[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 188 (Wednesday, September 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50176-50177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23516]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC09-592-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-592); Comment 
Request; Extension

September 23, 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. 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 30, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically or in paper 
format, and should refer to Docket No. IC09-592-000. 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 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 
IC09-592. 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: FERC-592 (``Marketing Affiliates of 
Interstate Pipelines, Standards of Conduct for Transmission 
Providers,'' OMB No. 1902-0157) includes the reporting, recordkeeping, 
and posting requirements in:
    [ssbox] 18 CFR Part 358 (Standards of Conduct),\1\
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    \1\ The requirements in 18 CFR Part 358 (that are related to the 
natural gas industry) are included in OMB No. 1902-0157 and this 
Notice. However, the requirements in Part 358 that are related to 
the electric utility industry are covered by FERC-717 (OMB Control 
No. 1902-0173) and are not a subject of this Notice.
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    [ssbox] 18 CFR 250.16, and
    [ssbox] FERC Form No. 592 log/format, that is posted at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/eforms.asp#592.
    Hereafter, this Notice will refer to this group of collections of 
information as ``FERC-592.''
    Under Section 4 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), the Commission has 
the regulatory responsibility to ensure that pipeline rates are just 
and reasonable. In order to ensure just and reasonable rates and 
services, the Commission must achieve two objectives: prevent undue 
discrimination in natural gas markets, and promote competitive and 
efficient markets while mitigating market power. In short, the 
Commission's regulatory policy must seek to reconcile the objectives of 
fostering an efficient market that provides good alternatives to as 
many shippers as possible, while at the same time creating a regulatory 
framework that is fair and protects captive customers without good 
alternatives.
    The ``FERC-592'' information (that is posted on the Web site, 
maintained, or provided by the respondents, as required) is used by the 
Commission to monitor the pipeline's transportation, sales, and storage 
activities for its marketing affiliate, and to deter undue 
discrimination by pipeline companies in favor of their affiliates. The 
information is also used by non-affiliated shippers, customers, and 
others (such as state commissions) to determine whether they have been 
harmed by affiliate preference and, in some cases, to prepare evidence 
for proceedings following the filing of a complaint or that address NGA 
section 4 rate cases.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current reporting requirements, with no change.
    Burden Statement: The estimated annual public reporting burden 
follows.

[[Page 50177]]



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                                                     Number of       Number of    Average burden
  Information collection (``FERC-592,'' OMB No.     respondents    responses per     hours per     Total annual
                   1902-0157)                        annually       respondent       response      burden hours
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                                                             (1)             (2)             (3)     (1) x (2) x
                                                                                                             (3)
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18 CFR Part 358 \1\
18 CFR 250.16
FERC Form No. 592 log/format....................              85               1          116.62           9,913
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Note: These figures may not be exact, due to rounding.

    The total estimated annual cost burden \2\ to respondents is 
$611,446.22 [(9,913 hours/2,080 hours per year) x $128,297/year]. The 
average annual cost per respondent is $7,193.48.
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    \2\ The average number of hours an employee works per year is 
2,080. The average employee costs $128,297 per year.
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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 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 log of data used to 
allocate capacity and the transportation discount information pipelines 
required to post and/or maintain under 18 CFR 250.16 are still being 
used, (2) whether the format for submitting data prescribed in the FERC 
Form No. 592 needs to be updated, (3) 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; (4) 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; (5) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (6) 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. E9-23516 Filed 9-29-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P