[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 17 (Thursday, January 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3461-3462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01324]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2017-0082]


Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: On October 18, 2017, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 
Administration (PHMSA) published a notice in the Federal Register to 
invite comments on an information collection under Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) Control No. 2137-0629 to revise Form PHMSA F 7100.1-1 
Annual Report--Gas Distribution System, and the instructions associated 
with this Form.
    During the 60-day comment period, PHMSA received five comments in 
response to this information collection from the stakeholders. PHMSA is 
publishing this notice to respond to the comments received and to 
announce that the information collection will be submitted to OMB for 
approval.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 26, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the burden estimate, including 
suggestions for reducing the burden, to OMB, Attention: Desk Officer 
for the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, 725 17th Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20503. You may also send comments by email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Dow by telephone at 202-366-

[[Page 3462]]

1246, by fax at 202-366-4566, or by mail at U.S. Department of 
Transportation, PHMSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, PHP-30, Washington, 
DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Section 1320.8(d), Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, requires 
PHMSA to provide interested members of the public and affected entities 
an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping 
requests. This notice identifies the proposed changes to the 
information collection that PHMSA will submit to OMB for approval. In 
order to improve the data collection processes, PHMSA is revising the 
Gas Distribution Annual Report Form PHMSA F 7100.1-1, and the 
instructions associated with this Form. PHMSA will remove ``Other'' as 
a selection for Operator Type in Part A7 and add guidance for the 
proper selection to the instructions. By eliminating ``Other'' as a 
selection, PHMSA will obtain more accurate data about the types of gas 
distribution operators.
    PHMSA is also changing the instructions for PHMSA Form 7100.1-1, 
Gas Distribution System Annual Report, related to calculating the 
percent of lost and unaccounted for (LAUF) gas and negative percent 
values. PHMSA will calculate the percent of LAUF gas by dividing the 
LAUF volume by the gas consumption volume. PHMSA will allow a negative 
value to be reported for the percent of LAUF gas. These changes will 
harmonize the PHMSA and Energy Information Administration (EIA) 
methodologies for calculating the percent of LAUF gas.
    PHMSA received five comments in response to the revision of this 
information collection. Four comments came from anonymous sources and 
one comment came from The American Public Gas Association (APGA).

A. Summary of Comment

    PHMSA has proposed changing the denominator from ``volume of 
input'' to ``volume consumed'' when calculating the percent of lost and 
unaccounted for gas. This change would match the methodology used by 
the EIA. APGA recommends no change to the methodology for calculating 
the percent of lost and unaccounted for gas since a percent is not 
reported to the EIA. Also, changing the denominator for calculating 
percent would make analysis of multi-year trends more difficult.

B. PHMSA Response

    Each year, EIA publishes volume data in a document titled: Natural 
Gas Annual. In Table A1 of the calendar year 2016 Natural Gas Annual, 
the EIA calculates ``Losses and Unaccounted as a percent of Total 
Consumption.'' PHMSA's proposal aligns with the EIA methodology in the 
Natural Gas Annual. Regarding the impact of the methodology change on 
the analysis of multi-year trends, the impact would be minimal. For 
example, using calendar year 2016 EIA data for Massachusetts, the 
percent using the current PHMSA methodology yields a value of 3.2 
percent. When using the EIA methodology, the value is 3.3 percent.

II. Summary of Impacted Collection

    Section 1320.8(d), Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, requires 
PHMSA to provide interested members of the public and affected agencies 
an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping 
requests. This notice identifies an information collection request that 
PHMSA will submit to OMB for revision. The changes proposed by PHMSA 
would have no effect on the calendar year 2017 data collection now in 
progress. The changes would be implemented when operators submit 
calendar year 2018 data early in calendar year 2019.
    The following information is provided for this information 
collection: (1) Title of the information collection; (2) OMB control 
number; (3) Current expiration date; (4) Type of request; (5) Abstract 
of the information collection activity; (6) Description of affected 
public; (7) Estimate of total annual reporting and recordkeeping 
burden; and (8) Frequency of collection. PHMSA will request a three-
year term of approval for this information collection activity. PHMSA 
requests comments on the following information collection:
    1. Title: Annual Report for Gas Distribution Pipeline Operators.
    OMB Control Number: 2137-0629.
    Current Expiration Date: 1/31/2018.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: PHMSA intends to revise the form and instructions for the 
gas distribution annual report PHMSA F 7100.1-1.
    Affected Public: Gas distribution pipeline operators.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:
    Total Annual Responses: 1,446.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 24,582.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Comments are invited on:
    (a) The need for the renewal and revision of these collections of 
information for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques.

    Authority:  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 18, 2018, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2018-01324 Filed 1-24-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P