[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 115 (Thursday, June 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35667-35668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14516]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC12-8-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-567); Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy.

ACTION: Comment request.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, 44 United States Code (U.S.C.) 3507(a)(1)(D), the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is submitting the 
information collection FERC-567, Gas Pipeline Certificates: Annual 
Reports of System Flow Diagrams and System Capacity 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 
(77 FR 11520, 02/27/2012) requesting public comments. FERC received no 
comments on the FERC-567 and is making this notation in its submittal 
to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by July 16, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0005, should be sent via email to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs: [email protected]. Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. The Desk Officer may also be 
reached via telephone at 202-395-4718.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, identified by the Docket No. IC12-8-000, by 
either of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's Web Site: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
     Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. For user assistance contact FERC Online Support 
by email at [email protected], or by phone at: (866) 208-3676 
(toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
    Docket: Users interested in receiving automatic notification of 
activity in this docket or in viewing/downloading comments and 
issuances in this docket may do so at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: FERC-567, Gas Pipeline Certificates: Annual Reports of 
System Flow Diagrams and System Capacity.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0005.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-567 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the reporting requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission uses the information from the FERC-567 to 
obtain accurate data on pipeline facilities and the peak capacity of 
these facilities. Additionally, the Commission validates the need for 
new facilities proposed by pipelines in certificate applications. By 
modeling a applicant's pipeline system, Commission staff utilizes the 
FERC-567 data to determine configuration and location of installed 
pipeline facilities; verify and determine the receipt and delivery 
points between shippers, producers and pipeline companies; determine 
the location of receipt and delivery points and emergency 
interconnections on a pipeline system; determine the location of 
pipeline segments, laterals and compressor stations on a pipeline 
system; verify pipeline segment lengths and pipeline diameters; justify 
the maximum allowable operating pressures and suction and discharge 
pressures at compressor stations; verify the installed horsepower and 
volumes compressed at each compressor station; determine the existing 
shippers and producers currently using each pipeline company; verify 
peak capacity on the system; and develop and evaluate alternatives to 
the proposed facilities as a means to mitigate environmental impact of 
new pipeline construction.
    18 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 260.8(a) requires each major 
natural gas pipeline with a system delivery capacity

[[Page 35668]]

exceeding 100,000 Mcf per day to submit by June 1 of each year, 
diagrams reflecting operating conditions on the pipeline's main 
transmission system during the previous 12 months ended December 31. 
These physical/engineering data are not included as part of any other 
data collection requirement.
    Type of Respondents: Applicants proposing hydropower projects on 
(or changes to existing projects located within) lands owned by the 
United States.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \1\ The Commission proposed an erroneous 
burden estimate on the 60-day notice \2\ for this information 
collection. The Commission estimates the corrected total Public 
Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
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    \1\ Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or 
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. For 
further explanation of what is included in the information 
collection burden, reference 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.
    \2\ 77 FR 11520 (2/27/2012)

                      FERC-567 (IC12-8-000): Gas Pipeline Certificates: Annual Reports of System Flow Diagrams and System Capacity
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                                                                                      Number of                        Average burden
                                                                    Number of       responses per    Total number of      hours per      Estimated total
                                                                   respondents       respondent         responses         response        annual burden
                                                                             (A)               (B)   (A) x (B) = (C)               (D)         (C) x (D)
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                                                      Data Proposed on 60-day notice 2 for FERC-567
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Natural Gas Pipelines.........................................               103                 1               103                 1               103
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                                                          Corrected Data Proposed for FERC-567
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Natural Gas Pipelines.........................................               103                 1               103                55             5,665
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    The Commission revised the erroneous figures (presented within the 
60-day notice for this information collection \2\) based on an improved 
internal analysis. We were remiss in our previous analysis that 
resulted in the underestimated burden calculation.
    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $ [5,665 
hours / 2,080 \3\ hours/year = 2.72355 * $143,540/year \4\ = 
$390,938.37]
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    \3\ 2080 hours = 40 hours/week * 52 weeks (1 year).
    \4\ Average annual salary per employee in 2012.
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    The estimated annual cost of filing the FERC-567 per response is 
$3,795.52 [$390,938.37 / 103 responses = $3,795.52/response].
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the 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 and 
cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.

    Dated: June 1, 2012.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-14516 Filed 6-13-12; 8:45 am]
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