[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 117 (Wednesday, June 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36571-36572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13039]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection

AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. Department 
of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice and request for OMB review and comment.

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SUMMARY: EIA reinstates the Residential Energy Consumption Survey 
(RECS), with changes, under OMB Control Number 1905-0092, as required 
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. RECS collects data on energy 
characteristics, consumption, and expenditures for the residential 
sector of the United States. This collection is comprised of five forms 
including: Form EIA 457-A Household Survey, Form EIA 457-D Energy 
Supplier Survey: Household Propane Usage, Form EIA 457-E Energy 
Supplier Survey: Household Electricity Usage, Form EIA 457-F Energy 
Supplier Survey: Household Natural Gas Usage, and Form EIA 457-G Energy 
Supplier Survey: Household Fuel Oil/Kerosene Usage.

DATES: Comments regarding this information collection must be received 
on or before July 17, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this 
particular information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day 
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    And send a copy to: James Berry, Survey Manager, 1000 Independence 
Avenue, SW, EI-22, U.S. Energy Information Administration, Washington, 
DC 20585, or by email at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Berry at 202-586-5543 or by 
email at [email protected]. The forms are available online at: http://www.eia.gov/survey/#eia-457.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request 
contains:
    (1) OMB No.: 1905-0092;
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: EIA-457A, D, E, F, G, 
2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey;
    (3) Type of Request: Reinstatement with changes of a previously 
approved collection;
    (4) Purpose: RECS collects information on energy use in housing 
units and includes a series of data collections from households and 
household energy suppliers. RECS data are used to generate official 
statistics about the energy characteristics, consumption, and 
expenditures of U.S. homes. EIA has conducted the RECS periodically 
since 1978 and the 2020 RECS will be the 15th data collection for the 
program.
    Form EIA 457-A Household Survey collects information on the 
presence and characteristics of a wide range of energy consuming 
devices in homes, including heating and cooling equipment, appliances, 
and electronics. The Household Survey also asks respondents about key 
structural features and demographic characteristics that impact energy 
usage. Forms EIA 457-D, E, F, and G are Energy Supplier Surveys. These 
surveys collect monthly electricity and natural gas billing data from 
household survey respondent energy suppliers (e.g., utilities), and 
periodic propane and fuel oil delivery data from bulk fuel suppliers.
    RECS is integral part of EIA's mandate to collect and publish 
energy end-use consumption data, and the program represent the most 
comprehensive national and sub-national results available on energy 
consumption in homes. RECS is the only national and subnational data 
series that allows policy makers and program implementers in both 
public and private organizations to analyze trends in energy 
consumption for the residential sector. RECS fulfills planning, 
analyses, and decision-making needs of DOE, other Federal agencies, 
state governments, utilities, researchers, and energy analysts in the 
private sector.
    (4a) Changes to Information Collection: EIA will use online 
questions via internet and mail hardcopy questionnaires as the two 
modes of collection for Form EIA 457-A Household Survey. This dual 
collection mode represents a change from prior collection cycles of 
RECS where computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) was the 
primary method for collecting household energy characteristics data. 
EIA piloted three tests using internet and mail questionnaires to 
determine the feasibility of using these alternative data collection 
methods. Based on extensive analysis of sample representativeness, 
nonresponse bias, and data quality, EIA determined that collecting this 
information via internet and by mail were viable modes for 2020 and 
future RECS data collections.

[[Page 36572]]

    EIA will collect 2020 RECS Household Survey responses from 
approximately 20,000 households. The larger sample enables EIA to 
produce more precise estimates for key energy metrics, as well as 
produce some estimates for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
    EIA revised Form EIA 457-A Household Survey to improve the quality 
of responses for traditional energy-consuming devices, collect 
information on changes in residential consumption patterns, and collect 
information on emerging technologies. The new questions collect the 
most relevant information necessary to estimate household energy use 
and to inform energy end-use modeling. For Forms EIA 457-D, E, F, and G 
Energy Supplier Surveys the number of customer (household) billing and 
delivery months requested increases from 20 to 24 months. The 
additional four months of energy data improves the practical utility of 
the energy data reported and enables EIA to analyze household energy 
consumption patterns before, during, and after COVID-19.
    (5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,628.
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 5,628.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 3,951.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: EIA 
estimates that there are no capital and start-up costs associated with 
this data collection. The information is maintained in the normal 
course of business. For household respondents no additional record 
keeping or other burden is required outside the interview process. The 
annualized cost of burden hours to all household, and energy supplier 
respondents is estimated to be $316,633 (3,951 annual burden hours 
times the current hourly rate of $80.14). Other than the cost of burden 
hours, EIA estimates that there are no additional costs for generating, 
maintaining and providing the information.
    Please refer to the supporting statements as well as the forms and 
instructions for more information about the purpose, who must report, 
when to report, where to submit, the elements to be reported, detailed 
instructions, provisions for confidentiality, and uses (including 
possible nonstatistical uses) of the information. For instructions on 
obtaining materials, see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

    Statutory Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7135, 15 U.S.C. 772(b), 42 U.S.C. 
7101 et seq.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on June 11th, 2020.
Thomas Leckey,
Assistant Administrator for Energy Statistics, U.S. Energy Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-13039 Filed 6-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P