[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71919-71920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-28065]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC19-35-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-515); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved 
information collection FERC-515 (Declaration of Intention) and 
submitting the information collection to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review. Any interested person may file comments 
directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the 
Commission as explained below.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due January 29, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by OMB Control No. 1902-
0079, 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. IC19-35-000, by either of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's Web site: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp
     Mail: 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: FERC-515 (Declaration of Intention)
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0079
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-515 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: On October 16, 2019, the Commission published a Notice in 
the Federal Register (84 FR 55313) in Docket No. IC19-35-000 requesting 
public comments. The Commission received no public comments.
    The Commission uses the information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-515 to implement the statutory provisions of 
section 23(b) of the Federal Power Act (FPA).\1\ section 23(b) 
authorizes the Commission to make a determination as to whether it has 
jurisdiction over a proposed water project \2\ not affecting navigable 
waters \3\ but across, along, over, or in waters over which Congress 
has jurisdiction under its authority to regulate commerce with foreign 
nations and among the several States. Section 23(b) requires that any 
person intending to construct project works on such waters must file a 
declaration of their intention with the Commission. If the Commission 
finds the proposed project will have an impact on interstate or foreign 
commerce, then the entity intending to construct the project must 
obtain a Commission license or exemption before starting 
construction.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 817.
    \2\ Dams or project works (16 U.S.C. 817).
    \3\ See 16 U.S.C. 796 (8) for the definition of Navigable 
Waters.
    \4\ Upon a finding of non-jurisdictional by the Commission, and 
if the project does not utilize surplus water or waterpower from a 
government dam and no public lands or reservations are affected, 
permission is granted upon compliance with State laws.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The information is collected in the form of a written application, 
containing sufficient details to allow the Commission staff to research 
the jurisdictional aspects of the project. This research includes 
examining maps and land ownership records to establish whether or not 
there is Federal jurisdiction over the lands and waters affected by the 
project. A finding of non-jurisdictional by the Commission eliminates a 
substantial paperwork burden for the applicant who might otherwise have 
to file for a license or exemption application. The Commission 
implements these filing requirements under 18 CFR part 24.
    Type of Respondents: Persons intending to construct project works 
on certain waters described above.
    Estimate of Annual Burden.\5\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden and cost \6\ for the information collection as:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ 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. See 5 
CFR 1320 for additional information on the definition of information 
collection burden.
    \6\ Commission staff considers resources completing the FERC-515 
to be compensated at rates similar to FERC employees. Therefore we 
are using the 2019 FERC average hourly cost (for wages and benefits 
for one full-time employee) of $80.00/hour (or $167,091/year).

                                                           FERC-515: Declaration of Intention
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Annual number
          Number of respondents            of responses    Total number of   Average burden hours & cost  Total annual burden hours &       Cost per
                                          per respondent      responses            ($) per response          total annual cost ($)       respondent ($)
(1)                                                  (2)      (1)*(2) = (3)  (4)........................  (3)*(4) = (5)..............            (5)/(1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.......................................               1                  6  80 hrs.; $6,400............  480 hrs.; $38,400..........             $6,400
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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;

[[Page 71920]]

(2) the accuracy of the agency's estimates 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 17, 2019.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-28065 Filed 12-27-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P