[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59144-59145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27472]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC09-732-001]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-732); Comment 
Request; Submitted For OMB Review

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

ACTION: Notice.

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

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 (74 FR 45434, 9/2/2009) and has made this notation in its 
submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by December 
17, 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 1902-0140 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. IC09-732-
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.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. IC09-732-001.
    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: To implement section 1233 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) (which added new section 217 to the 
Federal Power Act (FPA)), the Commission requires each transmission 
organization that is a public utility with one or more organized 
electricity markets to make available long-term firm transmission 
rights that satisfy each of the Commission's guidelines. The reporting 
requirements of FERC-732 \1\ (``Electric

[[Page 59145]]

Rate Schedules and Tariffs: Long-Term Firm Transmission Rights in 
Organized Electricity Markets,'' OMB Control Number 1902-0245) pertain 
to these long-term transmission rights and are described in 18 CFR part 
42.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ This information collection has been labeled ``FERC-913'', 
``FERC-913/516'', and ``FERC-913 (Temporary)'' with a goal of 
incorporating it later into FERC-516 (OMB Control No. 1902-0096). In 
addition, in Order No. 681 (in Docket No. RM06-8, issued 7/20/06), 
the burden was listed as part of FERC-516. OMB approved the new 
reporting requirements on 1/24/07 and assigned OMB Control No. 1902-
0236 (rather than including it in FERC-516).
    On 9/28/07 (in ICR Nos. 200610-1902-002 and 200709-1902-008), 
OMB approved transfer from OMB Control No. 1902-0236 to OMB Control 
No. 1902-0245. However, OMB Control No. 1902-0245 does not indicate 
a FERC collection number. To eliminate some of the confusion, we 
have assigned these requirements a new FERC collection number, FERC-
732. The new collection number does not affect the regulatory 
requirements or burden.
    In the future, FERC plans to incorporate the FERC-732 reporting 
requirements and related burden into the FERC-516. However, FERC-516 
is currently the subject of OMB review, so the Commission will track 
these requirements (and the related burden hours) separately under 
FERC-732. FERC-516 is not a subject of this Notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The FERC-732 regulations require that transmission organizations 
that are public utilities with one or more organized electricity 
markets either: (a) File tariff sheets making long-term firm 
transmission rights available that are consistent with each of the 
guidelines established by FERC, or (b) file an explanation describing 
how their existing tariffs already provide long-term firm transmission 
rights that are consistent with the guidelines. In addition, each 
transmission organization is required to make its transmission planning 
and expansion procedures and plans publicly available.
    FERC-732 enables the Commission to exercise its wholesale electric 
rate and electric power transmission oversight and enforcement 
responsibilities in accordance with the FPA, the Department of Energy 
Organization Act (DOE Act), and EPAct 2005.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date for the FERC-732, with no changes to the 
reporting requirements.
    Burden Statement: The public reporting burden for this collection 
is estimated to be as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Number of       Number of    Average burden
                  FERC-732 \1\                      respondents    responses per     hours per     Total annual
                                                     annually       respondent       response      burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             (1)             (2)             (3)     (1) x (2) x
                                                                                                             (3)
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
New Transmission Organizations with Organized                  1               1           1,180           1,180
 Electricity Markets--filing requirement........
Existing & New Transmission Organizations with                 6               1               2              12
 Organized Markets--making plans & procedures
 available to public............................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total annual estimate.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............           1,192

    Any transmission organization approved by the Commission for 
operation after January 29, 2007, that has one or more organized 
electricity markets (administered either by it or by another entity), 
will be required to comply with the FERC-732 reporting requirements. 
Although it is difficult to predict whether the Commission will receive 
an application for, and approve, a transmission organization in the 
foreseeable future, the regulations, reporting requirements, and burden 
of FERC-732 merit continued renewal of the OMB (Office of Management 
and Budget) clearance. As a result, we are including a `placeholder' 
estimate of 1 respondent and 1 response annually for the filing 
requirement. In addition, each existing transmission organization 
subject to Part 42 must make its transmission planning and expansion 
procedures and plans publicly available (under 18 CFR 42.1(c)(4)) for 
an estimated burden of 2 hours per respondent.
    The estimated total cost to respondents is $71,491.35 [1,192 hours 
divided by 2,080 hours \2\ per year, times $124,750 \3\ equals 
$71,491.35]. The estimated cost per respondent is $70,771.63 for new 
transmission organizations, and $119.95 for existing transmission 
organizations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Number of hours an employee works each year.
    \3\ The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor 
Occupational Handbook (`May 2008 National Occupational Employment 
and Wage Estimates [United States],' at http://www.bls.gov/oes/2008/may/oes_nat.htm#b23-0000) shows the mean annual salary for a lawyer 
is $124,750, or $59.98 per hour.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 collections of 
information are 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 estimates of the 
burden of the proposed collections 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. E9-27472 Filed 11-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P