[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 25 (Monday, February 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6401-6402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2603]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC09-546-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-546); Comment 
Request; Extension

February 2, 2009.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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. No. 104-13), the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public 
comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described 
below.

DATES: Comments in consideration of the collection of information are 
due April 13, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically or in paper 
format, and should refer to Docket No. IC09-546-000. Documents must be 
prepared in an acceptable filing format and in compliance with 
Commission submission guidelines at http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp.
    Comments may be eFiled. The eFiling option under the Documents & 
Filings tab on the Commission's home Web page: http://www.ferc.gov 
directs users to the eFiling Web site. First-time users follow the 
eRegister instructions on the eFiling Web page to establish a user name 
and password before eFiling. Filers will receive an emailed 
confirmation of their eFiled comments. Commenters filing electronically 
should not make a paper filing. If you are unable to make a filing 
electronically, submit an original and 14 paper copies of the filing 
to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
    Parties interested in receiving automatic notification of activity 
in this docket may do so through eSubscription. The eSubscription 
option under the Documents & Filings tab on the Commission's home Web 
page directs users to the eSubscription Web page. Users submit the 
docket numbers of the filings they wish to track and will subsequently 
receive an e-mail notification each time a filing is made under the 
submitted docket numbers. First-time users will need to establish a 
user name and password before eSubscribing.
    Filed comments and FERC issuances may be viewed, printed and 
downloaded remotely from the Commission's Web site. The red eLibrary 
link found at the top of most of the Commission's Web pages directs 
users to the eLibrary. From the eLibrary Web page, choose General 
Search, and in the Docket Number space provided, enter IC09-546; then 
click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
    For help with any of the Commission's electronic submission or 
retrieval systems, e-mail FERC Online Support: 
[email protected], or telephone toll-free: (866) 208-3676 (TTY 
(202) 502-8659).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: 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: FERC-546 (Certificated Rate Filings: Gas 
Pipeline Rates; OMB Control Number 1902-0155) is required to implement 
Sections 4, 5, 16 and 7(e) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717-
717w). NGA Sections 4, 5 and 16 authorize the Commission to inquire 
into rate structures and methodologies and to set rates at a just and 
reasonable level. Section 7(e) authorizes the Commission to set initial 
rates that are in keeping with the public convenience and necessity.
    The Commission uses the FERC-546 information to examine service and 
tariff provisions for the transportation and storage, and/or sale of 
natural gas in interstate commerce filed with the Commission.
    When a pipeline decides to construct and operate a jurisdictional 
pipeline, it files an application with the Commission and receives a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. As part of its review, 
the Commission considers and authorizes ``initial rates'' for 
transportation and/or storage service for the pipeline. Initial rates 
are established for new services authorized in certificate proceedings 
and must meet a public convenience and necessity standard. Initial 
rates established in the certificate proceeding remain in effect until 
such rates are reviewed by the Commission in a rate proceeding. The 
information submitted by the pipeline company to the Commission in 
these applications for initial rates is the subject of FERC-546.\1\
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    \1\ The Commission collects information necessary to examine and 
approve any change in rates separately under FERC-542 and FERC-545. 
The FERC-542 is for tracking filings, and FERC-545 is for general 
rate change filings, including NGA Section 4 major rate cases.
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    The Commission's reporting requirements for this information 
collection are provided in 18 CFR 154.4, 154.7, 154.202, 154.204-.209, 
and 154.602-.603. Failure to collect this information would prevent the 
Commission from monitoring and properly evaluating pipeline proposals 
to add or modify services.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current reporting requirements.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated at:

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                                          Number of          Number of        Average burden
   FERC Data Collection--FERC-546        respondents       responses per        hours per         Total annual
                                           annually          respondent          response         burden hours
                                                    (1)                (2)                (3)    (1) x (2) x (3)
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Natural Gas Companies...............                 77                  4                 40             12,320
Storage Operators...................                  3                  1                350              1,050
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[[Page 6402]]

 
    Total...........................  .................  .................  .................             13,370
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    The estimated cost burden to respondents is $812,381.76 (13,370 
hours divided by 2,080 hours \2\ per year times $126,384 \3\ equals 
$812,381.77). The cost per respondent is $10,154.77.
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    \2\ Number of hours an employee works each year.
    \3\ Average annual salary per employee.
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    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 the collection of information; (5) 
searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of 
information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the 
information.
    The respondent's cost estimate 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 respondent information collection burden, 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.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-2603 Filed 2-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P