[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 55 (Thursday, March 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14893-14895]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05790]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC17-8-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc Form 73 and 
Ferc-600); Consolidated Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of information collections and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or 
FERC) is soliciting public comment on the requirements and burden of 
the information collections described below.

DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due May 22, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC17-8-
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.
    Please reference the specific collection number and/or title in 
your comments.
    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:
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the information collection 
requirements for all collections described below with no changes to the 
current reporting requirements. Please note that each collection is 
distinct from the next.
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collections of 
information are 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 estimates of the 
burden and cost of the collections of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility and clarity of the information collections; and 
(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

FERC Form 73, Oil Pipeline Service Life Data

    OMB Control No.: 1902-0019.
    Abstract: The Commission has authority over interstate oil 
pipelines as stated in the Interstate Commerce Act, 49 U.S.C. 6501, et. 
al. As part of the information necessary for the subsequent 
investigation and review of an oil pipeline company's proposed 
depreciation rates, the pipeline companies are required to provide 
service life data as part of their data submissions if the proposed 
depreciation rates are based on the remaining physical life 
calculations.

[[Page 14894]]

This service life data is submitted on FERC Form 73, ``Oil Pipeline 
Service Life Data''. The FERC Form 73 is used by the Commission to 
implement the statutory provisions of Sections 306 and 402 of the 
Department of Energy Organization Act, 42 U.S.C. 7155 and 7172, and 
Executive Order No. 12009, 42 FR 46277 (September 13, 1977).\1\
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    \1\ For FERC Form 73 filing instructions and materials, please 
see http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/forms.asp#form73.
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    The submitted data are used by the Commission to assist in the 
selection of appropriate service lives and book depreciation rates. 
Book depreciation rates are used by oil pipeline companies to compute 
the depreciation portion of their operating expense which is a 
component of their cost of service which in turn is used to determine 
the transportation rate to assess customers. FERC staff's recommended 
book depreciation rates become legally binding when issued by 
Commission order. These rates remain in effect until a subsequent 
review is requested and the outcome indicates that a modification is 
justified. The Commission implements these filings in 18 CFR parts 347 
and 357.
    Type of Respondent: Oil Pipeline companies.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
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    \2\ $76.50/hour is the average of the salary plus benefits for 
FERC employees for 2017. We assume that respondents to this 
collection are similarly situated in terms of salary and benefits.

                                                      FERC Form 73, Oil Pipeline Service Life Data
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                                                 Annual number
                                   Number of     of responses    Total number    Average burden & cost per   Total annual burden & total     Cost per
                                  respondents   per respondent   of responses           response \2\                 annual cost          respondent ($)
                                           (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4)........................  (3) * (4) = (5)............       (5) / (1)
                                                                           (3)
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Oil Pipelines Undergoing                     3               1               3  40 hrs.; $3,060............  120 hrs.; $9,180...........           3,060
 Investigation or Review.
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FERC-600, Rules of Practice and Procedure: Complaint Procedures

    OMB Control No.: 1902-0180.
    Abstract: The information is used by the Commission to implement 
the statutory provisions of the Federal Power Act (FPA), 16 U.S.C. 
791a-825r; the Natural Gas Act (NGA), 15 U.S.C. 717-717w; the Natural 
Gas Policy Act (NGPA), 15 U.S.C. 3301-3432; the Public Utility 
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), 16 U.S.C. 2601-2645; the 
Interstate Commerce Act (ICA), 49 U.S.C. App. 1 et. seq.; the Outer 
Continental Shelf Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1301-1356; and the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005, (Pub. L. 109-58) 119 Stat. 594.
    For the natural gas industry, section 14(a) of the NGA \3\ provides 
that the Commission may permit any person to file with it a statement 
in writing, under oath or otherwise, as it shall determine, as to any 
or all facts and circumstances concerning a matter which may be the 
subject of an investigation.
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    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 717m; accord 15 U.S.C. 717d.
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    For public utilities, section 307(a) of the FPA \4\ provides that 
the Commission may permit any person to file with it a statement in 
writing, under oath or otherwise, as it shall determine, as to any or 
all facts and circumstances concerning a matter which may be the 
subject of an investigation.
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    \4\ 16 U.S.C. 825f(a); accord 16 U.S.C. 824e.
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    Section 215(d)(5) of the FPA \5\ provides that the Commission, upon 
its own motion or upon complaint, may order the Electric Reliability 
Organization to submit to the Commission a proposed reliability 
standard or a modification to a reliability standard that addresses a 
specific matter if the Commission considers such a new or modified 
reliability standard appropriate to carry out this section.
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    \5\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(d)(5).
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    For hydropower projects, section 19 of the FPA \6\ provides that, 
as a condition of a license, jurisdiction is conferred upon the 
Commission, upon complaint of any person aggrieved or upon its own 
initiative, to exercise such regulation and control over services, 
rates, and charges until such time as the State shall have provided a 
commission or other authority for such regulation and control.
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    \6\ 16 U.S.C. 812.
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    For qualifying facilities, section 210(h)(2)(B) of PURPA \7\ 
provides that any electric utility, qualifying cogenerator, or 
qualifying small power producer may petition the Commission to enforce 
the requirements of the Commission's PURPA regulations.
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    \7\ 16 U.S.C. 824a-3(h)(2)(B).
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    For oil pipelines, in Part 1 of the Interstate Commerce Act, 
sections 1, 6 and 15 (recodified by Pub. L. 95-473 and found as an 
appendix to Title 49 U.S.C.),\8\ the Commission is authorized to 
investigate the rates charged by oil pipeline companies subject to its 
jurisdiction. If an oil rate has been filed and allowed by the 
Commission to go into effect without suspension and hearing, the 
Commission can investigate the effective rate on its own motion or by 
complaint filed with the Commission. Section 13 of the ICA \9\ provides 
that any person can file a complaint complaining of anything done or 
omitted to be done by an oil pipeline.
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    \8\ 49 App. U.S.C. 1 et seq. (1988).
    \9\ Id. 13.
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    In Order No. 602,\10\ the Commission revised its regulations 
governing complaints filed with the Commission under the above 
statutes. Order No. 602 was designed to encourage and support 
consensual resolution of complaints, and to organize the complaint 
procedures so that all complaints are handled in a timely and fair 
manner. In order to achieve this result, the Commission revised Rule 
206 of its Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.206) to require 
that a complaint satisfy certain informational requirements, to require 
that answers be filed in a shorter, 20-day time frame, and to provide 
that parties may employ various types of alternative dispute resolution 
procedures to resolve their disputes.
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    \10\ 64 FR 17087 (April 8, 1999).
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    The data in complaints filed by interested/affected parties 
regarding jurisdictional oil, natural gas, electric and hydropower 
operations, facilities, and services are used by the Commission in 
establishing a basis to make an initial determination regarding the 
merits of the complaint and whether or not to undertake further 
investigation. Investigations may range from whether there is undue 
discrimination in rates or services to questions regarding market power 
of

[[Page 14895]]

regulated entities to environmental concerns. In order to make an 
informed determination, it is important to know the specifics 
underlying any oil, gas, electric, and hydropower complaint ``up-
front'' in a timely manner and in sufficient detail to allow the 
Commission to act swiftly. In addition, such complaint data helps the 
Commission and interested parties to monitor, e.g., the market for 
undue discrimination or exercises of market power. The information is 
voluntary but submitted pursuant to prescribed filing requirements. The 
Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR parts 343 and 385.
    Type of Respondent: Interested/affected parties regarding oil, 
natural gas, electric and hydropower operations, facilities, and 
services.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:

                                             FERC-600--Rules of Practice and Procedure: Complaint Procedures
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                                                 Annual number
                                   Number of     of responses    Total number   Average burden and cost per    Total annual burden and       Cost per
                                  respondents   per respondent   of responses           response \2\              total annual cost       respondent ($)
                                           (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4)........................  (3) * (4) = (5)............       (5) / (1)
                                                                           (3)
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FERC-600......................              62               1              62  160 hrs.; $12,240..........  9,920 hrs.; $758,880.......          12,240
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    Dated: March 16, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-05790 Filed 3-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P