission 
is able to review the requester's need for the information against the 
sensitivity of the information. The compliance with these requirements 
is mandatory.
    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:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Average
    Number of          Number of        burden hours      Total annual
   respondents       responses per      per response      burden hours
  annually  (1)     respondent  (2)          (3)         (1) x (2) x (3)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            182                  1                .25              46*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Rounded off.

    The estimated total cost to respondents is $2,392. The cost per 
respondent = $13. (46 hours @ $52 hourly rate / 182).
    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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-1047 Filed 3-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P