[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23968-23969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09665]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC14-8-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-521); Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy 
(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-521 (Payments for Benefits from Headwater Benefits) 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 (79 FR 8949, 2/14/2014) requesting public comments. 
FERC received no comments on the FERC-521 and is making this notation 
in its submittal to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by May 29, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0087, 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. IC14-8-000, 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], by telephone at (202) 502-8663, and by 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 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) 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 annual 
public reporting burden for the 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.

[[Page 23969]]



                             FERC-521--Payments for Benefits From Headwater Benefits
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                                                     Number of                    Average burden     Estimated
              Number of respondents                responses per   Total number      hours per     total annual
                                                    respondent     of responses      response         burden
(A)                                                          (B)     (A) x (B) =             (D)       (C) x (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: April 22, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-09665 Filed 4-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P