[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 32 (Friday, February 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11167-11168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03501]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC13-1-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-592); Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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-592 (Standards of Conduct for Transmission Provider; 
and Marketing Affiliates of Interstate Pipelines), to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review of the

[[Page 11168]]

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 70746, 11/27/2012) requesting public 
comments. FERC received no comments on the FERC-592 and is making this 
notation in its submittal to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by March 18, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0157, 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. 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], by telephone at (202) 502-8663, and by 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.: 1902-0157.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-592 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the 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.
    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.

   FERC-592--Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers; and Marketing Affiliates of Interstate Pipelines
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                                                 Number of                       Average burden
            Number of respondents              responses per   Total number of     hours per     Estimated total
                                                 respondent       responses         response      annual burden
(A)                                                      (B)        (A)x(B)=(C)            (D)                (C)x(D)
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85..........................................               1               85           116.62            9,913
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $684,092 
[9,913 hours / 2080 \2\ hours per 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 plus benefits 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: February 8, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-03501 Filed 2-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P