[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64301-64303]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26240]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC11-537-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-537); Comment 
Request; Extension

October 8, 2010.
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, 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 December 20, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically (eFiled) or in 
paper format, and should refer to Docket No. IC11-537-000. 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 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. IC11-537. For user assistance, contact FERC Online 
Support by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at: (866) 
208-3676 (toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: 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-537, ``Gas Pipeline Certificates: Construction, 
Acquisition, and Abandonment'' (OMB Control No. 1902-0060), is used by 
the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of the Natural Gas 
Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA), 15 U.S.C. 3301-3432, and the Natural Gas Act 
(NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w). Under the NGA, natural gas pipeline 
companies must obtain Commission authorization to undertake the 
construction or extension of any facilities, or to acquire or operate 
any such facilities or extensions in accordance with Section 7(c) of 
the NGA. A natural gas company must also obtain Commission approval 
under Section 7(b) of the NGA prior to abandoning any jurisdictional 
facility or service. Under the NGA and the NGPA, interstate and 
intrastate pipelines must also obtain authorization for certain

[[Page 64302]]

transportation and storage services and arrangements, particularly a 
Part 284, Subpart G--Blanket Certificate (18 CFR 284.8).
    The information collected is necessary to certificate interstate 
pipelines engaged in the transportation and sale of natural gas, and 
the construction, acquisition, and operation of facilities to be used 
in those activities, to authorize the abandonment of facilities and 
services, and to authorize certain NGPA transactions. If a certificate 
is granted, the natural gas company can construct, acquire, or operate 
facilities, plus engage in interstate transportation or sale of natural 
gas. Conversely, approval of an abandonment application permits the 
pipeline to cease service and/or discontinue the operation of such 
facilities. Authorization under NGPA Section 311(a) allows the 
interstate or intrastate pipeline applicants to render certain 
transportation services.
    The data required to be submitted consists of identification of the 
company and responsible officials, factors considered in the location 
of the facilities and the detailed impact on the project area for 
environmental considerations. Also to be submitted are the following:
     Flow diagrams showing proposed design capacity for 
engineering design verification and safety determination;
     Commercial and economic data presenting the basis for the 
proposed action; and
     Cost of the proposed facilities, plans for financing, and 
estimated revenues and expenses related to the proposed facility for 
accounting and financial evaluation.
    The Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR 157.5-.11; 157.13-.20; 157.53; 
157.201-.209; 157.211; 157.214-.218; 284.8; 284.11; 284.126; 284.221; 
284.224.\1\
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    \1\ Sections 284.223 and 284.227 have been removed from this 
Notice since they have no reporting or records burden.
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    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
FERC-537 reporting requirements.
    Burden Statement: The following table shows the current total 
burden estimate. Because the nature of the various filings that are 
covered by FERC-537 are so varied, a table has been included as an 
Appendix to this Notice to give a more detailed description of the 
various elements of this burden estimate:

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                                                                Average No. of  Average  burden
            FERC data collection                   No. of       responses per      hours  per      Total annual
                                                respondents     respondent \2\    response \3\     burden hours
                                                         (1)              (2)              (3)   (1) x (2) x (3)
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FERC-537....................................             225             3.44              133          102,942
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $6,823,570 
(102,942 hours/2,080 hours \4\ per year, times $137,874 \5\).
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    \2\ From Appendix: No. of Filings/No. of Respondents, or 775/225 
= 3.44.
    \3\ A weighted average based on the information provided in the 
Appendix to this Notice.
    \4\ Estimated number of hours an employee works each year.
    \5\ Estimated average annual cost 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.

Appendix

         Details for FERC-537, ``Gas Pipeline Certificates: Construction, Acquisition, and Abandonment''
                               [Based on Fiscal Year 2010 information and records]
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                                                                               Number of        Avg. hours to
    Regulation section 18 CFR       Regulation topic        Number of         filings or     prepare a filing or
                                                           respondents         responses         application
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157.5-.11; & 157.13-.20.........  Interstate           75 companies.......              82  500
                                   certificate and     (25 different).....
                                   abandonment
                                   applications.
157.53..........................  Exemptions.                                           10  100

[[Page 64303]]

 
157.201-.209; 157.211; 157.214-   Blanket                                               45  200
 .218.                             Certificates prior
                                   notice filings.
157.201-.209; 157.211; 157.214-   Blanket              145 companies......             336  50
 .218.                             Certificates--annu  (145 different)....
                                   al reports.
284.11..........................  NGPA Sec. 311
                                   Construction--annu
                                   al reports.
284.8...........................  Capacity Release--   168................             168  75
                                   record keeping.
284.126 (a) & (c)...............  Intrastate bypass,   50 companies.......             100  30
                                   semi annual         (50 different).....
                                   transportation &
                                   storage--reports.
284.221.........................  Blanket              20.................              20  100
                                   Certificates--one
                                   time filing, inc.
                                   new tariff and
                                   rate design
                                   proposal.
284.224.........................  Hinshaw Blanket      2..................               2  75
                                   Certificates--.     (2 different)......
157.5-.11; & 157.13-.20;........  Non-facility         9..................              12  75
                                   certificate or      (3 different)......
                                   abandonment
                                   applications.
                                                      ======================
    Totals......................  ...................  225 different......             775  133 average,
                                                                                             weighted.
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[FR Doc. 2010-26240 Filed 10-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P