[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44094-44095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17946]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC15-9-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-546); 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-546 (Certificated Rate 
Filings).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due September 22, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC15-9-
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-546 (Certificated Rate Filings).
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0155.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-546 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission reviews the FERC-546 materials to decide 
whether to determine an initial rate associated with an application for 
a certificate under NGA section 7(c). FERC reviews FERC-546 materials 
in 4(f) storage applications to evaluate market power and decide 
whether to grant, deny, or condition market based rate authority for 
the applicant. The Commission uses the FERC-546 information to monitor 
jurisdictional transportation, natural gas storage, and unbundled sales 
activities of interstate

[[Page 44095]]

natural gas pipelines and Hinshaw \1\ pipelines. In addition to 
fulfilling the Commission's obligations under the NGA, the FERC-546 
enables the Commission to monitor the activities and evaluate 
transactions of the natural gas industry, and to ensure 
competitiveness, and improved efficiency of the industry's operations. 
In summary, the Commission uses the FERC-546 information to:
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    \1\ Hinshaw pipelines are those that receive all out-of-state 
gas from entities within or at the boundary of a state if all the 
natural gas so received is ultimately consumed within the state in 
which it is received, 15 U.S.C. 717(c). Congress concluded that 
Hinshaw pipelines are ``matters primarily of local concern,'' and so 
are more appropriately regulated by pertinent state agencies rather 
than by FERC. The Natural Gas Act section 1(c) exempts Hinshaw 
pipelines from FERC jurisdiction. A Hinshaw pipeline, however, may 
apply for a FERC certificate to transport gas outside of state 
lines.
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     Ensure adequate customer protections under section 4(f) of 
the NGA;
     review rate and tariff changes by natural gas companies 
for the transportation of gas, natural gas storage services;
     provide general industry oversight; and
     supplement documentation during its audits process.
    Failure to collect this information would prevent the Commission 
from being able to monitor and evaluate transactions and operations of 
interstate pipelines and perform its regulatory functions.
    Type of Respondents: Pipeline companies and storage operators.
    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, refer to 5 Code of Federal 
Regulations 1320.3.

                                                          FERC-546 (Certificated Rate Filings)
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                                                                                                              Average      Total annual
                                                             Number of     Annual number   Total number    burden & cost  burden hours &     Cost per
                                                            respondents    of responses    of responses    per response    total annual   respondent ($)
                                                                          per respondent                        \3\            cost
                                                                     (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =             (4)     (3) * (4) =       (5) / (1)
                                                                                                     (3)                             (5)
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Pipeline Companies......................................              50               1              50        40 hrs.;     2,000 hrs.;           2,880
                                                                                                                  $2,880        $144,000
Storage Operators.......................................               1               1               1       350 hrs.;       350 hrs.;          25,200
                                                                                                                 $25,200         $25,200
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    Total...............................................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............     2,350 hrs.;
                                                                                                                                $169,200
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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.
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    \3\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * $72.00 per 
Hour = Average Cost per Response. The hourly cost figure comes from 
the 2015 FERC average salary and benefits (for one Full Time 
Equivalent) of $149,489/year. FERC staff believes that industry's 
hourly cost (salary and benefits) for this collection are similar to 
FERC staff costs.

    Dated: July 16, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-17946 Filed 7-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P