[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 207 (Monday, October 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67732-67733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23655]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC21-4-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-549b); 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), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is 
soliciting public comment on the currently approved information 
collection, FERC-549B (Gas Pipeline Rates: Annual Capacity Reports and 
Index of Customers).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due December 28, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket IC21-4-000) 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: All comments 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/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-549B (Gas Pipeline Rates: Annual Capacity Reports and 
Index of Customers).
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0169.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-549B information 
collection requirements with changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: As described below, FERC-549B is comprised of information 
collection activities at 18 CFR 284.13(b), 284.13(c), 284.13(d)(1), and 
284.13(d)(2). The purpose of these information collection activities is 
to provide reliable information about capacity availability and price 
that shippers need to make informed decisions in a competitive market, 
and to enable shippers and the Commission to monitor marketplace 
behavior to detect, and remedy anti-competitive behavior.

Reports on Firm and Interruptible Services and on Capacity and Flow 
Information Under 18 CFR 284.13(b) and 284.13(d)(1)

    This information collection activity enables shippers to release 
transportation and storage capacity to other shippers wanting to obtain 
capacity. The information results in reliable capacity information

[[Page 67733]]

availability and price data that shippers need to make informed 
decisions in a competitive market, and enables shippers and the 
Commission to monitor the market for potential abuses.

Index of Customers Under 18 CFR 284.13(c)

    The regulation at 18 CFR 284.13(c) requires interstate pipelines to 
file an index of all its firm transportation and storage customers 
under contract. This index is due on the first business day of each 
calendar quarter. In addition, the index must be posted on the 
pipeline's internet website in a downloadable format complying with 
specifications established by the Commission. The information posted on 
the pipeline's internet website must be made available until the next 
quarterly index is posted. The requirements for the electronic index 
can be obtained from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Division 
of Information Services, Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 
Washington, DC 20426.

Peak-Day Annual Capacity Report Under 284.13(d)(2)

    The regulation at 18 CFR 284.13(d)(2) requires an annual peak-day 
capacity report of all interstate pipelines, including natural gas 
storage-only companies. This report is generally a short report showing 
the peak day design capacity or the actual peak day capacity achieved, 
with a short explanation, if needed. The regulation provides that an 
interstate pipeline must make an annual filing by March 1 of each year 
showing the estimated peak day capacity of the pipeline's system, and 
the estimated storage capacity and maximum daily delivery capability of 
storage facilities under reasonably representative operating 
assumptions and the respective assignments of that capacity to the 
various firm services provided by the pipeline.
    Types of Respondents: Respondents for this data collection are 
interstate pipelines and storage facilities subject to FERC regulation 
under the Natural Gas Act.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden \1\ for the information collection as shown in 
the following table:
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    \1\ The Commission defines burden 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, reference 5 CFR 1320.3.

                                         FERC-549B (Gas Pipeline Rates: Capacity Reports and Index of Customers)
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                                                       Average annual
                                       Average annual     number of    Average annual    Average burden & cost     Total annual burden       Cost per
                                          number of     responses per   total number       per response \2\        hours & total annual   respondent ($)
                                         respondents     respondent     of responses                                       cost
                                                  (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).....................  (3) * (4) = (5)........       (5) / (1)
                                                                                  (3)
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Capacity Reports under 284.13(b) &                168               6           1,008  145 hrs.; $146,160......  146,160 hrs.;                   $72,210
 284.13(d)(1).                                                                                                    $12,131,280.
Index of Customers under 18 CFR                   168               4             672  3 hrs.; $249............  2,016 hrs.; $167,328...             996
 284.13(c).
Peak Day Annual Capacity Report under             168               1             168  10 hrs.; $830...........  1,680 hrs.; $139,440...             830
 18 CFR 284.13(d)(2).
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    Totals...........................  ..............  ..............           1,848  ........................  149,856 hrs.;                    74,036
                                                                                                                  $12,438,048.
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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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    \2\ The current average cost for one FERC full-time equivalent 
($83.00 per hour for wages plus benefits) is used as a proxy for 
industry's hourly cost.

    Dated: October 20, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-23655 Filed 10-23-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P