[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45412-45413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16303]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC20-15-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-510); 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-510 (Application for Surrender of a 
Hydropower License) 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 27, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-510 to OMB through 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB Control Number (1902-
0068) in the subject line of your comments. Comments should be sent 
within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in 
Docket No. IC20-15-000, by any of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's Website: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
     U.S. Postal Service Mail: Persons unable to file 
electronically may mail similar pleadings to the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
     Effective 7/1/2020, delivery of filings other than by 
eFiling or the U.S. Postal Service should be delivered to Health and 
Human Services, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    Instructions:
    OMB 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. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at 
[email protected] and telephone at (202) 502-8663.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: FERC-510, Application for Surrender of a Hydropower License.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0068.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-510 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.
    Abstract: The information collected under the requirements of FERC-
510 is used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of 
sections 4(e), 6, and 13 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) (16 U.S.C. 
797(e), 799 and 806). Section 4(e) gives the Commission authority to 
issue licenses for the purposes of constructing, operating and 
maintaining dams, water conduits, reservoirs, powerhouses, transmission 
lines or other power project works necessary or convenient for 
developing and improving navigation, transmission and utilization of 
power using bodies of water over which Congress has jurisdiction. 
Section 6 gives the Commission the authority to prescribe the 
conditions of licenses including the revocation or surrender of the 
license. Section 13 defines the Commission's authority to delegate time 
periods for when a license must be terminated if project construction 
has not begun. Surrender of a license may be desired by a licensee when 
a licensed project is retired or not constructed or natural 
catastrophes have damaged or destroyed the project facilities.
    FERC-510 is the application for the surrender of a hydropower 
license. The information is used by Commission staff to determine the 
broad impact of such surrender. The Commission will issue a notice 
soliciting comments from the public and other agencies and conduct a 
careful review of the application before issuing an order for Surrender 
of a License. The order is the result of an analysis of the information 
produced (i.e., dam safety, public safety, and environmental concerns, 
etc.), which is examined to determine whether any conditions must be 
satisfied before granting the surrender. The order implements the 
existing regulations and is inclusive for surrender of all types of 
hydropower licenses issued by FERC and its predecessor, the Federal 
Power Commission. The Commission implements these mandatory filing 
requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR 6.1-
6.4.
    On April 20, 2020, the Commission published a Notice in the Federal 
Register in Docket No. IC20-15-000 requesting public comments.\1\ The 
Commission received no public comments.
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    \1\ 85 FR 21846.
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    Type of Respondent: Private or Municipal Hydropower Licensees.
    Estimate of Annual Burden \2\: The Commission estimates the total 
annual burden and cost \3\ for this information collection as follows:
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    \2\ ``Burden'' is 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 Title 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.
    \3\ The Commission staff thinks that the average respondent for 
this collection is similarly situated to the Commission, in terms of 
salary plus benefits. The FERC 2019 average salary plus benefits for 
one FERC full-time equivalent (FTE) is $167,091/year (or $80.00/
hour).

[[Page 45413]]



                                                                        FERC-510
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                                            Annual  number
        Number of respondents \4\           of  responses   Total number of   Average burden hrs. & cost    Total annual burden hrs. &       Cost per
                                            per respondent     responses           ($) per response            total annual cost ($)      respondent ($)
(1)                                                   (2)   (1) * (2) = (3)  (4).........................  (3) * (4) = (5).............       (5) / (1)
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15.......................................               1               15   80 hrs.; $6,400.............  1,200 hrs.; $96,000.........          $6,400
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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\ Due to an improved staff estimate, the annual number of 
respondents has been increased to 15 (rather than the estimated 8 
included in the 60-day notice, issued April 14, 2020).

    Dated: July 22, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-16303 Filed 7-27-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P