[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 131 (Monday, July 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40348-40349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16631]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC12-15-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-546); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the 
currently approved information collection, FERC-546, Certificated 
Filings: Gas Pipeline Rates.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due September 7, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC12-15-
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], telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at (202) 
273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: FERC-546, Certificated Filings: Gas Pipeline Rates.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0155.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-546 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission reviews the FERC-546 materials to decide 
whether to determine an initial rate associated with an application for 
a certificate under NGA Section 7(c). It reviews FERC-546 materials in 
4(f) storage applications to evaluate market power and decide whether 
to grant, deny, or condition market based rate authority for the 
applicant. The Commission uses the FERC-546 information to monitor 
jurisdictional transportation, natural gas storage, and unbundled sales 
activities of interstate natural gas pipelines and Hinshaw \1\ 
pipelines. In addition to fulfilling the Commission's obligations under 
the NGA, the FERC-546 enables the Commission to monitor the activities 
and evaluate transactions of the natural gas industry, ensure 
competitiveness, and improved efficiency of the industry's operations. 
In summary, the Commission uses the FERC-546 information to:
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    \1\ Hinshaw pipelines are those that receive all out-of-state 
gas from entities within or at the boundary of a state if all the 
natural gas so received is ultimately consumed within the state in 
which it is received, 15 U.S.C. 717(c). Congress concluded that 
Hinshaw pipelines are ``matters primarily of local concern,'' and so 
are more appropriately regulated by pertinent state agencies rather 
than by FERC. The Natural Gas Act section 1(c) exempts Hinshaw 
pipelines from FERC jurisdiction. A Hinshaw pipeline, however, may 
apply for a FERC certificate to transport gas outside of state 
lines.
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     Ensure adequate customer protections under section 4(f) of 
the NGA;
     Review rate and tariff changes by natural gas companies 
for the transportation of gas, natural gas storage services;
     Provide general industry oversight;
     And supplement documentation during its audits process.
    Failure to collect this information would prevent the Commission 
from being able to monitor and evaluate transactions and operations of 
interstate pipelines and perform its regulatory functions.
    Type of Respondents: Pipeline companies and storage operators.
    Estimate of Annual Burden \2\: The Commission estimates the total 
Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
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    \2\ 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-546: Certificated Rate Filings
                                                                  [Gas Pipeline Rates]
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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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Pipeline companies............................................                11                 1                11                40               440
Storage operators.............................................                 2                 1                 2               350               700
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    Total.....................................................                13                 2                13               N/A             1,140
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[[Page 40349]]

    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $78,669.97 
[1,140 hours / 2,080 \3\ hours/year = 0.54807 * $143,540/year \4\ = 
$78,669.97].
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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-546 per response is 
$6,051.54 [$78,669.97 / 13 responses = $6,051.54/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. 2012-16631 Filed 7-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P