[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 171 (Friday, September 2, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54749-54750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22513]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC11-523-001]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-523); Comment 
Request; Submitted for OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy.

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 35870, 6/
20/2011) requesting public comments. FERC received no comments on the 
FERC-523 and has made this notation in its submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by October 3, 
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 Created by OMB should be filed electronically, c/o [email protected] and include OMB Control Number 1902-0043 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. IC11-523-001. 
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 website and click on Documents 
& Filing, E-Filing (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp), and 
then follow

[[Page 54750]]

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-
523-001.
    Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in 
FERC Docket Number IC11-523 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], telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at 
(202) 273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collection is under the 
requirements of FERC-523, ``Applications for Authorization for Issuance 
of Securities or the Assumption of Liabilities'', OMB Control No. 1902-
0043.
    Federal Power Act (FPA) section 204, 16 USC 824c, prohibits public 
utilities and licensees from issuing any security, or assuming any 
obligation or liability as guarantor, endorser, surety, or otherwise in 
respect of any security of another person, unless they have submitted 
an application to the Commission and receive Commission authorization 
to do so. The Commission issues an order if it finds that the security 
issue or assumption meets three criteria. First, it is for ``lawful 
object,'' within the corporate purposes of the applicant and compatible 
with the public interest. Second it is necessary or appropriate for or 
consistent with the proper performance by the applicant as a public 
utility. Third, it will not impair its ability to perform service, and 
(b) is reasonably necessary or appropriate to perform service.
    The Commission uses the information contained in filings to 
determine its acceptance and/or rejection of applications for 
authorization to either issue securities or to assume an obligation or 
liability by the public utilities and their licensees who make these 
applications.
    The Commission implements this statute through its regulations, 
which are found at 18 CFR part 34; and 18 CFR 131.43 and 131.50. Part 
131 prescribes the required filing format. The information is filed 
electronically.
    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:

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    Number of responses        Number of responses per     Average burden hours per
          annually                    respondent                   response            Total annual burden hours
(1)                                            (2)                          (3)             (1) x (2) x (3)
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                   78                          1.7                           88           11,669 (Rounded).
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    The estimated total cost to respondents is $798,721 [11,669 hours/
2080 hours \1\ per year, times $142,372 \2\ equals $798,721]. The cost 
per respondent annually is $10,240. This is an increase from 60 to 
currently 78 utilities filing annually. An increase from 1 to 1.7 
filings per utility annually was also seen. The Commission considers 
this a normal fluctuation due to market activities and filing times 
chosen. Utilities file periodically, therefore the number of filings 
are 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: August 29, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-22513 Filed 9-1-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P