[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 125 (Thursday, June 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37798-37800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12905]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection; 
comment request.

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SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on:
     A revised Form EIA-1605, ``Voluntary Reporting of 
Greenhouse Gases'' and instructions;
     A three year extension of Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) approval in order for EIA to implement the revised Form EIA-1605; 
and
     The discontinuation of the Form EIA-1605EZ.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by August 29, 2005 to the address 
listed below.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments to the attention of Stephen E. Calopedis. 
To ensure receipt of the comments by the due date, submission by e-mail 
([email protected]) or FAX (202-586-3045) is recommended. 
Comments submitted by mail should be sent to Stephen E. Calopedis, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, EI-81, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585. Questions on this 
action should be directed to Stephen E. Calopedis at 202-586-1156 or 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the revised reporting form and instructions should be 
directed to Stephen E. Calopedis at 202-586-1156 or 
[email protected]. The revised version of the Form EIA-
1605, ``Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases,'' and instructions, 
can also be downloaded from the Program's Current Developments Web site 
at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/aboutcurrent.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275, 15 
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91, 42 
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized, 
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program 
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information 
on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and 
related economic and statistical information. This information is used 
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer-term 
domestic demands.
    The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides 
the general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to 
comment on collections of information conducted by or in conjunction 
with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA to prepare data 
requests that maximize the utility of the information collected, and to 
assess the impact of collection requirements on the public. Also, the 
EIA will later seek approval from the OMB under Section 3507(a) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 to collect data under the revised form 
EIA-1605.
    The Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program information 
collection is conducted pursuant to Section 1605(b) of the Energy 
Policy Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-486, 42 U.S.C. 13385). The Program is 
currently operated under General Guidelines issued in October 1994 (59 
FR 52769) by the DOE's Office of Policy and International Affairs 
(http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/guidelns.html). The existing EIA-1605 
and EIA-1605EZ forms were designed to collect voluntarily reported data 
on greenhouse gas emissions, reductions of these emissions, and 
increased carbon fixation, as well as information on commitments to 
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon in future years 
(http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/Forms.html).
    The results of the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program 
are summarized in the Program's most recent annual reports entitled 
Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases 2003: Summary (http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/vrrpt/summary/index.html) and Voluntary 
Reporting of Greenhouse Gases 2003 (http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/vrrpt/). Additionally, EIA produces and makes publicly available, a 
``public-use'' database containing all the non-confidential information 
reported to EIA's Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program 
(http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/databases.html).

[[Page 37799]]

II. Current Actions

    EIA is soliciting public comments on the items below:
     A Revised Form EIA-1605, Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse 
Gases' and instructions;
     A three year extension of Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) approval in order for EIA to implement the revised Form EIA-1605, 
``Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases,'' and;
     The discontinuation of Form EIA-1605EZ, ``Voluntary 
Reporting of Greenhouse Gases'' (short form).
    The request for comment is being made by the EIA in support of 
efforts to develop and implement a survey data collection instrument 
that is consistent with Interim Final General Guidelines and draft 
Technical Guidelines for the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases 
Program that were proposed on March 24, 2005, by DOE's Office of Policy 
and International Affairs (70 FR 15169 and 70 FR 15164). It is 
important to note that the proposed revised EIA-1605 form represents 
EIA's interpretation of the Interim Final General Guidelines and draft 
Technical Guidelines and the final content of the revised EIA-1605 form 
will depend on the content of the final General and Technical 
Guidelines. For copies of the Interim Final General Guidelines, the 
draft Technical Guidelines and all public comments on these documents 
go to: http://www.pi.energy.gov/enhancingGHGregistry/index.html.
    The Interim Final General Guidelines specify an effective date of 
September 20, 2005, but indicate that it is DOE's intent to finalize 
the guidelines prior to the effective date. As a consequence of a 30-
day extension of the public comment period on the Interim Final General 
Guidelines and the draft Technical Guidelines, and the number and 
complexity of the public comments submitted, it is possible that DOE 
may extend the effective date beyond September 20, 2005.
    EIA plans to complete its review of comments received under this 
notice, and revisions to the proposed revised EIA-1605 form, before the 
effective date of the revised General and Technical Guidelines. 
Following OMB approval of the revised EIA-1605 form, EIA intends to 
develop an electronic data collection system. EIA now expects that this 
data collection system will be ready in time to permit reporting during 
2006, although some delay in the normal reporting schedule is likely to 
be necessary. Any further delays in the effective date of the 
guidelines have the potential to cause corresponding delays in EIA's 
collection of data using the revised EIA-1605 form.
    Summary background information on the development of the proposed 
revised General and Technical Guidelines to the Voluntary Reporting of 
Greenhouse Gases is provided below.

Proposed Revised Guidelines for the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse 
Gases Program

    On February 14, 2002, President George W. Bush announced a series 
of programs and initiatives to address the issue of global climate 
change, including a greenhouse gas intensity reduction goal, energy 
technology research programs, targeted tax incentives to advance the 
development and adoption of new technologies, and voluntary programs to 
promote actions to reduce greenhouse gases. As a part of this effort, 
the President directed the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with 
the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to propose 
improvements to the current Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases 
Program required under section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 
1992. These improvements are to enhance measurement accuracy, 
reliability, and verifiability, working with and taking into account 
emerging domestic and international approaches. The President also 
directed the Secretary of Energy to recommend reforms to ensure that 
businesses and individuals that register reductions are not penalized 
under a future climate policy and to give transferable credits to 
companies that can show real emissions reductions.

Finalization and Implementation of Revised Program Guidelines

    DOE's Office of Policy and International Affairs published in the 
March 24, 2005 Federal Register Interim Final General Guidelines. On 
that date DOE also published a notice of availability inviting public 
comment on Draft Technical Guidelines that will, when combined with the 
revised General Guidelines, fully implement the revised Voluntary 
Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program. In the March 25, 2005 Federal 
Register, DOE stated its intention that the Interim Final General 
Guidelines will be effective on September 20, 2005. As noted 
previously, it is possible that DOE could extend the effective date 
beyond September 20, 2005. The incorporation by reference of the Draft 
Technical Guidelines, in the Federal Register, affirms DOE's intention 
that they also will be effective on that date. The purposes of the 
proposed revised Guidelines are to: (1) Establish revised procedures 
and reporting requirements for filing voluntary reports, and (2) 
encourage corporations, government agencies, non-profit organizations, 
individuals and other private and public entities to submit annual 
reports of their total entity-wide greenhouse gas emissions, net 
emission reductions, and carbon sequestration activities that are 
complete, reliable and consistent.
    In response to the finalization and issuance of the revised 
Guidelines, the EIA has developed and plans to issue revised reporting 
forms and instructions for reporting under the revised Program 
Guidelines. The first cycle of reporting to the Program under the 
revised Guidelines is expected to occur in 2006, for 2005 data.

Principal Conceptual Changes to the Current Survey Form EIA-1605, 
``Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases''

    The principal conceptual changes to form EIA-1605 are illustrated 
below in Table 1 as a side-by-side comparison of the current and 
proposed revised form EIA-1605.

[[Page 37800]]



    Table 1.--Comparison of Current Version of Form EIA-1605 With the
                    Revised Version of Form EIA-1605
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Current version of formEIA-1605        Revised version of form EIA-
-------------------------------------------------------1605-------------
Schedule I, ``Entity Identification and  Replaced by Schedules I (Entity
 Certification.'' Collects information    Statement) and II (Subentity
 on the reporter, including contact       Statement). Principal
 information, organization type,          differences to Schedule I
 geographic scope, Standard Industrial    include collection of North
 Classification (SIC) code, and           American Industrial
 confidentiality. Also includes report    Classification System (NAICS)
 certification.                           code (instead of SIC code),
                                          expanded list of entity type
                                          categories, changes in entity
                                          statement from previous years,
                                          and report characteristics
                                          (base period, voluntary
                                          program affiliation, entity
                                          organization). Schedule II
                                          collects similar data for
                                          reported subentities.
                                          Certification is addressed in
                                          Schedule VII (Verification and
                                          Certification) along with
                                          third party verification,
                                          which is not included on
                                          current form.
Schedule II, ``Project-Level Emissions   Project-level reductions can be
 and Reductions.'' Collects information   ``registered'' only under
 on projects that reduce emissions or     limited circumstances in
 sequester carbon in 10 sections, each    Schedule V (Emissions
 devoted to a specific project category.  Reductions), Section 1, Part
                                          E, Action-specific Emission
                                          Reductions.
Schedule III, ``Entity-Level Emissions   Focus on revised reporting form
 and Reductions.'' Collects emissions,    is reporting entity-level
 carbon sequestration, and emission       emissions and reductions.
 reductions for the entire entity.        Schedule III (Entity and
                                          Subentity Emissions and
                                          Sequestration Inventories)
                                          collects data on entity-wide
                                          emissions. Schedule IV (Output
                                          and Emissions Intensity)
                                          collects information on output
                                          and emissions intensity.
                                          Schedule V (Emission
                                          Reductions) collects emission
                                          reductions calculated using
                                          approved methods and allows
                                          registration of reductions
                                          meeting certain criteria.
Schedule IV ``Commitments to Reduce      Not included
 Greenhouse Gases.'' Collects
 information on commitments to reduce
 future emissions or sequester carbon.
 These commitments can be at the
 project or entity level, or can be
 financial commitments.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Please refer to the proposed revised form and instructions for more 
information about the purpose, who may report, when to report, where to 
submit, the elements to be reported, instructions for reporting, 
provisions for confidentiality, and uses (including possible 
nonstatistical uses) of the information (http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/aboutcurrent.html). For instructions on obtaining materials, see 
the ``For Further Information Contact'' section.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the actions discussed in item II. The following issues are provided 
to assist in the preparation of comments.

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the responsibilities of the agency and does the 
information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the 
actual usefulness of information to or for an agency or other parties, 
taking into account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, 
and the agency's ability to process the information it collects.
    B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be 
collected?
    B. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions need clarification?
    C. EIA will make the final EIA-1605 form and instructions publicly 
available after OMB approval is received. However, no request for 
information will be made until EIA has completed the automated EIA-1605 
reporting system. For the first data collection in 2006 to collect 
calendar year 2005 data using the revised Form EIA-1605, EIA proposes 
the reporting due date will be three months after the automated 
reporting system is made publicly available, but no earlier than July 
1, 2006. In subsequent years, the reporting due date will be July 1 for 
activities during the previous calendar year. Can the information be 
submitted by those due dates?
    D. The public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average 40 hours per response on Form EIA-1605, although it is expected 
that this burden will vary widely among reporters. The estimated burden 
includes the total time necessary to provide the requested information. 
In your opinion, how accurate is this estimate?
    E. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for 
the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent 
incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs 
for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with 
the information collection?
    F. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of 
this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    G. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the 
methods of collection.

As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information 
disseminated?
    B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be 
collected?
    C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
    D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Section 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC, June 24, 2005.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-12905 Filed 6-29-05; 8:45 am]
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