[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54683-54684]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19251]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC22-34-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-550), Comment 
Request Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Comment request.

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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-550 (Oil Pipeline Rates--Tariff Filings 
and Depreciation Studies).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due November 7, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-550 (IC22-34-000) to the 
Commission. You may submit copies of your comments 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 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: FERC 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/ferc-online/overview.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: FERC-550, Oil Pipeline Rates--Tariff Filings and 
Depreciation Studies.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0089.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-550 information 
collection requirements with no revisions to the collection, but with 
adjustments in the burden estimates.
    Abstract: FERC-550 is required to assist the Commission in 
implementing the duties and powers that were vested on October 1, 1977, 
in the Interstate Commerce Commission (49 U;S.C. 60502). The 
Commission's regulatory jurisdiction over oil pipelines includes:
     Regulation of rates and practices of oil pipeline 
companies engaged in interstate transportation;
     Establishment of equal service conditions to provide 
shippers with equal access to pipeline transportation; and
     Establishment of reasonable rates for transporting 
petroleum and petroleum products by pipeline.

Oil Pipeline Tariffs and Rates

    The filing requirements for oil pipeline tariffs and rates \1\ put 
in place by the FERC-550 data collection provide the Commission with 
the information it needs to analyze proposed tariffs, rates, fares, and 
charges of oil pipelines and other carriers in connection with the 
transportation of crude oil and petroleum products. Specifically, these 
filings typically include indexing, market-based rates, or initial rate 
filings. The Commission uses this information to determine whether the 
proposed tariffs and rates are just and reasonable.
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    \1\ 18 CFR parts 341 through 348.
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    The Commission's regulations at 18 CFR parts 341 through 348 
provide that letters of transmittal must describe the filings and 
explain any changes to the carrier's rates, rules, terms or conditions 
of service; state if a waiver is being requested, and specify the 
statute, section, regulation, policy, or order requested to be waived; 
and identify the tariffs supplemental numbers, or tariff sections and 
the proposed effective date of the tariff publication. The letter of 
transmittal must certify that the filing has been sent to each 
subscriber of the tariff publication. A carrier may file to amend or 
modify a tariff contained in a tariff filing at any time during the 
pendency of the filing. Carriers must cancel tariffs when the service 
or transportation movement is terminated. If the service in connection 
with the tariff is no longer in interstate commerce, the tariff 
publication must state so. Whenever the tariff of a carrier on file 
with the Commission is to be adopted by another carrier as a result of 
an acquisition, merger, or name change, the succeeding company must 
file with the Commission, and post within 30 days after such 
succession, the tariff, or portion thereof, that has been adopted in 
the electronic format required by Sec.  341.1 bearing the name of the 
successor company.

Oil Pipeline Depreciation Studies

    The Commission's regulation at 18 CFR 347.1 provides that oil 
pipelines must file material to support requests for newly established 
or changed property account depreciation studies. It requires an 
applicant to file electronically, and the transmittal letter must give 
a general description of the change in depreciation rates, certify that 
the transmittal also has been sent to each shipper and to each 
subscriber, and state if there are no subscribers. The proposed 
depreciation rates being established must be used until they are either 
accepted or modified by the Commission. Rates in effect at the time of 
the proposed revision must continue to be used until the proposed 
revised rates are approved or modified by the Commission. The oil 
pipeline must provide information in sufficient detail to fully explain 
and justify the proposed rates. Modifications, additions, and deletions 
to data elements should be made to reflect the individual circumstances 
of the carrier's properties and operations.
    Type of Respondent: Oil Pipelines.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \2\ The burden related to this 
collection now includes a new line item, Depreciation Studies, which is 
currently approved by OMB under the FERC collection FERC-550 (1902-
0089), but historically was combined with other requirements outlined 
in 18 CFR parts 341 through 348. Depreciation studies are required if 
an oil pipeline seeks to modify the depreciation rates they have in 
their existing tariffs. Since these filings are submitted only for 
pipelines seeking modification, and are more rare (<10% of filings) 
than other reporting requirements such as indexing. Staff is correcting 
the estimates by adding a new line item specific to depreciation 
studies. Based on recent experience with this collection, staff 
estimates that 22 respondents will file a depreciation study each year. 
By separating depreciation studies from tariff filings, this adjustment 
will allocate 880 total

[[Page 54684]]

burden hours to the depreciation studies line item now being added.
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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 5 CFR 1320.3.
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    In another adjustment, the number of hours for Oil Rates and Tariff 
Filings will decrease from 7.8 hours to 7 hours per respondent due to 
the hour allocation going to the second line (Depreciation Studies) in 
the table below. Additionally, since the previous renewal, the number 
of respondents to Oil Rates and Tariff filings also increased from 219 
to 258 based on the number of filings received by the Commission. The 
overall revised burden estimates result to an increase to 280 (+61) 
respondents, 796 (+86) responses, and 6,298 hours (+760).
    The Commission estimates the annual public reporting burden and 
cost \3\ for the FERC-550 information collection as follows:
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    \3\ The Commission staff thinks that the hourly cost (for wages 
and benefits) for industry staff completing the FERC-550 is similar 
to the cost of FERC employees. FERC staff estimates that industry 
costs for salary plus benefits are similar to Commission costs. The 
cost figure is the FY2022 FERC average annual salary plus benefits 
($188,992/year or $91/hour).

                                          FERC-550: Oil Pipeline Rates--Tariff Filings and Depreciation Studies
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                                                        Annual number   Total number                               Total annual burden
                                          Number of     of responses    of responses     Average burden hrs. &     hours & total annual      Cost per
                                         respondents   per respondent        \4\         cost ($) per response           cost ($)         respondent ($)
                                                  (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).....................  (3) * (4) = (5)........       (5) / (1)
                                                                                  (3)
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Oil Rates and Tariff Filings.........             258               3             774  7 hrs.; $637............  5,418 hrs.; $493,038...          $1,911
Depreciation \5\ Studies.............              22               1              22  40 hrs.; $3,640.........  880 hrs.; $80,080......          $3,640
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    Total............................             280  ..............             796  ........................  6,298 hrs.; $573,118...  ..............
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\4\ This figure is rounded.
\5\ Depreciation Studies previously was included under Oil Rates and Tariff Filings in the OMB inventory under OMB Control No. 1902-0089. However, for a
  more accurate estimate of burden a new row was added for Depreciation Studies (18 CFR 347.1). This new row will properly account for the differences
  in burden hours and type of filing with the Oil Rates and Tariff filings (18 CFR parts 341 through 348).

    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: August 31, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-19251 Filed 9-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P