[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8949-8950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03198]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC14-8-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-521); 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-521 (Payments for 
Benefits from Headwater Benefits).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due April 15, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC14-8-
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: Payments for Benefits From Headwater Benefits.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0087.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-521 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The information collected under the requirements of FERC-
521 is used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of 
Section 10(f)

[[Page 8950]]

of the Federal Power Act (FPA).\1\ The FPA authorizes the Commission to 
determine headwater benefits received by downstream hydropower project 
owners. Headwater benefits are the additional energy production 
possible at a downstream hydropower project resulting from the 
regulation of river flows by an upstream storage reservoir.
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 803
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    When the Commission completes a study of a river basin, it 
determines headwater benefits charges that will be apportioned among 
the various downstream beneficiaries. A headwater benefits charge and 
the cost incurred by the Commission to complete an evaluation are paid 
by downstream hydropower project owners. In essence, the owners of non-
federal hydropower projects that directly benefit from a headwater 
improvement must pay an equitable portion of the annual charges for 
interest, maintenance, and depreciation of the headwater project to the 
U.S. Treasury. The regulations provide for apportionment of these costs 
between the headwater project and downstream projects based on 
downstream energy gains and propose equitable apportionment methodology 
that can be applied to all rivers basins in which headwater 
improvements are built. The Commission requires owners of non-federal 
hydropower projects to file data for determining annual charges as 
outlined in 18 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 11.
    Type of Respondents: There are two types of entities that respond, 
Federal and Non-Federal hydropower project owners. The Federal entities 
that typically respond are the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US 
Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation. The Non-Federal entities 
may consist of any Municipal or Non-Municipal hydropower project owner.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \2\ The Commission estimates the total 
Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
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    \2\ 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.

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                        Number of responses      Total number of      Average burden hours     Estimated total
Number of respondents      per respondent           responses             per response          annual burden
(A)                                  (B)          (A) x (B) = (C)                  (D)                      (C)
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                3                      1                      3                     40                    120
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $8,460 
[120 hours * $70.50/hour \3\ = $8,460]
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    \3\ $70.50/hour is the average FERC employee salary plus 
benefits. We assume (based upon consultation of subject matter 
experts for this industry) that respondents to this collection are 
similarly compensated in terms of salary and benefits.
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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 7, 2014.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-03198 Filed 2-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P