[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 140 (Tuesday, July 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44070-44071]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15736]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC19-42-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-521); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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-521, (Payments for Benefits from Headwater 
Improvements) 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 August 20, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-521 to OMB through 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB control number (1902-
0087) in the subject line. Your comments should be sent within 30 days 
of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
    Please submit copies of your comments to the Commission (identified 
by Docket No. IC19-42-000) by either of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's website: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
     Mail/Express Services: Persons unable to file 
electronically may mail similar pleadings to the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. Hand 
delivered submissions in docketed proceedings should be delivered to 
Health and Human Services, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 
20852.
    Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at: www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain; Using the search function under the Currently Under Review 
field, select Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; click submit and 
select comment to the right of the subject collection.
    FERC 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).
    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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-521, Payments for Benefits from Headwater Improvements.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0087.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-521 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the reporting requirements.
    Abstract: The information collected under the requirements of FERC-
521 is used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of 
Section 10(f) of the Federal Power Act (FPA).\1\ The FPA authorizes the 
Commission to determine headwater benefits received by downstream 
hydropower project owners. Headwater benefits are the additional energy 
production possible at a downstream hydropower project resulting from 
the regulation of river flows by an upstream storage reservoir.
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 803.
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    When the Commission completes a study of a river basin, it 
determines headwater benefits charges that will be apportioned among 
the various downstream beneficiaries. A headwater benefits charge and 
the cost incurred by the Commission to complete an evaluation are paid 
by downstream hydropower project owners. In essence, the owners of non-
federal hydropower projects that directly benefit from a headwater 
improvement must pay an equitable portion of the annual charges for 
interest, maintenance, and depreciation of the headwater project to the 
U.S. Treasury. The regulations provide for apportionment of these costs 
between the headwater project and downstream projects based on 
downstream energy gains and propose equitable apportionment methodology 
that can be applied to all river basins in which headwater improvements 
are built. The Commission requires owners of non-federal hydropower 
projects to file data for determining annual charges as outlined in 18 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 11. The Commission received no 
comments in response to the Notice of Information and Request for 
Comments published on May 14, 2020 (85 FR 28940).
    Type of Respondents: There are two types of entities that respond, 
Federal and Non-Federal hydropower project owners. The Federal entities 
that typically respond are the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the 
U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation. The Non-Federal 
entities

[[Page 44071]]

may consist of any Municipal or Non-Municipal hydropower project owner.
    Estimate of Annual Burden \1\ and cost \2\ The Commission estimates 
the total Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
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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. For 
further explanation of what is included in the information 
collection burden, refer to 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.
    \2\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
2019 FERC average salary plus benefits of $167,091/year (or $80.00/
hour). Commission staff finds that the work done for this 
information collection is typically done by wage categories similar 
to those at FERC.

                                               FERC-521--Payments for Benefits From Headwater Improvements
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                                                Annual number  of                                                 Total annual  burden
                                  Number of       responses  per    Total number  of    Average burden & cost    hours &  total annual       Cost per
                                 respondents        respondent         responses            per response                  cost           respondent  ($)
                                          (1)                (2)    (1) * (2) = (3)   (4).....................  (3) * (4) = (5)........       (5) / (1)
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Federal and Non-Federal                     3                  1                  3   40 hrs.; $3,200.........  120 hrs.; $9,600.......          $3,200
 hydropower project owners.
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    Total Cost...............  ...............  .................  .................  ........................  120 hrs.; $9,600.......          $3,200
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to each respondent is $3,200 
[40 hours * $80.00/hour = $3,].
    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.

    Dated: July 15, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-15736 Filed 7-20-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P