[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 134 (Friday, July 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33255-33256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-14833]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC19-21-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-729); Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Comment request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or 
FERC) is submitting its information collection FERC-729 (Electric 
Transmission Facilities) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for 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 
previously published a Notice in the Federal Register on April 29, 
2019, requesting public comments. The Commission received no comments 
and is making this notation in its submittal to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by August 12, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0238, should be sent via email to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs: [email protected]. Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in 
Docket No. IC19-21-000, 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], by telephone at (202) 502-8663, and by fax at 
(202) 273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-729, Electric Transmission Facilities.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0238.
    Abstract: This information collection implements the Commission's 
mandates under EPAct 2005 Section 1221 which authorizes the Commission 
to issue permits under FPA Section 216(b) for electric transmission 
facilities and the Commission's delegated responsibility to coordinate 
all other federal authorizations under FPA Section 216(h). The related 
FERC regulations seek to develop a timely review process for siting of 
proposed electric transmission facilities. The regulations provide for 
(among other things) an extensive pre-application process that will 
facilitate maximum participation

[[Page 33256]]

from all interested entities and individuals to provide them with a 
reasonable opportunity to present their views and recommendations, with 
respect to the need for and impact of the facilities, early in the 
planning stages of the proposed facilities as required under FPA 
Section 216(d).
    Additionally, FERC has the authority to issue a permit to construct 
electric transmission facilities if a state has withheld approval for 
more than a year or has conditioned its approval in such a manner that 
it will not significantly reduce transmission congestion or is not 
economically feasible.\1\ FERC envisions that, under certain 
circumstances, the Commission's review of the proposed facilities may 
take place after one year of the state's review. Under Section 
50.6(e)(3) the Commission will not accept applications until one year 
after the state's review and then from applicants who can demonstrate 
that a state may withhold or condition approval of proposed facilities 
to such an extent that the facilities will not be constructed.\2\ In 
cases where FERC's jurisdiction rests on FPA section 216(b)(1)(C),\3\ 
the pre-filing process should not commence until one year after the 
relevant State applications have been filed. This will give states one 
full year to process an application without any intervening Federal 
proceedings, including both the pre-filing and application processes. 
Once that year is complete, an applicant may seek to commence FERC's 
pre-filing process. Thereafter, once the pre-filing process is 
complete, the applicant may submit its application for a construction 
permit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ FPA section 216(b)(1)(C).
    \2\ The Commission will not issue a permit authorizing 
construction of the proposed facilities until, among other things, 
it finds that the state has, in fact, withheld approval for more 
than a year or had so conditioned its approval.
    \3\ In all other instances (i.e., where the state does not have 
jurisdiction to act or otherwise to consider interstate benefits, or 
the applicant does not qualify to apply for a permit with the State 
because it does not serve end use customers in the State), the pre-
filing process may be commenced at any time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Type of Respondent: Electric transmission facilities.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \4\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ ``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 Title 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.

                                   FERC-729: Electric Transmission Facilities
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Annual  number                      Average      Total annual
                                     Number of     of  responses   Total  number    burden and     burden hours
                                    respondents         per        of  responses     cost per        and total
                                                    respondent                     response \5\     annual cost
                                             (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =             (4)     (3) * (4) =
                                                                             (3)                             (5)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Electric Transmission Facilities               1               1               1           9,600           9,600
                                                                                        $758,400        $758,400
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ FERC staff estimates that industry costs for salary plus 
benefits are similar to Commission costs. The cost figure is the 
FY2018 FERC average annual salary plus benefits ($164,820/year or 
$79/hour).

    Dated: July 8, 2019.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-14833 Filed 7-11-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P