[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2126-2127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00385]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC20-2-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-577); 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 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved 
information collection, FERC- 577 (Natural Gas Facilities: 
Environmental Review and Compliance) 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 February 13, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0128, 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

[[Page 2127]]

No. IC20-2-000, 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: FERC-577, Natural Gas Facilities: Environmental Review and 
Compliance.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0128.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-577 with no 
changes to the current reporting requirements.
    Abstract: The FERC-577 contains the Commission's information 
collection pertaining to regulations which implement the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as well as the reporting requirements 
for landowner notifications. These requirements are contained in 18 CFR 
parts 2, 157, 284, and 380. The information to be submitted includes 
draft environmental material in accordance with the provisions of Part 
380 of FERC's regulations in order to implement the Commission's 
procedures under NEPA.
    Without such information, the Commission would be unable to fulfill 
its statutory responsibilities under the Natural Gas Act (NGA), NEPA, 
and the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Specifically, these responsibilities 
include ensuring company activities remain consistent with the public 
interest, which is specified in the NGA and inherent in the other 
statutes.
    Type of Respondents: Companies proposing Natural Gas Projects under 
section 7 and Jurisdictional Gas Pipeline and Storage Companies.
    Estimate of Annual Burden.\1\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden and cost \2\ for the information collection as 
follows.

                                                              FERC-577--Natural Gas Facilities: Environmental Review and Compliance
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                                                             Number of                                                                                                               Cost per
                                             Number of     responses per   Total number     Average burden hours & average cost per    Total annual burden hours & total annual   respondent ($)
                                            respondents     respondent     of responses             response ($) (rounded)                        cost ($) (rounded)                 (rounded)
                                                     (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).......................................  (3) * (4) = (5)...........................     (5) / (1) =
                                                                                     (3)                                                                                                     (6)
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Gas Pipeline Certificates \3\...........             101              16           1,616  193,518 hours; $15,481....................  312,725 hours; $25,018,007................        $247,703
Landowners Notification \4\.............             164             144          23,616  2 hours; $160.............................  47,232 hours; $3,778,560..................          23,040
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    Total...............................  ..............  ..............          25,232  ..........................................  359,957 hours; $28,796,567................  ..............
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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; 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.
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    \1\ 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.
    \2\ The Commission staff estimates that industry is similarly 
situated in terms of hourly cost (for wages plus benefits). Based on 
the Commission's FY (Fiscal Year) 2019 average cost (for wages plus 
benefits), $80.00/hour is used.
    \3\ Requirements are found in 18 CFR parts 2, 157, and 380.
    \4\ Requirements are found in 18 CFR 157(d), 157(f), 2.55(a), 
2.55(b), 284.11, and 380.15.

    Dated: January 8, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-00385 Filed 1-13-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P