[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8181-8182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02926]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC14-7-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-603); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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-603, Critical Energy 
Infrastructure Information Request.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due April 14, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC14-7-
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-603, Critical Energy Infrastructure Information Request
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0197
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-603 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: This collection is used by the Commission to implement 
procedures for gaining access to critical energy infrastructure 
information (CEII) that would not otherwise be available under the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). On February, 21, 2003, the 
Commission issued Order No. 630 (66 FR 52917) to address the 
appropriate treatment of CEII in the aftermath of the September 11, 
2001 terrorist attacks and to restrict unrestrained general access due 
to the ongoing terrorism threat. These steps enable the Commission to 
keep sensitive infrastructure information out of the public domain, 
decreasing the likelihood that such information could be used to plan 
or execute terrorist attacks. The process adopted in Order No. 630 is a 
more efficient alternative for handling requests for previously public 
documents than FOIA. The Commission has defined CEII to include 
information about ``existing or proposed critical infrastructure that 
(i) relates to the production, generation, transportation, 
transmission, or distribution of energy; (ii) could be useful to a 
person planning an attack on critical infrastructure; (iii) is exempt 
from mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, and 
(iv) does not simply give the location of the critical infrastructure. 
Critical infrastructure means existing and proposed systems and assets, 
whether physical or virtual, the incapacity or destruction of which 
would negatively affect security, economic security, public health or 
safety, or any combination of those matters. A person seeking access to 
CEII may file a request for that information by providing information 
about their identity and reason as to the need for the information. 
Through this process, the Commission is able to review the requester's 
need for the information against the sensitivity of the information. 
Compliance with these requirements is mandatory.
    Type of Respondents: Persons seeking access to CEII.
    Estimate of Annual Burden \1\: The Commission estimates the total 
Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
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    \1\ 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.

[[Page 8182]]



                          FERC-604: Critical Energy Infrastructure Information Request
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                                                 Number of     Total number of   Average burden  Estimated total
                                Number of      responses per      responses        hours per      annual burden
                             respondents (A)   respondent (B)    (A)x(B)=(C)      response (D)       (C)x(D)
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Persons seeking access to               200                1              200              0.3               60
 CEII
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    The total estimated annual cost burden per respondents is 
approximately $21 (0.3 hours * $70.50/hour \2\ = $21.15). The total 
estimated annual cost burden is $4,230 [60 hours * $70.50/hour = 
$4,230).
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    \2\ $70.50/hour is the FERC staff average, including benefits. 
Staff assumes that respondents for this collection are in a similar 
wage category.
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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 5, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-02926 Filed 2-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P