[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 140 (Friday, July 22, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43837-43838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15715]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC22-21-000]


Commission Information Collection Activity (FERC-555); 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 collections, FERC-555 (Preservation of Records for Public 
Utilities and Licensees, Natural Gas Companies, and Oil Pipeline 
Companies).

DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due September 20, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments (identified by Docket No. IC22-
21-000) on FERC-555 by one of the following methods:
    Electronic filing through https://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

[[Page 43838]]

Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
    [cir] Hand (including courier) delivery: Deliver to: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
    Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at: https://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 https://www.ferc.gov.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the information collection 
requirements with no changes to the current reporting requirements.
    Title: Preservation of Records for Public Utilities and Licensees, 
Natural Gas Companies, and Oil Pipeline Companies.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0098.
    Abstract: The Commission collects the information to carry out its 
responsibilities described in sections 301, 304 and 309 of the Federal 
Power Act (FPA),\1\ sections 8, 10 and 16 of the Natural Gas Act 
(NGA),\2\ and in the Interstate Commerce Act (ICA).\3\
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 825, 825c and 825h.
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 717g, 717i, and 717o.
    \3\ 49 U.S.C. 60502.
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    The regulations for preservation of records at 18 CFR parts 125, 
225, and 356 establish retention periods and other requirements for 
applicable records. These requirements apply to the public utilities, 
licensees, natural gas companies, and oil pipeline companies that are 
subject to the Commission's jurisdiction. Regulated entities use these 
records as the basis for required rate filings and reports to the 
Commission. The Commission's audit staff will use the records during 
compliance reviews, and the Commission's enforcement staff will use the 
information during investigations. In addition, the Commission's staff 
may use the records for special analyses on subjects such as 
jurisdictional entities' responses to extreme weather events.
    On January 8, 1999 the Commission issued AI99-2-000, an Accounting 
Issuance providing guidance on records storage media.\4\ More 
specifically, the Commission gave each jurisdictional company the 
flexibility to select its own storage media. The storage media selected 
must have a life expectancy equal to the applicable record period 
unless the quality of the data transferred from one media to another 
with no loss of data would exceed the record period.
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    \4\ The Accounting Issuance can be found in the FERC eLibrary by 
typing the docket number (i.e., AI99-2-000) in the eLibrary Search 
Form, within the field labeled ``Enter Docket Number.''
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    Types of Respondents: Electric utilities, licensees, natural gas 
companies, and oil pipeline companies.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:

                 FERC-555: Preservation of Records for Public Utilities and Licensees, Natural Gas Companies, and Oil Pipeline Companies
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                              Annual number of                                  Average burden hrs. & cost per  Total annual burden hours & total annual
 Number of respondents    responses per respondent  Total number of responses            response \5\                             cost
(1)                                       (2)             (1) * (2) = (3)                              (4)                           (3) * (4) = (5)
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               509                          1                         509             5,218 hrs.; $453,966              2,655,962 hrs.; $231,068,694
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    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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    \5\ Commission staff estimates that the average industry hourly 
cost for this information collection is approximated by the FERC 
2021 average hourly costs for wages and benefits, i.e., $87.00/hour.

    Dated: July 18, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-15715 Filed 7-21-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P