[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 21, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57686-57687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20411]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC22-28-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-511); 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-511 (Transfer of Hydropower License).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due November 21, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments (identified by Docket No. IC22-
28-000) 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: Addressed to: Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 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], telephone at (202) 502-8663.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 57687]]

    Title: FERC-511, Transfer of Hydropower License.\1\
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    \1\ The title is being updated to Transfer of Hydropower License 
(rather than Transfer of Electric License).
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    OMB Control No.: 1902-0069.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-511 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.
    Abstract: The purpose of FERC-511 is to implement the information 
collections pursuant to section 8 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) and 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under title 18 CFR part 9 (Transfer 
of License) sections 9.1 through 9.3 and section 131.20 of the 18 CFR. 
Section 8 of the FPA stipulates that no voluntary transfer of any 
license, or the rights thereunder granted, shall be made without the 
written approval of the Commission. Sections 9.1 through 9.3 of the 18 
CFR states that any licensee (transferor) desiring to transfer a 
license and the person, association, corporation, State, or 
municipality (transferee) desiring to acquire the same must jointly 
file an application for Commission's approval of such transfer.
    The application must show that the transfer is in the public 
interest and provide the qualifications of the transferee to hold such 
license and to operate the property under the license. Approval of the 
transfer is contingent upon the transfer of title to the properties 
under the license, transfer of all project files including all dam 
safety related documents, and delivery of all license instruments. The 
application for approval of transfer of license must conform to the 
requirements of sections 131.20 of the 18 CFR, which must include the 
following: application statement by all parties; verification 
statement; proof of citizenship; evidence of compliance by the 
transferor with all applicable state laws or how the transferee 
proposes to comply; and qualifications of the transferee to hold the 
license and operate the project.
    The Commission uses the information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-511 to implement the statutory provisions of 
sections 8 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) and 18 CFR part 9 and 18 CFR 
131.20 of the Commission's regulations. The information filed with the 
Commission is in the format of a written application for transfer of 
license, executed jointly by the parties of the proposed transfer. The 
Commission uses the information collected to determine the 
qualifications of the proposed transferee to hold the license and to 
prepare the transfer of the license order to make its determination.
    Type of Respondent: Existing Hydropower Project Licensees and those 
entities wishing to have a Hydropower Project License transferred to 
them.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \2\ The Commission estimates the annual 
burden and cost \3\ for the information collection as follows.
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    \2\ Burden is defined 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. See 5 
CFR 1320 for additional information on the definition of information 
collection burden.
    \3\ The FERC 2022 average salary plus benefits for one FERC 
full-time equivalent (FTE) is $188,922/year (or $91.00/hour). 
Commission staff estimates that the industry's skill set (wages and 
benefits) for completing and filing FERC-511 is comparable to the 
Commission's skill set.

                                                        FERC-511--Transfer of Hydropower License
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                                                        Annual number                                              Total annual burden
                                         Number of       of responses     Total number    Average burden hrs. &   hours & total annual       Cost per
                                        respondents     per respondent    of responses      cost per response             cost           respondent  ($)
                                                 (1)              (2)   (1) * (2) = (3)  (4)...................  (3) * (4) = (5).......       (5) / (1)
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Hydropower Project Licensees........          \4\ 13                1               13   40 hrs.; $3,640.......  520 hrs.; $47,320.....      \5\ $3,640
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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\ The number of respondents has been reduced from 46 to 13 for 
this renewal; this is based on the average number of filings made in 
the past three years.
    \5\ The cost per respondent has not actually increased between 
this renewal and the previous renewal, but a mathematical error has 
been corrected. We estimate the cost per response to be the same: 
$3,640.

    Dated: September 15, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-20411 Filed 9-20-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P