[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 4 (Monday, January 8, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 764-765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22667]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC07-2-000; FERC Form 2]


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

December 27, 2006.
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 March 9, 2007.

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 from the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Office of the Executive 
Director, ED-34, 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, the original and 14 copies of such comments should be submitted 
to the Secretary of the Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 and refer to 
Docket No. IC07-2-000.
    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 Form 2 ``Annual Report for Major Natural Gas 
Companies'' (OMB No. 1902-0028) is used by the Commission to carry out 
its responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions of the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA) 15 U.S.C. 717. The FERC Form 2 is a financial and 
operating report for natural gas rate regulation for major pipeline 
owners. ``Major'' is defined as companies having combined gas sold for 
resale and gas transported or stored for a fee that exceeds 50 million 
Dth in each of the three previous calendar years. Under the Form 2, the 
Commission investigates, collects and records data and prescribes rules 
and regulations concerning accounts, records and memoranda as necessary 
to administer the NGA. The Commission is empowered to prescribe a 
system of accounts for jurisdictional gas pipelines and after notice 
and opportunity for hearing, may determine the accounts in which 
particular outlays the receipts will be entered, charged or credited. 
Commission staff uses the data in the continuous review of the 
financial condition of jurisdictional companies, in various rate 
proceedings and in the Commission's audit program. FERC Form 2 data are 
also used to compute annual charges which are necessary to recover the 
Commission's annual costs. The annual charges are required by section 
3401 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986.
    The NGA mandates the collection of information needed by the 
Commission

[[Page 765]]

to perform its regulatory responsibilities in the setting of just and 
reasonable rates. The Commission could be held in violation of the NGA 
if the information was not collected.
    The annual financial information filed with the Commission is a 
mandatory requirement submitted in a prescribed format which is filed 
electronically. The Commission implements these filing requirements in 
18 CFR Parts 158, 201, 260.1 and 385.2011.
    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:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Number of          Number of       Average burden     Total annual
   respondents       responses per        hours per     burden hours (1)
   annually (1)      respondent (2)     response (3)       x (2) x (3)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
72                 1                  1,570             113,040
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated cost burden to respondents is $6,637,676. (113,040 hours/
2080 hours per year times $122,137 per year average per employee = $ 
6,637,676). The cost per respondent is $ 92,190 (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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-22667 Filed 1-5-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P