[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23144-23145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-2153]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC05-545-000; FERC-545]


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

April 27, 2005.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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 June 27, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Copies of sample filings of the proposed collection of 
information can be obtained from the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filings/elibrary.asp) or to the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Office of the Executive 
Director, ED-1, 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 
filing, an 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. 
IC05-545-000.
    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-545 ``Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Change (Non-
formal)'' (OMB No. 1902-0154) is used by the Commission to implement 
the statutory provisions of sections 4, 5, 8, 10 and 16 of the Natural 
Gas Act (NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717c-717o, PL 75-688, 52 Stat. 822 and 830) 
and Title III of the Natural Gas Policy Act (15 U.S.C. 3301-3432, Pl. 
95-621). A natural gas company must obtain Commission authorization for 
all rates and charges made, demanded or received in connection with the 
transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce. The Commission is 
authorized to investigate the rates charged by natural gas pipeline 
companies subject to its jurisdiction. If, after the investigation, the 
Commission is of the opinion that the rates are ``unjust or 
unreasonable or unjustly discriminatory or unduly preferential,'' it is 
authorized to determine and prescribe just and reasonable rates. The 
NGA also provides the Commission with a means for considering the 
reasonableness of rates through settlement conferences or hearings.
    The data filed in rate change applications for all rates and 
charges made, demanded, or received in connection with the 
transportation of natural gas are used by the Commission to establish a 
basis for determining just and reasonable rates that should be charged, 
and the rate of return which can be earned by the regulated natural gas 
company. However rate regulation, combined with the obligations of 
major natural gas companies to serve all customers fairly and 
equitably, also prevents rate discrimination. Major natural gas 
companies and others engaged in the transportation of natural gas must 
file this information for ratemaking purposes and certain NGPA

[[Page 23145]]

authorizations approval. The reporting requirements for this 
information collection are found in 18 CFR part 154 of the Commission's 
regulations. These reporting requirements are 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:

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                                                             Number of       Average  burden      Total annual
           Number of respondents annually (1)              responses per        hours per         burden hours
                                                           respondent (2)      response (3)       (1)x(2)x(3)
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152....................................................             12.77              58.38            113,318
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    Estimated cost burden to respondents is $5,9142,219. (113,318 
hours/2080 hours per year times $108,558 per year average per 
employee). The cost per respondent is $38,909.
    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,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-2153 Filed 5-3-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P