[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 52 (Monday, March 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12786-12787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4989]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC07-549B-000; FERC-549B]


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

March 13, 2007.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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 May 22, 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-filing/eforms.asp#549b) 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. IC07-549B-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-549B ``Gas Pipeline Rates: Capacity Information'' 
(OMB Control No. 1902-0169) includes both the Index of Customers Report 
under 18 CFR 284.13(c) and capacity reporting requirements under 18 CFR 
284.13(b) and 284.13(d). This information is used by the Commission to 
implement the statutory provisions of sections 4, 5, and 16 of the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA), 15 U.S.C. 717c0717o, Pub. L. 75-688, 52 Stat. 
822 and 830 and Title III of the NGPA, 15 U.S.C. 3301-3432, Pub. L. 95-
621.

Capacity Reports

    On April 4, 1992 in Order No. 636, the Commission established a 
capacity release mechanism under which shippers could release firm 
transportation and storage capacity on either a short or long term 
basis to other shippers wanting to obtain capacity. Pipelines posted 
available firm and interruptible capacity information on their 
electronic bulletin boards (EBBs) to inform potential shippers. On 
September 11, 1992, in Order No. 636A, the Commission determined, 
through staff audits, that the efficiency of the capacity release 
mechanism could be enhanced by standardizing the content and format of 
capacity release information and the methods by which shippers access 
this information, posted to EBBs.
    On April 4, 1995 through Order No. 577 (RM95-5-000), the Commission 
amended Sec.  284.243(h) of its regulations to allow shippers the 
ability to release capacity without having to comply with the 
Commission's advance posting and bidding requirements.
    To create greater substitution between different forms of capacity 
and to enhance competition across the pipeline grid, on February 25, 
2000 in Order No. 637, the Commission revised its capacity release 
regulations regarding scheduling, segmentation and flexible receipt 
point rights, penalties, and reporting requirements. This resulted in 
more reliable capacity information and price data being available that 
shippers needed to make informed decisions in a competitive market as 
well as to improve shipper's and the Commission's availability to 
monitor marketplace behavior.

Index of Customers

    In Order No. 581 issued September 28, 1995 the Commission 
established

[[Page 12787]]

the Index of Customers (IOC) information requirement. The Index of 
Customers had two functions, first, for annualizing capacity held on 
pipelines and second, for providing capacity information to the market. 
The Index of Customers information aids the capacity release system by 
enabling shippers to identify and locate those holding capacity rights 
that shippers may want to acquire. The information was required to be 
posted on the pipeline's EBB and filed on electronic media with the 
Commission. The first Index contained, for all firm customers under 
contract as of the first day of the calendar quarter, the full legal 
name of the shipper, the rate schedule number for which service is 
contracted, the contract effective and expiration dates, and contract 
quantities.
    In Order No. 637, the Commission required the following additional 
information: the receipt and delivery points held under contract as of 
the first day of the calendar quarter, the full legal name of the 
shipper, the rate schedule for which the capacity is held; the common 
transaction point codes; the contract number; a shipper identification 
number, such as DUNS; an indication whether the contract includes 
negotiated rates; the names of any agents or asset managers that 
control capacity in a pipeline rate zone; and any affiliate 
relationship between the pipeline and the holder of capacity. The Index 
is now provided through a quarterly filing on electronic media to the 
Commission and is posted on pipelines' Internet Web sites.
    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
                                                                   responses per  Average burden   Total annual
               Number of respondents annually  (1)                  respondent       hours per     burden hours
                                                                        (2)        response  (3)
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Capacity Reports &..............................................
IOC: 103........................................................               6             291         179,838
                                                                               4               3           1,236
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................  ..............  ..............         181,704
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    Estimated cost burden to respondents is as follows:

Capacity Reports: 179,838 hours/2080 work hours per year x $122,137 = 
$10,560,038;
Index of Customers (IOC): 1,236 hours/2080 work hours per year x 
$122,137 = $72,578;
Total Costs = $102,632,616.

    The estimated annual cost per respondent is:

Capacity Reports = $ 102,525;
Index of Customers = $ 705.

    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; (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the information; 
and (8) requesting e.g. waiver or clarification of requirements.
    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.

Philis J. Posey,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-4989 Filed 3-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P