97-376. Agency Information Collection Under Review by the Office of Management and Budget

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 1099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-376]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[FERC-423]


Agency Information Collection Under Review by the Office of 
Management and Budget

January 3, 1997.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of request submitted for review to the Office of 
Management and Budget.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) has 
submitted the energy information collection listed in this notice to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under provisions 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13). Any interested 
person may file comments on the collection of information directly with 
OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the Commission, as 
explained below. The Commission received public comments from two 
entities in response to an earlier Federal Register notice of August 
12, 1996 (61 FR 41779) and has replied to these comments in its 
submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before February 7, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Address comments to Office of Management and Budget, Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy 
Commission Desk Officer, 726 Jackson Place N.W., Washington, D.C. 
20503. A copy of the comments should also be sent to Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Division of Information Services, Attention: Mr. 
Michael Miller, 888 First Street N.E., Washington D.C. 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Miller may be reached by 
telephone at [phone] and by e-mail at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Description

    The energy information collection submitted to OMB for review 
contains:
    1. Collection of Information: FERC Form No. 423, ``Monthly Report 
of Cost and Quality of Fuels for Electric Plants''.
    2. Sponsor: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
    3. Control No.: 1902-0024. The Commission is now requesting that 
OMB approve a three year extension of these mandatory collection 
requirements.
    4. Necessity of Collection of Information: Submission of the 
information is necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its 
responsibilities in implementing provisions of the Federal Power Act 
(FPA) as amended by the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). 
The Commission uses the information reported on FERC Form No. 423 to 
conduct fuel reviews under Section 205 (a) and (e) of the FPA, and to 
prepare expert testimony in electric utility rate cases filed with the 
Commission. The Form 423 data provides the only effective means for 
assessing the potential impact of new developments on the future 
utility fuel supply patterns. The Commission's staff compare delivered 
fuel costs for utilities receiving like fuels of similar quality; 
detect consistently high cost patterns or irregularities indicative of 
possible uneconomic fuel purchase practices; evaluate the economic 
effect of unusual fuel purchases practices, such as buying fuel from 
affiliate fuel sources, as opposed to selecting buyers by competitive 
bids, and investigate a broad range of fuel costs and fuel purchase 
practice issues raised in contested rate proceedings.
    5. Respondent Description: The respondent universe currently 
comprises approximately 230 public utilities.
    6. Estimated Burden: 17,112 total burden hours, 228 respondents, 
713 responses annually, 2.0 hours per response (average).

    Statutory Authority: Section 205, of the Federal Power Act, as 
amended by Section 208 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies 
Act. (49 Stat. 851; 16 U.S.C. 824d).
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-376 Filed 1-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M