[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 30, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34495-34496]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11398]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC23-12-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-521); 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 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on FERC-521 (Payments for 
Benefits from Headwater Improvements).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due July 31, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC23-12-
000) by one of the following methods:
     Electronic Filing (preferred): 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: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    [cir] Mail via any other service: 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/help/submission-guide.asp. For user assistance, contact FERC Online Support 
by email at [email protected], or by phone at: (866) 208-3676 
(toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
    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/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.

[[Page 34496]]


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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-521, Payments for Benefits from Headwater Improvements.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0087.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-521 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the reporting requirements.
    Abstract: The purpose of FERC-521 is to implement information 
collections pursuant to section 10(f) of the Federal Power Act 
(FPA).\1\ Under Section 10(f) licensees of unlicensed non-Federal 
hydroelectric power projects that are directly benefited by a headwater 
project must pay an equitable portion of the annual costs of interest, 
maintenance, and depreciation of the headwater project. This payment is 
called the headwater benefit payment. The Commission requires basic 
project information including location and storage capacity to be filed 
by the owner of any headwater project constructed by the United States, 
a licensee, or a pre-1920 permittee that is upstream from a non-Federal 
hydroelectric project.
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 803.
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    Type of Respondents: There are two types of entities that respond, 
Federal and Non-Federal storage and hydropower project owners. The 
Federal entities that typically respond include the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers and the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation. 
The Non-Federal entities may consist of any Municipal or Non-Municipal 
hydropower project owner.
    Estimate of Annual Burden \2\ and cost:\3\ The Commission estimates 
the total Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
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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. For 
further explanation of what is included in the information 
collection burden, refer to 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.
    \3\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
2022 FERC average salary plus benefits of $188,922/year (or $91.00/
hour). Commission staff finds that the work done for this 
information collection is typically done by wage categories similar 
to those at FERC.

                                               FERC-521--Payments for Benefits From Headwater Improvements
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                                                  Annual  number                                                 Total annual burden
                                   Number of      of  responses   Total number of    Average burden &  cost     hours & total  annual        Cost per
                                  respondents    per  respondent     responses            per response                   cost             respondent ($)
                                           (1)              (2)   (1) * (2) = (3)  (4)......................  (3) * (4) = (5)..........       (5) / (1)
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Federal and Non-Federal                      3                1                3   40 hrs.; $3,640..........  120 hrs.; $10,920........          $3,640
 project owners.
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to each respondent is $3,640 
[40 hours * $91.00/hour = $3,640].
    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: May 23, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-11398 Filed 5-26-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P