[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 96 (Wednesday, May 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28760-28761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12120]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC11-73-001]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-73); Comment 
Request; Submitted for OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 issued a Notice in the Federal Register (76 FR 12090, 2/
24/2011) requesting public comments. FERC received one comment on the 
FERC-73 and has made this notation in its submission to OMB and 
provides a summary of the comment and a response below.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by June 17, 
2011.

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 1902-0019 for 
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. IC11-73-001. 
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, 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. IC11-
73-001.
    Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in 
FERC Docket Number IC11-73 may do so through eSubscription at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp. 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 e-mail 
at [email protected], by telephone at (202) 502-8663, and by fax 
at (202) 273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC Form No. 73 ``Oil Pipelines Service Life Data'' 
(OMB No. 1902-0019) is used by the Commission to implement the 
statutory provisions of sections 306 and 402 of the Department of 
Energy Organization Act, 42 U.S.C. 7155 and 7172, and Executive Order 
No. 12009, 42 FR 46277 (September 13, 1977). The Commission has 
authority over interstate oil pipelines as stated in the Interstate 
Commerce Act, 49 U.S.C. 6501 et al. As part of the information 
necessary for the subsequent investigation and review of an oil 
pipeline company's proposed depreciation rates, the pipeline companies 
are required to provide

[[Page 28761]]

service life data as part of their data submissions if the proposed 
depreciation rates are based on the remaining physical life 
calculations. This service life data is submitted on FERC Form No. 73.
    The data submitted are used by the Commission to assist in the 
selection of appropriate service lives and book depreciation rates. 
Book depreciation rates are used by oil pipeline companies to compute 
the depreciation portion of their operating expense which is a 
component of their cost of service which in turn is used to determine 
the transportation rate to assess customers. FERC staff's recommended 
book depreciation rates become legally binding when issued by 
Commission order. These rates remain in effect until a subsequent 
review is requested and the outcome indicates that a modification is 
justified. The Commission implements these filings in 18 CFR parts 347 
and 357.

Public Comment and FERC Response

    The Commission received one comment from the Bureau of Economic 
Analysis (BEA). In that comment, BEA strongly supported the continued 
collection of data through the FERC Form No. 73. Their support stems 
from reliance on this data collection for key components of its 
economic statistics. Specifically, BEA uses the information on the 
service lives for petroleum pipeline companies to validate the lives in 
BEA's depreciation rates for petroleum pipelines. Moreover, these rates 
help BEA derive economic depreciation or consumption of fixed capital 
as part of the National Income and Product Accounts work BEA does.
    In response, the FERC intends to work with BEA should there be a 
need to make any changes to this data collection.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year approval of the 
collection of data with no changes to the information that is collected 
on Form 73. This is a mandatory information collection requirement.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as follows:

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                                          Number of          Number of       Average  burden
           Data collection               respondents       responses per        hours  per       Total  annual
                                           annually          respondent          response         burden hours
                                                   (1)                (2)                (3)        (1)x(2)x(3)
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FERC Form 73........................                 3                  1                 40          120 hours
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    The estimated total cost to respondents is $8,214 [120 hours/2,080 
hours \1\ per year, times $142,372 \2\ equals $8,214]. The cost per 
respondent annually is $2,738.
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    \1\ Number of hours an employee works each year.
    \2\ Average annual salary per employee (including benefits and 
overhead).
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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 estimates 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 collections 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.

    Dated: May 11, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-12120 Filed 5-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P