99-29800. Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62183-62184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29800]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC00-505-000]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

November 9, 1999.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(a) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public comment 
on the specific aspects of the information collection described below.

DATES: Consideration will be given to comments submitted on or before 
January 18, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the proposed collection of information 
may be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: 
Michael Miller, Office of the Chief Information Officer, CI-1, 888 
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Abstract. The FERC-505, ``Application for 
License for Water projects 5MW or Less Capacity'' (OMB No. 1902-0115) 
consists of the filing requirements as defined in 18 CFR Sections 4.61, 
4.71, 4.93, 4.107-108, 4.201-.202, 292.203 and 292.208. The information 
collected under the requirements of FERC-505 is used by the Commission 
to implement the statutory provisions of part 1 of the Federal Power 
Act (FPA), 16 U.S.C. Sections 791a et seq. and 3301-3432, and Section 
408 of the Energy Security Act. (P.L. 96-294, June 30, 1980), as 
amended by the Electric Consumers Protection Act (ECPA) (P.L. 99-495, 
100 Stat. 1243 (1986). The FPA as amended by ECPA provides the 
Commission with responsibility of issuing licenses for nonfederal 
hydropower plants, plus requiring the Commission in its licensing 
activities to give equal consideration to preserving environmental 
quality. ECPA also amended sections 10(a) and 10(j) of the FPA to 
specify the conditions on which hydropower licenses are issued, to 
direct that the project be adopted in accordance with a comprehensive 
plan that improves waterways for interstate/foreign commerce and for 
the protection, enhancement and mitigation of damages to fish and 
wildlife.
    Submission of the information is necessary to fulfill the 
requirements of Sections 9 and 10(a) of the Act in order for the 
Commission to make the required finding that the proposal is 
economically, technically, and environmentally sound, and is best 
adapted to the comprehensive plan of development of the water resources 
of the region. Under Section 405(c) of the Public Utilities Regulatory 
Policies Act of 1978, the Commission may in its discretion (by rule or 
order) grant an exemption in whole or in part from the requirements of 
Part I of the FPA to small hydropower projects having a proposed 
installed capacity of 5,000 kilowatts or less. The information 
collected in the form of a written application for a license and used 
by Commission staff to determine the broad impact of a hydropower 
license application.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date, with no changes to the existing collection of 
data.

[[Page 62184]]

    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Average burden
    Number of       Annual responses      hours per       Total annual
   respondents       per respondent       response        burden hours
(1)                            (2)                (3)   (1) x (2) x (3)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             12                  1                226             2,712
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated cost burden to respondents is $143,278; (i.e., 2,712 
hours divided by 2,080 hours per full time employee per year multiplied 
by $109,889 per year equals $143,278). The cost per respondent is 
$11,940.
    The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or 
provide the information including: (1) Reviewing instructions; (2) 
developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems 
for the purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing, 
maintaining, disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the 
existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and 
requirements; (4) training personnel to respond to a collection of 
information; (5) searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing 
the collection of information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise 
disclosing the information.
    The estimate of cost for respondents is based upon salaries for 
professional and clerical support, as well as direct and indirect 
overhead costs. Direct costs include all costs directly attributable to 
providing this information, such as administrative costs and the cost 
for information technology. Indirect or overhead costs are costs 
incurred by an organization in support of its mission. These costs 
apply to activities which benefit the whole organization rather than 
any one particular function or activity.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed 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 of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of 
responses.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-29800 Filed 11-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M