[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 45 (Friday, March 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13153-13154]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04566]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Agency Information Collection Extension

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: DOE's Office of Fossil Energy (FE) invites public comments on 
the proposed collection of information pursuant to natural gas import 
and export applications, as required under the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995. DOE requests a three-year extension, with changes, to the data 
collection that includes Form FE-746R, Import and Export of Natural Gas 
under OMB Control Number 1901-0294. Form FE-746R collects information 
from authorized importers and exporters of natural gas. The information 
FE proposes to collect from import and export authorization holders, 
including on FE-746R, enables DOE's Office of Fossil Energy (FE) to 
monitor such trade under the United States Mexico Canada Agreement 
(USMCA), as well as other trade activity falling outside the parameters 
of USMCA and supports various market and regulatory analyses done by 
FE.

DATES: DOE must receive all comments on this proposed information 
collection no later than May 5, 2020. If you anticipate difficulty in 
submitting your comments by the deadline, contact the person listed in 
ADDRESSES as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments to Marc Talbert, FE-34, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Office of Natural Gas Regulatory Activities, Office of 
Fossil Energy, P.O. Box 44375, Washington, DC 20026-4375. Submission by 
email to [email protected] is recommended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marc Talbert, (202) 586-7991; email 
[email protected]. Access to the proposed information submissions 
is available at https://www.energy.gov/fe/services/natural-gas-regulation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request 
contains:
    (1) OMB No.: 1901-0294;
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Natural Gas Import and 
Export Data Submissions;
    (3) Type of Request: Renewal with changes;
    (4) Purpose: DOE's Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has the delegated 
authority to regulate natural gas imports and exports under section 3 
of the Natural Gas Act of 1938, 15 U.S.C. 717b. To carry out its 
delegated responsibility, FE requires individuals seeking to import or 
export natural gas to file an application providing basic information 
on the scope and nature of the import/export activity. Once an importer 
or exporter receives authorization from FE, they are required to submit 
monthly reports of their import and export transactions on Form FE-
746R, as well as other information applicable to a smaller subset of 
authorization holders that obtain long-term import and export 
authorizations, or short-term authorizations with countries the United 
States does not have a free trade agreement. Long-term authorization 
holders must also supply additional information to assess the state of 
the U.S. import and export markets as well as the adequacy of energy 
resources to meet near and long term domestic demands. The information 
collected ensures compliance with the terms and conditions of the 
authorization. In addition, the data is used to monitor North American 
gas trade activity, which enables the Federal government to perform 
market and regulatory analyses, improve the capability of industry and 
the government to respond to any future energy-related supply problems, 
and keep the general public

[[Page 13154]]

informed on international natural gas trade.
    (4a) Proposed Changes to Information Collection: FE seeks to 
include supplementary data reporting items under OMB Control Number 
1901-0294. FE proposes to collect this additional information from 
long-term import and export authorization holders and short-term 
authorization holders that have authority to export natural gas to 
countries that the United States does not have a free trade agreement. 
The additional information FE seeks to collect from this subset of 
natural gas import and export authorization holders includes: Long-term 
contracts associated with the supply and sales of natural gas, 
compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, and associated products; 
changes in control of authorization holders registrations of agents who 
import and export natural gas; and for long-term LNG export 
authorization holders, semi-annual reports detailing information on the 
status of the proposed or operating LNG export facilities, the date the 
proposed LNG facilities are expected to commence first exports of LNG, 
and the status of any related long-term supply and sale/purchase 
agreements.
    (5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 396 respondents;
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 4,707;
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 13,936 hours;
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
$1,116,831 (13,936 annual burden hours multiplied by $80.14 per hour); 
FE estimates that respondents will have no additional costs associated 
with the data proposed for collection other than burden hours.
    Comments are invited on whether or not: (a) The proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of agency 
functions, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) FE's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used, is accurate; (c) FE can improve quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information it will collect; \1\ and how (d) FE can minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on respondents, such as 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
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    \1\ See 83 FR 65111 (Dec. 18, 2018) (proposing clarifications to 
provide specificity, and thereby to reduce potential confusion and 
regulatory burdens, concerning DOE/FE's practice under its 
regulations at 10 CFR part 590).

    Statutory Authority:  15 U.S.C. 772(b) and Section 3 of the 
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Natural Gas Act of 1938, codified at 15 U.S.C. 717b.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on February 28, 2020.
Shawn Bennett,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Oil and Natural Gas, Office of 
Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 2020-04566 Filed 3-5-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P