[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47566-47567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-22230]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC09-715-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-715); Comment 
Request; Extension

September 9, 2009.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for 
comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 or FERC) 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 November 16, 2009.

ADDRESSES: An example of this collection of information may be obtained 
from the Commission's Web site (at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp). Comments may be filed either electronically or in paper 
format, and should refer to Docket No. IC09-715-000. Documents must be 
prepared in an acceptable filing format and in compliance with the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission submission guidelines at http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp.
    Comments may be filed electronically via the eFiling link on the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov. First time users will 
have to establish a user name and password (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/eregistration.asp) before eFiling. The Commission will send an 
automatic acknowledgement to the sender's e-mail

[[Page 47567]]

address upon receipt of comments through eFiling.
    Commenters filing electronically should not make a paper filing. 
Commenters that are not able to file electronically must send an 
original and 14 copies of their comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in 
this docket may do so through eSubscription (at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp). In addition, all comments and FERC 
issuances may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely through FERC's 
Web site using the ``eLibrary'' link and searching on Docket Number 
IC09-715. For user assistance, contact FERC Online Support (e-mail at 
[email protected], or call 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: The FERC-715 (``Annual Transmission Planning 
and Evaluation Report,'' OMB Control No. 1902-0171) is a mandatory 
filing described at 18 CFR 141.300. The FERC-715 must be submitted by 
each transmitting utility that operates integrated (that is, non-
radial) transmission facilities at or above 100 kilovolts. [An overview 
and instructions for filing the FERC-715 are posted on the FERC Web 
site at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/eforms/form-715/instructions.asp.]
    Section 213 (b) of the Federal Power Act (FPA), as amended by the 
Energy Policy Act of 1992, requires FERC to collect, annually from 
transmitting utilities, sufficient information about their transmission 
systems to inform potential transmission customers, state regulatory 
authorities, and the public, of available transmission capacity and 
constraints. FERC-715 also supports the Commission's expanded 
responsibilities under Sections 211, 212, 213(a), 304, 307(a), 309, and 
311 of the FPA, as amended, for reviewing reliability issues, market 
structure relationships, and in rate and other regulatory proceedings.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current reporting requirements, with no change.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as follows.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Number of       Number of    Average burden
              FERC data collection                  respondents    responses per     hours per     Total annual
                                                     annually       respondent       response      burden hours
                                                             (1)             (2)             (3)     (1) x (2) x
                                                                                                             (3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-715........................................             183               1             160          29,280
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    [Note: These figures may not be exact, due to rounding.

    ]The total estimated annual cost burden \1\ to respondents is 
$1,806,026.90 {[(29,280 hrs.)/(2,080 hrs./yr.)] x ($128,297 per 
yr.){time} .
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Employees work an average of 2,080 hours per year, at an 
estimated cost of $128,297 per year.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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. E9-22230 Filed 9-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P