[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 118 (Monday, June 20, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35871-35872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-15255]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC11-519-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-519); 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 activities described below.

DATES: Comments in consideration of the collection of information are 
due August 19, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically (eFiled) or in 
paper format, and should refer to Docket No. IC11-519-000. 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. 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. IC11-519. 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 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:

Description

    The FERC-519, ``Application under Federal Power Act section 203,'' 
OMB Control No. 1902-0082, is necessary to enable the Commission to 
carry out its responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions 
of section 203 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), 16 U.S.C. 824b. Section 
203 authorizes the Commission to grant approval of transactions in 
which a public utility disposes of jurisdictional facilities, merges 
such facilities with the facilities owned by another person or acquires 
the securities of another public utility. Under this statute, the 
Commission must find that the proposed transaction will be consistent 
with the public interest.
    Under section 203 of the FPA, FERC must review proposed mergers, 
acquisitions and dispositions of jurisdictional facilities by public 
utilities, if the value of the facilities exceeds $10 million, and must 
approve these transactions if they are consistent with the public 
interest. One of FERC's overarching goals is to promote competition in 
wholesale power markets, having determined that effective competition, 
as opposed to traditional forms of price regulation, can best protect 
the interests of ratepayers. Market power, however, can be exercised to 
the detriment of effective competition and customers, making it 
necessary for FERC to review and approve or disapprove all 
jurisdictional mergers, dispositions and acquisitions. The Commission 
implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) under 18 CFR part 33.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

[[Page 35872]]



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                                                             Number of        Average burden
              Number of responses annually                 responses per        hours per         Total annual
                                                             respondent          response         burden hours
(1)                                                                   (2)                (3)    (1) x (2) x (3)
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112....................................................                 1                395             44,240
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    The estimated total cost to respondents is $3,028,143 [44,240 
hours/2,080 hours \1\ per year, times $142,372 \2\ equals $3,028,143]. 
The cost per respondent annually is $27,037. This is a decrease from 
134 to currently an average of 112 filings annually. The Commission 
considers this a normal fluctuation due to market activities and filing 
times chosen. Utilities file periodically; therefore the number of 
filings is expected to continue to fluctuate from year-to-year.
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    \1\ Number of hours an employee works each year.
    \2\ Average annual salary per employee (including 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, using 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 filing instructions and requirements; 
(4) training personnel to respond to this collection of information; 
(5) searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection 
of information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the 
information.
    The cost estimate 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.

    Dated: June 14, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-15255 Filed 6-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P