[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 26, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60978-60980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27736]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC17-15-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-505 and FERC-
512); Consolidated Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Comment request.

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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 
information collections, FERC-505 (Small Hydropower Projects and 
Conduit Facilities including License/Relicense, Exemption and 
Qualifying Conduit Facility Determination) and FERC-512 (Preliminary 
Permit) which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for a 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 published a 60-day Notice in the Federal Register in 
Docket No. IC17-15-000, (82 FR 46231, 10/04/2017) requesting public 
comments. FERC received no comments in response to the Notice and is 
indicating that in its submittals to the OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due January 25, 
2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by OMB Control Nos. 
1902-0115 and 1902-0073, 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 202-395-0710. A copy of the comments 
should also be sent to the Commission, in Docket No. IC17-15-000 by 
either of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's website: 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

[[Page 60979]]

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 approval of the FERC-505 and FERC-512 
information collection requirements 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 estimate 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.
    Title: FERC-505, Small Hydropower Projects and Conduit Facilities 
including License/Relicense, Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit Facility 
Determination.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0115.
    Abstract: The Hydropower Efficiency Act amended statutory 
provisions pertaining to preliminary permits and to projects that are 
exempt from certain licensing requirements under the Federal Power Act 
(FPA) in order to reduce cost and regulatory burden, and in turn, 
promote hydropower development. Specifically, the Hydropower Efficiency 
Act gave the Commission authority to extend a preliminary permit once 
for not more than two additional years without requiring the permittee 
to apply for a successive preliminary permit. The Hydropower Efficiency 
Act also expanded the number of projects that may qualify for 
exemptions from certain licensing requirements under the FPA (i.e., 
small conduit hydroelectric facilities or small hydroelectric power 
projects), and allowed other projects to qualify to operate without 
Commission oversight (i.e., qualifying conduit hydropower facilities). 
While the Commission-approved revised regulations formally implement 
the Hydropower Efficiency Act, the Commission has complied with the Act 
since its enactment.
    Type of Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit and not-for-
profit institutions.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:

    FERC-505 (Small Hydropower Projects and Conduit Facilities Including License/Relicense, Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit Facility Determination)
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                                                        Annual number
                                          Number of     of responses    Total number    Average burden and cost  Total annual burden and     Cost per
                                         respondents   per respondent   of responses         per response           total annual cost     respondent ($)
                                                  (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).....................  (3) * (4) = (5)........       (5) / (1)
                                                                                  (3)
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FERC-505.............................              16               1              16  273 hrs.; $20,884.50....  4,368 hrs.; $334,152...       20,884.50
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    Title: FERC-512, Preliminary Permit.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0073.
    Abstract: The information collected under the requirements of FERC-
512, is used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of 
the Federal Power Act (FPA) 16 U.S.C. The purpose of obtaining a 
preliminary permit is to maintain priority of the application for a 
license for a hydropower facility while the applicant conducts surveys 
to prepare maps, plans, specifications and estimates; conducts 
engineering, economic and environmental feasibility studies; and made 
financial arrangements. The conditions under which the priority will be 
maintained are set forth in each permit.
    Type of Respondent: Businesses or other for-profit and not-for-
profit institutions.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \1\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
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    \1\ Burden is 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.
    \2\ Subject matter experts found that industry employment costs 
closely resemble FERC's wage average wage figure. FERC's 2017 
average annual salary plus benefits per FTE (full-time equivalent) 
is $158,754 (or $76.50 per hour).

                                                              FERC-512 (Preliminary Permit)
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                                                        Annual number
                                          Number of     of responses    Total number     Average burden & cost    Total annual burden &      Cost per
                                         respondents   per respondent   of responses         per response           total annual cost     respondent ($)
                                                  (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).....................  (3) * (4) = (5)........       (5) / (1)
                                                                                  (3)
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FERC-512.............................              50               1              50  24 hrs.; $1,836.........  1,200 hrs.; $91,800....           1,836
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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;

[[Page 60980]]

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: December 18, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-27736 Filed 12-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P