[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1739-1742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-00354]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC21-34-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-500 and FERC-
505); 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, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or 
FERC) is soliciting public comment on two currently approved 
information collections: FERC-500, Application for License/Relicense 
for Water Projects with More than 10 Megawatt (MW) Capacity; and FERC-
505, Application for Small Hydropower Projects and Conduit Facilities 
including License/Relicense, Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit Facility 
Determinations, which will be submitted to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for a review of the information collection requirements.

DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due February 11, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-500 and FERC-505 to OMB 
through www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB control 
numbers 1902-0058 (FERC-500) and 1902-0115 (FERC-505) 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 (identified by Docket No. 
IC21-34-000) to the Commission as

[[Page 1740]]

noted below. Electronic filing through http://www.ferc.gov, is 
preferred.
     Electronic Filing: Documents must be filed in acceptable 
native applications and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture 
format.
     For those unable to file electronically, comments may be 
filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery.
    [cir] Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only, Addressed to: Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First 
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
    [cir] Hand (Including Courier) Delivery to: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 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 collections.
    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: 
    Titles: FERC-500 (Application for License/Relicense for Water 
Projects with More than 10 Megawatt (MW) Capacity) and FERC-505 
(Application for Small Hydropower Projects and Conduit Facilities 
including License/Relicense, Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit Facility 
Determination).
    OMB Control Nos.: 1902-0058 (FERC-500) and 1902-0115 (FERC-505).
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved information 
collections.
    Abstract: Part I of the Federal Power Act (FPA) \1\ authorizes the 
Commission to grant hydropower licenses and exemptions to citizens of 
the United States, or to any corporation organized under the laws of 
United States or any State thereof, or to any State or municipality. 
Holders of such licenses and exemptions construct, operate, and 
maintain dams, water conduits, reservoirs, power houses, transmission 
lines, or other project works necessary or convenient for the 
development and improvement of navigation and for the development, 
transmission, and utilization of power across, along, from, or in any 
of the streams or other bodies of water over which Congress has 
jurisdiction. This jurisdiction stems from Congressional authority to 
regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several States, or 
upon any part of the public lands and reservations of the United 
States.
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 791a-823g.
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    FERC-500 and FERC-505 comprise applications and other information 
collection activities implemented under numerous regulations. Some of 
the regulations are relevant to both FERC-500 and FERC-505, and others 
are relevant only to FERC-500 or FERC-505. Effective October 4, 
2021,\2\ information collection activities within FERC-500 are for 
projects with an installed capacity of more than 10 MW. Information 
collection activities within FERC-505 are for other smaller projects.
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    \2\ Before October 4, 2021, FERC-500 applied only to projects 
with an installed capacity of more than 5 MW. On August 5, 2021, the 
Commission published a final rule that affected the paperwork 
burdens of FERC-500 by changing the regulatory threshold for certain 
licensing requirements from 5 MW to 10 MW. As a result, the 
regulatory threshold for FERC-500 is now projects with an installed 
capacity of more than 10 MW. See Final Rule, Docket RM20-21-000, 86 
FR 42710 (Aug. 5, 2021).
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    As required by OMB regulations at 5 CFR 1320.8(d), the Commission 
provided a 60-day notice of its renewal request in the Federal Register 
on October 28, 2021 (86 FR 59704). The public-comment period expired on 
December 27, 2021. No comments were received.
    The following table lists information collection activities 
pertaining to applications and notices of intent. The table is 
organized as pairs of regulations that address, respectively, 
applicability and required contents of each activity.

         Table 1--Regulations and Information Collection Activities: Applications and Notices of Intent
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                    Title                                   18 CFR cites                FERC-500      FERC-505
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Application for License for Major \3\          4.40 and 4.41........................          Yes           Yes
 Unconstructed Project and Major Modified
 Project.
Application for License for Major Project--    4.50 and 4.51........................          Yes           Yes
 Existing Dam.
Application for License for Minor \4\ Water    4.60 and 4.61........................           No           Yes
 Power Projects and Major Water Power
 Projects 10 Megawatts or Less.
Application for License for Transmission Line  4.70 and 4.71........................          Yes           Yes
 Only.
Application for a Preliminary Permit.........  4.80 and 4.81........................          Yes           Yes
Application for Exemption of Small Conduit     4.90 and 4.92........................           No           Yes
 Hydroelectric Facilities.
Application for Case-Specific Exemption of     4.101 and 4.107......................           No           Yes
 Small Hydroelectric Power Projects of 10
 Megawatts or Less.
Application for Amendment of License.........  4.200 and 4.201......................          Yes           Yes
Notice of Intent to Construct Qualifying       4.400 and 4.401......................           No           Yes
 Conduit Hydropower Facilities.
Application Under the Integrated Licensing     5.1 and 5.18.........................          Yes           Yes
 Process.
Application for Transfer of License..........  9.1 and 9.2..........................          Yes           Yes
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    Each of the ``contents'' regulations listed above requires 
information that assists the Commission in identifying the respondent 
and the type of proposed project. In addition, certain types of 
applications must include all \5\ or some \6\ of the following 
exhibits:
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    \3\ As defined at 18 CFR 4.30(b)(14) through 4.30(b)(16), a 
``major'' project has a total installed generating capacity of more 
than 1.5 MW.
    \4\ As defined at 18 CFR 4.30(b)(17), a ``minor'' project has a 
total installed generating capacity of 1.5 MW or less.
    \5\ The following regulations require Exhibits A through G: 18 
CFR 4.41, 4.51, 4.61, 4.71, 4.201(b)(1) and 4.201(b)(5).
    \6\ The following regulations do not require Exhibits B, C, or 
D: 18 CFR 4.92 and 4.107. The regulations at 18 CFR 4.201(b)(2) 
through (b)(4) do not require Exhibits A, B, C, or D. The 
regulations at 18 CFR 5.18 do not require Exhibit E.
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     Exhibit A is a description of the project.
     Exhibit B is a statement of project operation and resource 
utilization.
     Exhibit C is a proposed construction schedule for the 
project.

[[Page 1741]]

     Exhibit D is a statement of project costs and financing.
     Exhibit E is an environmental report.
     Exhibit F consists of general design drawings of the 
principal project works described under Exhibit A and supporting 
information used as the basis of design.
     Exhibit G is a map of the project.
    No exhibits are required in a Notice of Intent to Construct 
Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facilities under 18 CFR 4.401. However, 
the Notice of Intent must include:
     Statements that the proposed project will use the 
hydroelectric potential of a non-federally owned conduit and that the 
proposed facility has not been licensed or exempted from the licensing 
requirements and Part I of the FPA;
     A description of the proposed facility;
     Project drawings;
     If applicable, the preliminary permit number for the 
proposed facility; and
     Verification in accordance with 18 CFR 4.401(g).
    The following table lists information collection activities 
pertaining to matters other than applications and notices of intent:

                        Table 2--Other Regulations and Information Collection Activities
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              Title or description                          18 CFR cite(s)              FERC-500      FERC-505
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State and federal comprehensive plans...........  2.19..............................          Yes           Yes
Acceptance for filing or rejection; information   4.32..............................          Yes           Yes
 to be made available to the public; requests
 for additional studies.
Amendment of application; date of acceptance....  4.35..............................          Yes           Yes
Competing applications, deadlines for filing,     4.36..............................          Yes           Yes
 notices of intent, and comparisons of plans of
 development.
Consultation requirements.......................  4.38..............................          Yes           Yes
Action on exemption applications................  4.93..............................           No           Yes
Integrated licensing process....................  5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.11,              Yes           Yes
                                                   5.13, 5.15, 5.16, 5.17, and 5.20,
                                                   5.21, 5.23, and 5.27.
Expedited licensing process for qualifying non-   7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4,.7.5, 7.6, 7.7,          Yes           Yes
 federal hydropower projects at existing           7.8, and 7.9.
 nonpowered dams and for closed-loop pumped
 storage projects.
Publication of license conditions relating to     8.1 and 8.2.......................          Yes           Yes
 recreation and posting of project lands as to
 recreational use and availability of
 information.
Lease of Project Property.......................  9.10..............................          Yes           Yes
Procedures relating to takeover and relicensing   16,1, 16.4, 16.6, 16.7, 16.8,               Yes           Yes
 of licensed projects.                             16.9, 16.10, 16.11, 16.12, 16.14,
                                                   16.19, 16.20, and 16.26.
Annual conveyance report........................  141.15............................          Yes            No
General requirements for qualifying cogeneration  292.203...........................           No           Yes
 and small power production facilities.
Special requirements for hydroelectric small      292.208...........................           No           Yes
 power production facilities located at a new
 dam or diversion.
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    Types of Respondents: Entities requesting Licenses, Relicenses, 
Exemptions, or Qualifying Conduit Facility Determinations, and certain 
entities in receipt of Commission Licenses and Exemptions.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The burdens are itemized in detail in 
the following table:

                                                            Table 3--Estimated Annual Burdens
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                  A.                           B.                             C.                                              D.
Type of response                              Number of  Average burden & cost \8\..................  Average annual burden hours & total
                                            respondents  per response...............................  annual cost
                                          and responses                                               (column B x column C)
                                                    \7\
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FERC-500, Application for License/                    9  35,602.55 hrs.; $3,097,421.85..............  320,422.95 hrs.; $27,876,796.65.
 Relicense for Water Projects with
 Greater than 10 MW Capacity \9\.
FERC-500, Request for Authorization to                5  40 hrs.; $3,480............................  200 hrs.; $17,400.
 Use Expedited Licensing Process.
FERC-500, Annual Conveyance Reports...               41  3 hrs.; $261...............................  123 hrs.; $10,701.
FERC-500, Recreation Posting..........              432  0.5 hr.; $43.50............................  216 hrs.; $18,792.
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    Subtotals for FERC-500............              487  ...........................................  320,961.95 hrs.; $27,923,689.65.
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FERC-505, for Small Hydropower                       32  756.59 hrs.; $65,823.33....................  24,210.88 hrs.; $2,106,346.56.
 Projects and Conduit Facilities
 including License/Relicense,
 Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit
 Facility Determinations.
FERC-505, Request for Authorization to                5  40 hrs.; $3,480............................  200 hrs.; $17,400.
 Use Expedited Licensing Process.
FERC-505, Recreation Posting..........              287  0.5 hr.; $43.50............................  143.5 hrs.; $12,484.50.
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    Sub-Totals for FERC-505...........              324  ...........................................  24,554.38 hrs.; $2,136,231.06.
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        Totals........................              811  ...........................................  345,516.33 hrs.; $30,059,920.71.
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[[Page 1742]]

    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collections of information 
are 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 estimates of the burden and 
cost of the collections of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collections; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collections 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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    \7\ There is one response per respondent for each activity in 
this information collection.
    \8\ Commission staff estimates that the average industry hourly 
cost for this information collection is approximated by the current 
FERC 2021 average hourly costs for wages and benefits, i.e., $87.00/
hour.
    \9\ The previously reported 33 responses associated with 
Comprehensive Plans were incorrect and not consistent in how we have 
approached the number of respondents for this Information 
Collection. As a result, the total number of hours associated with 
the Comprehensive Plans requirement was moved to the total number of 
hours associated with the application process. The Commission does 
not break down pieces of this process (as it is all considered one 
application) and so this edit was made for consistency across the 
information collection.

    Dated: January 5, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-00354 Filed 1-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P