[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 3, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45609-45610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-18970]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC10-542-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-542); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) (2006) 
(Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the proposed information 
collection described below.

DATES: Comments in consideration of the collection of information are 
due October 4, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically (eFiled) or in 
paper format, and should refer to Docket No. IC10-542-000. 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. eFiling instructions are available at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. First-time users must follow 
eRegister instructions at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/eregistration.asp, to establish a user name and password before 
eFiling. The Commission will send an automatic acknowledgement to the 
sender's e-mail address upon receipt of eFiled comments. Commenters 
making an eFiling should not make a paper filing. Commenters that are 
not able to file electronically must send an original and two (2) paper 
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 
eLibrary at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp, by searching 
on Docket No. IC10-542. For user assistance, contact FERC Online 
Support by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone, toll-
free, at: (866) 208-3676, or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by e-mail 
at [email protected], telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at 
(202) 273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-542 ``Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Tracking'' (OMB No. 
1902-0070) is used by the Commission to implement the statutory 
provisions of Title IV of the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA), 15 U.S.C. 
3301-3432, and Sections 4, 5 and 16 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (Pub. 
L. 75-688) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w). These statutes empower the Commission 
to collect natural gas transmission cost information from interstate 
natural gas transporters for the purpose of verifying that these costs, 
which are passed on to pipeline customers, are just and reasonable.
    Interstate natural gas pipeline companies are required by the 
Commission to track their transportation-associated costs to allow for 
the Commission's review and, where appropriate, approve the pass-
through of these costs to pipeline customers. These FERC-542 tracking 
filings are accountings of the cost of (1) research, development, and 
deployment expenditures; (2) annual charge adjustments and (3) periodic 
rate adjustments.
    Tracking filings may be submitted at any time or on a regularly 
scheduled basis in accordance with the pipeline company's tariff. 
Filings may be either: (1) Accepted; (2) suspended and set for hearing; 
(3) suspended, but not set for

[[Page 45610]]

hearing; or (4) suspended for further review, such as technical 
conference or some other type of Commission action. The Commission 
implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) under 18 CFR parts 154, 154.4, 154.7, 154.307, 154.201, 154.207-
154.208 and 154.401-154.403.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date, with no changes to the existing collection of 
data.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

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                                                         Number of        Average burden
      FERC data collection         Annual number of    responses per        hours per       Total annual burden
                                     respondents         respondent          response              hours
                                               (1)                (2)                (3)   (1) x (2) x (3)
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FERC-542........................                95                3.5                 40   13,300
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    Estimated cost burden to respondents is $881,598 (13,300 hours/
2,080 hours \1\ times $137,874 \2\). The cost per respondent is $9,280.
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    \1\ Number of hours an employee works each year.
    \2\ 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 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. 2010-18970 Filed 8-2-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P