[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67432-67434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18641]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RD24-3-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725B); 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-725B, Mandatory Reliability Standards, 
Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) (Update for CIP-012-1 to 
version CIP-012-02) Cyber Security--Communications between Control 
Centers. The 60-day notice comment period ended on July 23, 2024, with 
no comments received.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due September 19, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-725B (1902-0248) to OMB 
through www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB Control 
Numbers in the subject line of your comments. Comments should be sent 
within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
    Please submit copies of your comments to the Commission. You may 
submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket No. RD24-3-000) 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: Deliver to: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 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 collection. 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: Kayla Williams may be reached by email 
at [email protected], telephone at (202) 502-6468.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-725B, Mandatory Reliability Standards, Critical 
Infrastructure Protection (CIP) (Update to CIP-012-2).
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0248.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved FERC-725B 
information collection requirements with changes to the reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: On August 8, 2005, Congress enacted the Energy Policy Act 
of 2005.\1\ The Energy Policy Act of 2005 added a new section 215 to 
the Federal Power Act (FPA),\2\ which requires a Commission-certified 
Electric Reliability Organization to develop mandatory and enforceable 
Reliability Standards,\3\ including requirements for cybersecurity 
protection, which are subject to Commission review and approval. Once 
approved, the Reliability Standards may be enforced by the Electric 
Reliability Organization subject to Commission oversight, or the 
Commission can independently enforce Reliability Standards.
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    \1\ Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58, sec. 1261 et 
seq., 119 Stat. 594 (2005).
    \2\ 16 U.S.C. 824o.
    \3\ Section 215 of the FPA defines Reliability Standard as a 
requirement, approved by the Commission, to provide for reliable 
operation of existing bulk-power system facilities, including 
cybersecurity protection, and the design of planned additions or 
modifications to such facilities to the extent necessary to provide 
for reliable operation of the Bulk-Power System. However, the term 
does not include any requirement to enlarge such facilities or to 
construct new transmission capacity or generation capacity.
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    On February 3, 2006, the Commission issued Order No. 672,\4\ 
implementing FPA Section 215. The Commission subsequently certified the 
North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as the Electric 
Reliability Organization. The Reliability Standards developed by NERC 
become mandatory and enforceable after Commission approval and apply to 
users, owners, and operators of the Bulk-Power System, as set forth in 
each Reliability Standard.\5\ The CIP Reliability Standards require 
entities to comply with specific requirements to safeguard bulk 
electric system (BES) Cyber Systems \6\ and their associated BES Cyber 
Assets. These standards are results-based and do not specify a 
technology or method to achieve

[[Page 67433]]

compliance, instead leaving it up to the entity to decide how best to 
comply.
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    \4\ Rules Concerning Certification of the Elec. Reliability 
Org.; and Procedures for the Establishment, Approval, and Enf't of 
Elec. Reliability Standards, Order No. 672, 71 FR 8661 (Feb. 17, 
2006), 114 FERC ] 61,104, order on reh'g, Order No. 672-A, 71 FR 
19814 (Apr. 28, 2006), 114 FERC ] 61,328 (2006).
    \5\ NERC uses the term ``registered entity'' to identify users, 
owners, and operators of the Bulk-Power System responsible for 
performing specified reliability functions with respect to NERC 
Reliability Standards. See, e.g., Version 4 Critical Infrastructure 
Protection Reliability Standards, Order No. 761, 77 FR 24594 (Apr. 
25, 2012), 139 FERC ] 61,058, at P 46, order denying clarification 
and reh'g, 140 FERC ] 61,109 (2012). Within the NERC Reliability 
Standards are various subsets of entities responsible for performing 
various specified reliability functions. We collectively refer to 
these as ``entities.''
    \6\ NERC defines BES Cyber System as ``[o]ne or more BES Cyber 
Assets logically grouped by a responsible entity to perform one or 
more reliability tasks for a functional entity.'' NERC, Glossary of 
Terms Used in NERC Reliability Standards, at 5 (2020), 
Glossary_of_Terms.pdf (nerc.com) . NERC defines BES Cyber Asset as A 
Cyber Asset that if rendered unavailable, degraded, or misused 
would, within 15 minutes of its required operation, mis-operation, 
or non-operation, adversely impact one or more Facilities, systems, 
or equipment, which, if destroyed, degraded, or otherwise rendered 
unavailable when needed, would affect the reliable operation of the 
Bulk Electric System. Redundancy of affected Facilities, systems, 
and equipment shall not be considered when determining adverse 
impact. Each BES Cyber Asset is included in one or more BES Cyber 
Systems. Id. at 4.
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    The Commission has approved multiple versions of the CIP 
Reliability Standards submitted by NERC, partly to address the evolving 
nature of cyber-related threats to the Bulk-Power System. High impact 
systems include large control centers. Medium impact systems include 
smaller control centers, ultra-high voltage transmission lines, large 
substations, and generating facilities. The remainder of the BES Cyber 
Systems are categorized as low impact systems. Most requirements in the 
CIP Reliability Standards apply to high and medium impact systems; 
however, a technical controls requirement in Reliability standard CIP-
012, described below, applies to all (low, medium and high) impact 
Control Centers.
    The FERC-725B information collection requirements are subject to 
review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under section 
3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.\7\ OMB's regulations 
require approval of certain information collection requirements imposed 
by agency rules.\8\ Upon approval of a collection of information, OMB 
will assign an OMB control number and expiration date. Respondents 
subject to the filing requirements will not be penalized for failing to 
respond to these collections of information unless the collections of 
information display a valid OMB control number. The Commission solicits 
comments on the Commission's need for this information, whether the 
information will have practical utility, the accuracy of the burden 
estimates, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected or retained, and any suggested methods for 
minimizing respondents' burden, including the use of automated 
information techniques.
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    \7\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d) (2012).
    \8\ 5 CFR 1320.11 (2017).
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    Reliability Standard CIP-012-2--Communications between Control 
Centers: requires entities to protect the confidentiality, integrity, 
and availability and integrity of data transmitted between Control 
Centers that could lead to mis-operation or instability on the Bulk-
Power System. Specifically, the Reliability Standard CIP-012-2 is 
revised to add requirements for entities to provide protections of the 
availability of communication links and sensitive data transmitted 
between BES Control Centers. It is part of the implementation of the 
Congressional mandate of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to develop 
mandatory and enforceable Reliability Standards to better ensure the 
reliability of the nation's Bulk-Power System.
    Type of Respondents: Business or other for profit, and not for 
profit institutions.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \9\ The Commission bases its paperwork 
burden estimates on the changes in paperwork burden presented by the 
proposed revision to CIP Reliability Standard CIP-012-2 as compared to 
the current Commission-approved Reliability Standard CIP-012-1. As 
discussed above, the immediate order addresses the area of modification 
to the CIP Reliability Standards: modifications to provide protections 
of the availability of communication links and sensitive data 
transmitted between BES Control Centers.
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    \9\ ``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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    The CIP Reliability Standards, viewed as a whole, implement a 
defense-in-depth approach to protecting the security of BES Cyber 
Systems at all impact levels.\10\ The CIP Reliability Standards are 
objective-based and allow entities to choose compliance approaches best 
tailored to their systems.\11\ The NERC Compliance Registry, as of 
March 15, 2024, identifies approximately 1,610 unique U.S. entities 
that are subject to mandatory compliance with CIP Reliability 
Standards. Of this total, we estimate that 730 entities will face an 
increased paperwork burden under proposed Reliability Standard CIP-012-
2. Based on these assumptions, we estimate the following reporting 
burdens:
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    \10\ Order No. 822, 154 FERC ] 61,037 at 32.
    \11\ Mandatory Reliability Standards for Critical Infrastructure 
Protection, Order No. 706, 73 FR 7368 (Feb. 7, 2008), 122 FERC ] 
61,040, at P 72 (2008); order on reh'g, Order No. 706-A, 123 FERC ] 
61,174 (2008); order on clarification, Order No. 706-B, 126 FERC ] 
61,229 (2009).

                                FERC-725B, Modifications in Docket No. RD24-3-000
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                                                                                                  Total annual
                                Number of      Number of     Total number of   Average burden    burden hours &
                               respondents   responses \12\     responses      hrs. & cost per    total annual
                                             per respondent                     response \13\         cost
                                       (1)              (2)  (1) x (2) = (3)  (4).............  (3) x (4) = 5
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Implementation of Documented           730                1              730  42 hrs.;          30,660 hrs.;
 Plan(s) (Requirement R1)                                                      $4,493.16.        $3,280,006.80.
 \14\.
Document Identification of             730                1              730  20 hrs.;          14,600 hrs.;
 methods to mitigate the                                                       $2,139.60.        $1,561,908.
 risk(s) posed by
 unauthorized disclosure and
 unauthorized modification
 (Requirement R1.1) \14\.
Document Identification of             730                1              730  60 hrs.;          43,800 hrs.;
 methods to mitigate the                                                       $6,418.80.        $4,685,724.
 risk(s) posed by loss of the
 ability to communicate
 (Requirement R1.2) \14\.
Document Identification of             730                1              730  100 hrs.;         73,000 hrs.;
 methods to use to initiate                                                    $10,698.          $7,809,540.
 the recovery of
 communication links
 (Requirement R1.3) \14\.
Document Identification of             730                1              730  50 hrs.; $5,349.  36,500 hrs.;
 where the implemented                                                                           $3,904,770.
 method(s) as required in
 Parts 1.1 and 1.2
 (Requirement R1.4) \12\.
Document identification of             730                1              730  50 hrs.; $5,349.  36,500 hrs.;
 the responsibilities of each                                                                    $3,904,770.
 Responsible Entity (if not
 owned by same Responsible
 Entity) required in Parts
 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3
 (Requirement R1.5) \14\.
Maintaining Compliance                 730                1              730  1 hr.; $106.98..  730 hrs.;
 (ongoing, starting in Year                                                                      $78,095.40.
 2).
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    Total (one-time, in Year   ...........  ...............            4,380  ................  235,060 hrs.;
     1).                                                                                         $25,146,718.80.
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    Total (ongoing, starting   ...........  ...............              730  ................  730 hrs.;
     in Year 2).                                                                                 $78,095.40.
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[[Page 67434]]

    1. The one-time burden (in Year 1) for the FERC-725B information 
collection will be averaged over three years:
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    \12\ We consider the filing of an application to be a 
``response.''
    \13\ The hourly cost for wages plus benefits is based on the 
average of the occupational categories for 2024 found on the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics website (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm):
    Information Security Analysts (Occupation Code: 15-1212): 
$80.62.
    Computer and Mathematical (Occupation Code: 15-0000): $74.16.
    Legal (Occupation Code: 23-0000): $160.24.
    Computer and Information Systems Managers (Occupation Code: 11-
3021): $112.88.
    These various occupational categories' wage figures are averaged 
as follows: $80.62/hour + $74.16/hour + $160.24/hour + $112.88/hour) 
/ 4 = $106.975/hour ($106.98 rounded). The resulting wage figure is 
rounded to $106.98/hour for use in calculating wage figures in the 
Final Rule in Docket No. RD24-3-000.
    \14\ This includes the record retention costs for the one-time 
and the on-going reporting documents.
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     235,060 hours / 3 = 78,353 (rounded) hours/year over Years 
1-3.
     The number of one-time responses for the FERC-725B 
information collection is also averaged over Years 1-3: 4,380 responses 
/ 3 = 1,460 responses/year.
    2. The average annual number (for Years 1-3) of responses and 
burden for one-time and ongoing burden will total:
     2,190 responses [1,460 responses (one-time) + 730 
responses (ongoing)].
     79,083 burden hours [78,353 hours (one-time) + 730 hours 
(ongoing)].
    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 14, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-18641 Filed 8-19-24; 8:45 am]
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