[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 64824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27307]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC19-11-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-538); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or 
FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved 
information collection, FERC-538 (Gas Pipelines Certificates: Sections 
7(a) Mandatory Initial Service).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due [insert date 
that is 60 days after publication in the Federal Register].

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC19-11-
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 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: Gas Pipelines Certificates: Sections 7(a) Mandatory Initial 
Service.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0061.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-538 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: Under sections 7(a), 10(a) and 16 of Natural Gas Act 
(NGA),\1\ upon application by a person or municipality authorized to 
engage in the local distribution of natural gas, the Commission may 
order a natural gas company to extend or improve its transportation 
facilities, and sell natural gas to the municipality or person and, for 
such purpose, to extend its transportation facilities to communities 
immediately adjacent to such facilities or to territories served by the 
natural gas pipeline company. The Commission uses the application data 
in order to be fully informed concerning the applicant, and the service 
the applicant is requesting.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 717f-w.
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    Type of Respondents: Persons or municipalities authorized to engage 
in the local distribution of natural gas.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \2\ The Commission estimates the annual 
reporting burden and cost for the information collection as:
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    \2\ ``Burden'' is defined 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.

                                       FERC-538--Gas Pipeline Certificates: Section 7(a) Mandatory Initial Service
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                                                        Annual  number                                             Total annual burden
                                         Number of       of responses   Total number of   Average burden & cost   hours & total  annual      Cost per
                                        respondents     per respondent     responses        per response \3\              cost            respondent ($)
                                                 (1)              (2)    (1)*(2) = (3)   (4)...................  (3)*(4) = (5).........          (5)(1)
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Gas Pipeline Certificates...........               1                1                1   240 hrs.; $18,960.....  240 hrs.; $18,960.....         $18,960
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\3\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * $79.00/hour = Average cost/
  response. The figure is the 2018 FERC average hourly cost (for wages and benefits) of $79.00 (and an average annual salary of $164,820/year).
  Commission staff is using the FERC average salary because we consider any reporting requirements completed in response to the FERC-538 to be
  compensated at rates similar to the work of FERC employees.

    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: December 12, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-27307 Filed 12-17-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P