[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 73 (Tuesday, April 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20269-20270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-7954]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC08-73-001, FERC Form 73]


 Commission Information Collection Activities, Proposed 
Collection; Comment Request; Submitted for OMB Review

April 9, 2008.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of section 3507 of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507, the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (Commission) has submitted the information 
collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review of this information collection requirement. Any interested 
person may file comments directly with OMB and should address a copy of 
those comments to the Commission as explained below. The Commission 
received one comment in response to an earlier Federal Register notice 
of January 14, 2008 (73 FR 2232) and has noted this fact in its 
submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by May 15, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Address comments on the collection of information to the 
Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. 
Comments to OMB should be filed electronically, c/o [email protected] and include the OMB Control No. (1902-0019) as a 
point of reference. The Desk Officer may be reached by telephone at 
202-395-7345. A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of the Executive Director, ED-34, 
Attention: Michael Miller, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. 
Comments may be filed either in paper format or electronically. Those 
persons filing electronically do not need to make a paper filing. For 
paper filings, such comments should be submitted to the Secretary of 
the Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, 
NE., Washington, DC 20426 and should refer to Docket No. IC08-73-001.
    Documents filed electronically via the Internet must be prepared in 
an acceptable filing format and in compliance with the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission submission guidelines. Complete filing 
instructions and acceptable filing formats are available at (http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide/electronic-media.asp). To file the 
document electronically, access the Commission's Web site and click on 
Documents & Filing, E-Filing (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp), 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:

Description

    The information collection submitted for OMB review contains the 
following:
    1. Collection of Information: FERC Form 73 ``Oil Pipeline Service 
Life Data''.
    2. Sponsor: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
    3. Control No. 1902-0019.
    The Commission is now requesting that OMB approve with a three-year 
extension of the expiration date, with no changes to the existing 
collection. The information filed with the Commission is mandatory.
    4. Necessity of the Collection of Information: Submission of the 
information is necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its 
responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions of the 
Department of Energy Organization Act, and Executive Order No. 12009, 
42 FR (September 13, 1977). The Commission has authority over 
interstate pipelines as stated in the Interstate Commerce Act, 49 
U.S.C. 6501 et al. As part of the information necessary for the 
subsequent investigation and review of an oil pipeline company's 
proposed depreciation rates, the pipeline companies are required to 
provide public service life data as part of their data submission if 
the proposed depreciation rates are based on the remaining physical 
life calculations. This service life data is submitted on FERC Form 73.
    The scope of the Commission's jurisdiction over oil pipelines 
includes the authority to regulate their rates and charges for 
transportation of oil in interstate commerce, and the authority to 
establish valuations. Oil pipeline companies are required to submit 
depreciation information pursuant to 1-8(b)(2) and 1-8(b)(3) of the 
General Instructions found at 18 CFR Part 352 of the Commission's 
regulations. These instructions require oil pipeline carriers to 
compute percentage rate studies for their depreciable property 
accounts, and to maintain records as to the service life and net 
salvage value of their property and property retirements.
    The Commission uses the information submitted on FERC Form 73 to 
conduct depreciation rate investigations of oil pipelines. The 
Commission also uses the information to determine appropriate oil 
pipeline service lives and book depreciation rates. Oil pipeline 
companies use book depreciation rates to compute the depreciation 
portion of their operating expenses when determining their cost of 
service. The Commission implements these requirements in 18 CFR 357.3 
of its regulations.
    5. Respondent Description: The respondent universe currently 
comprises on average 2 respondents subject to the Commission's 
jurisdiction. The Commission estimates that it will receive annually on 
average 2 filings per year.
    6. Estimated Burden: 80 total hours, 2 respondents (average per 
year), 1 response per respondent, and 40 hours per response (average).
    7. Estimated Cost Burden to respondents: The estimated total cost 
to respondents is $4861. (80 hours / 2080 hours per year x $126,384)

    Statutory Authority: Sections 306 and 402 of the Department of 
Energy Organization Act, Pub. L. 95-91, 42 7155 and 7172,

[[Page 20270]]

Interstate Commerce Act (ICA), 49 U.S.C. 6501 et al., and Executive 
Order No. 12009.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-7954 Filed 4-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P