[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77111-77112]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30319]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC14-1-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-555); Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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-555, Records Retention Requirements, 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 
(78 FR 61983, 10/9/2013) requesting public comments. FERC received no 
comments on the FERC-555 and is making this notation in its submittal 
to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by January 21, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0098, 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. IC14-1-000, 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-555, Records Retention Requirements.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0098.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-555 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission collects the information under the 
requirements of FERC-555 (Records Retention Requirements) to carry out 
its responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions of 
Sections 301, 304 and 309 of the Federal Power Act (FPA),\1\ Sections 
8, 10 and 16 of the

[[Page 77112]]

Natural Gas Act (NGA),\2\ and Section 20 of the Interstate Commerce Act 
(ICA).\3\
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 825, 825c and 825h.
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 717-717w.
    \3\ 49 U.S.C. 20.
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    The regulations for preservation of records establish retention 
periods, necessary guidelines, and requirements for retention of 
applicable records. These requirements apply to the regulated public 
utilities, natural gas and oil pipeline companies subject to the 
Commission's jurisdiction. Regulated entities use these records as the 
basis for required rate filings and reports to the Commission. 
Additionally, the Commission's audit staff will use the records during 
compliance reviews. The Commission's enforcement staff will also use 
the information during investigations. Finally, the Commission will use 
the records for special analyses when necessary.
    On January 8, 1999 the Commission issued AI99-2-000, an Accounting 
Issuance providing guidance on records storage media. More 
specifically, the Commission gave each jurisdictional company the 
flexibility to select its own storage media. The storage media selected 
must have a life expectancy equal to the applicable record period 
unless the quality of the data transferred from one media to another 
with no loss of data would exceed the record period.
    On January 27, 2000, the Commission issued a final rule amending 
its records retention regulations for public utilities and licensees as 
well as natural gas and oil pipeline companies. These changes included 
revising the general instructions, and shortening various records 
retention periods. The objective of the final rule was to reduce or 
eliminate burdensome and unnecessary regulatory requirements.
    The Commission is not making any additional changes to the record 
retention requirements specified under FERC-555. The Commission 
implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) under 18 CFR Parts 125, 225, and 356.
    Type of Respondents: Public utilities, natural gas companies, and 
oil companies.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \4\ In 2010 Commission staff surveyed a 
small number of FERC-555 respondents in order to improve the burden 
estimates. We are using the same methodology here as in 2010. However, 
we are updating the figures due to current cost information and 
differences in the total number of respondents.
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    \4\ The Commission defines burden 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-555--Preservation of Records for Public Utilities and Licenses, Natural Gas and Oil Pipeline Companies
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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
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(A)                                                      (B)    (A) x (B) = (C)            (D)                (C) x (D)
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509.........................................               1              509            5,218        2,655,962

    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is 
$154,949,271, which includes $78,242,971 for non-labor record storage 
costs and $76,706,300 for employee costs. The average cost per 
respondent is $304,419, which includes $153,719 for non-labor record 
storage costs and $150,700 for employee costs. All of these cost 
figures are based on staff analysis of the data we received in 2010.
    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: December 16, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-30319 Filed 12-19-13; 8:45 am]
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