[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70746-70747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28747]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC13-1-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-592); 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, Standards of Conduct for 
Transmission Provider; and Marketing Affiliates of Interstate 
Pipelines.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due January 28, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC13-1-
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-592, Standards of Conduct for 
Transmission Providers; and Marketing Affiliates of Interstate 
Pipelines.
    OMB Control No.: 1 902-0157.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-592 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission uses the information maintained and posted 
by the respondents to monitor the pipeline's transportation, sales, and 
storage activities for its marketing affiliate to deter undue 
discrimination by pipeline companies in favor of their marketing 
affiliates. Non-affiliated shippers and other entities (e.g. state 
commissions) also use information to determine whether they have been 
harmed by affiliate preference and to prepare evidence for proceedings 
following the filing of a complaint.

18 CFR Part 358 (Standards of Conduct)

    Respondents maintain and provide the information required by Part 
358 on their Internet Web sites. When the Commission requires a 
pipeline to post information on its Web site following a disclosure of 
non-public information to its marketing affiliate, non-affiliated 
shippers obtain comparable access to the non-public transportation 
information, which allows them to compete with marketing affiliates on 
a more equal basis.

18 CFR 250.16, and the FERC-592 Log/Format

    This form (log/format) provides the electronic formats for 
maintaining information on discounted transportation transactions and 
capacity allocation to support monitoring of activities of interstate 
pipeline marketing affiliates. Commission staff considers discounts 
given to shippers in litigated rate cases.
    Without this information collection:
     The Commission would be unable to effectively monitor 
whether pipelines are giving discriminatory preference to their 
marketing affiliates; and
     Non-affiliated shippers and state commissions and others 
would be unable to determine if they have been harmed by affiliate 
preference or prepare evidence for proceedings following the filing of 
a complaint.
    Type of Respondents: Natural gas pipelines.

[[Page 70747]]

    Estimate of Annual Burden \1\: The Commission estimates the 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.

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                                                     Number of                        Average        Estimated
                                     Number of     responses per   Total number    burden hours    total annual
                                    respondents     respondent     of responses    per response       burden
                                             (A)             (B)     (A) x (B) =             (D)       (C) x (D)
                                                                             (C)
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18 CFR 358......................              85               1              85          116.62           9,913
18 CFR 250.16
FERC Form No. 592
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $684,092 
[9,913 hours / 2,080 \2\ hours/year = 4.76586 * $143,540/year \3\ = 
$684,092].
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    \2\ 2080 hours/year = 40 hours/week * 52 weeks/year.
    \3\ Average annual salary per employee in 2012.
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    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: November 20, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-28747 Filed 11-26-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P