[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8854-8855]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03122]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC19-25-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-551); 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-551 (Reporting of Flow Volume and Capacity 
by Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due March 19, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0243, 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. IC19-25-000, 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 a text telephone (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-551, Reporting of Flow Volume and Capacity by 
Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0243.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-551 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission is authorized to facilitate price 
transparency in markets for the sale or transportation of physical 
natural gas in interstate commerce, having due regard for the public 
interest, the integrity of

[[Page 8855]]

those markets, fair competition, and the protection of consumers. FERC-
551 uses the information provided by pipelines as part of its overall 
implementation of the statutory provisions of section 23 of the Natural 
Gas Act, 16 U.S.C. 717t-2. More specifically, the Commission relies, in 
part, on section 23(a)(1) of the Natural Gas Act, for authority to 
collect this information and uses the pipelines' FERC-551 postings as 
part of fulfilling the transparency provisions of section 23(a)(1) of 
the Natural Gas Act. The data requirements for pipelines are in listed 
the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR 284.13, reporting 
requirements for interstate pipelines. The Commission has directed that 
the data requirements under FERC-551 are to be posted on interstate 
pipelines' websites and provided in downloadable file formats, in 
conformity with 18 CFR 284.12.
    The posting requirements are based on the Commission's authority 
under section 23 of the NGA (as added by the Energy Policy Act of 
2005), which provides, in relevant part, that the Commission may issue 
such rules as necessary and appropriate to provide for the 
dissemination of ``information about the availability and prices of 
natural gas at wholesale and in interstate commerce.'' \1\ This 
provision enhances the Commission's authority to ensure confidence in 
the nation's natural gas markets. The Commission's market-oriented 
policies for the wholesale natural gas industry require that interested 
persons have broad confidence that reported market prices accurately 
reflect the interplay of legitimate market forces. Without confidence 
in the efficiency of price formation, the true value of transactions is 
very difficult to determine. Further, price transparency facilitates 
ensuring that jurisdictional prices are ``just and reasonable.'' \2\
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    \1\ Section 23(a)(2) of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717t-2(a)(2) (2000 & 
Supp. V 2005).
    \2\ See sections 4 and 5 of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717c and 717d.
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    The posting of FERC-551 information occurs on a daily basis. The 
data must be available for download for not less than 90 days from the 
date of posting and must be retained by the pipeline for three years.
    The daily posting requirements for major non-interstate pipelines 
prescribed in the Commission's Order No. 720 are no longer required. 
The number of respondents used to develop the burden estimates do not 
include any major non-interstate pipelines.
    Type of Respondents: Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines.
    Estimate of Annual Burden \3\: The Commission estimates the total 
public reporting burden and cost for this information collection as 
follows:
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    \3\ 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, refer to 5 CFR 1320.3.

                                 FERC-551--Reporting of Flow Volume and Capacity by Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines \4\
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                                                     Annual  number                                          Total annual  burden
                                        Number of     of  responses   Total number     Average  burden &     hours & total annual    Burden hour & cost
                                       respondents   per respondent   of responses   cost per response \5\           cost            per respondent ($)
                                                (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4)..................  (3) * (4) = (5)......  (5) / (1)
                                                                                (3)
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FERC-551...........................             172             365          62,780  0.5 hours; $25.59....  31,390 hrs.;           182.5 hrs.; $9,340.35
                                                                                                             $1,606,540.20.
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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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    \4\ The hourly figures in the 30-day notice differ from the 
wages used in the 60-day notice. The figures used here are the most 
current figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the National 
Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.
    \5\ The hourly figure (wages plus benefits) is based on the 
average of the occupational categories for 2018 found on the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics website (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm and http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm):
    --Management (Occupation Code: 11-0000): $66.67
    --Business (Occupation Code: 13-0000): $41.98
    --Financial (Occupation Code: 13-2051): $44.92
    These various occupational categories' wage (and benefits) 
figures are averaged and weighted equally, giving an average of 
$51.19/hour. The resulting wage figure is rounded to $51.00/hour for 
use in calculating wage figures in the FERC-551 renewal.

    Dated: February 11, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-03122 Filed 2-14-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P