[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27520-27521]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-13541]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC09-915-001]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-915); Comment 
Request; Submitted for OMB Review

June 3, 2009.
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 or FERC) has submitted the 
information collection described below to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review of the information collection requirements. 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 no comments in response to the Federal Register 
notice (74FR 15474, 4/6/2009) and has made this notation in its 
submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by July 10, 
2009.

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 OMB Control Number 1902-0223 as a 
point of reference. The Desk Officer may be reached by telephone at 
202-395-4638.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission and should refer to Docket No. IC09-915-001. 
Comments may be filed either electronically or in paper format. Those 
persons filing electronically do not need to make a paper filing. 
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.
    For paper filings, an original and 2 copies of the comments should 
be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of 
the Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, and should 
refer to Docket No. IC09-915-001.
    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: Ellen Brown may be reached by 
telephone at (202) 502-8663, by fax at (202) 273-0873, and by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FERC is requesting comments on the record 
retention requirement FERC-915,\1\ ``Public Utility Market-Based Rate 
Authorization Holders--Records Retention Requirement,'' OMB Control No. 
1902-0223.
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    \1\ \\ The FERC-915 requirements (formerly labeled ``FERC-
915(516)'') are contained in 18 CFR 35.41(d).
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    In accordance with the Federal Power Act, the Department of Energy 
Organization Act (DOE Act), and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 
2005), the Commission regulates the transmission and wholesale sales of 
electricity in interstate commerce, monitors and investigates energy 
markets, uses civil penalties and other means against energy 
organizations and individuals who violate FERC rules in the energy 
markets, and administers accounting and financial reporting regulations 
and oversees conduct of regulated companies.
    The Commission imposes the FERC-915 record retention requirement, 
in 18 CFR 35.41(d), on applicable sellers to

[[Page 27521]]

retain, for a period of five years, all data and information upon which 
they bill the prices charged for ``electric energy or electric energy 
products it sold pursuant to Seller's market-based rate tariff, and the 
prices it reported for use in price indices.''
    The record retention period of five years is necessary due to the 
importance of records related to any investigation of possible 
wrongdoing and related to assuring compliance with the codes of conduct 
and the integrity of the market. The requirement is necessary to ensure 
consistency with the rule prohibiting market manipulation (adopted in 
Order No. 670) and the generally applicable five-year statute of 
limitations where the Commission seeks civil penalties for violations 
of the anti-manipulation rules or other rules, regulations, or orders 
to which the price data may be relevant.
    Action: FERC is requesting a three-year extension of the current 
expiration date for the FERC-915,\1\ with no changes to the 
requirements.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated at:

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                                                 Number of        Number of     Average  burden
              FERC requirements                 respondents     responses per      hours  per      Total annual
                                                  annually        respondent        response       burden hours
                                                         (1)              (2)              (3)      (1)x(2)x(3)
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FERC-915....................................           1,150                1                1            1,150
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    The estimated total annual cost to respondents includes hours for 
labor (1,150 hrs. at $17 per hour, for a labor cost of $19,550) and 
storage costs (using an estimated 65,000 cu. ft of records in off-site 
storage, for a total storage cost of $419,858). The total annual cost 
(labor plus off-site storage) is $439,408; the total annual cost per 
respondent is $382.
    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, e.g., permitting electronic submission of 
responses.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-13541 Filed 6-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P