[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 131 (Monday, July 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40347-40348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16630]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC12-9-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-552); 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 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D), the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission or FERC) is submitting the information 
collection FERC Form 552 (Annual Report of Natural Gas Transactions) 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 19009, 3/29/2012) requesting public comments. 
FERC received no comments on the FERC-552 and is making this notation 
in its submittal to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by August 8, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0242, 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. IC12-9-000, 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 Form 552, Annual Report of Natural Gas Transactions.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0242.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-552 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the reporting requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission uses the information collected within the 
FERC-552 to provide greater transparency concerning the use of indices 
to price natural gas and how well index prices reflect market forces. 
The collection also includes transactions that contribute to, or may 
contribute to natural gas price indices. Many market participants rely 
on indices as a way to reference market prices without taking on the 
risks of active trading.
    FERC-552 had its genesis in the Energy Policy Act of 2005,\1\ which 
added section 23 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Section 23 of the NGA, 
among other things, directs the Commission ``to facilitate price 
transparency in markets for the sale or transportation of physical 
natural gas in interstate commerce, having due regard for the public 
interest, the integrity of those markets, and the protection of 
consumers.'' \2\
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    \1\ Public Law 109-58.
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 717t-2.
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    Type of Respondents: Wholesale natural gas market participants.
    Estimate of Annual Burden \3\: The Commission estimates the total 
Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
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    \3\ 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.

                                            FERC-552 (IC12-9-000): Annual Report of Natural Gas Transactions
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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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Wholesale natural market participants.........................               691                 1               691                10             6,910
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $476,857 
[6,910 hours / 2,080 \4\ hours/year = 3.32212 * $143,540/year \5\ = 
$476,857].
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    \4\ 2080 hours = 40 hours/week * 52 weeks (1 year).
    \5\ Average annual salary per employee in 2012.
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    The estimated annual cost of filing the FERC-552 per response is 
$690

[[Page 40348]]

[$476,857 / 691 responses = $690/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 28, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-16630 Filed 7-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P