2010-28916. Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-574); Comment Request; Submitted for OMB Review

November 8, 2010.

AGENCY:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirements of section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) has submitted the information collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review of the information collection requirements. Any interested person may file comments directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below. The Commission issued a Notice in the Federal Register (75FR 47805, 08/09/2010) requesting public comments. FERC received no comments on the FERC-574 and has made this notation in its submission to OMB.

DATES:

Comments on the collection of information are due by December 17, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

Address comments on the collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Comments to Created by OMB should be filed electronically, c/o [e-mail] and include OMB Control Number 1902-0116 for reference. The Desk Officer may be reached by telephone at 202-395-4638.

A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and should refer to Docket No. IC10-574-001. Comments may be filed either electronically or in paper format. Those persons filing electronically do not need to make a paper filing. Documents filed electronically via the Internet must be prepared in an acceptable filing format and in compliance with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission submission guidelines. Complete filing instructions and acceptable filing formats are available at http://www.ferc.gov/​help/​submission-guide.asp. To file the document electronically, access the Commission's website and click on Documents & Filing, E-Filing (http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​efiling.asp),, and then follow the instructions for each screen. First time users will have to establish a user name and password. The Commission will send an automatic acknowledgement to the sender's e-mail address upon receipt of comments.

For paper filings, the comments should be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, and should refer to Docket No. IC10-574-001.

Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in FERC Docket No. IC10-574 may do so through eSubscription at http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​esubscription.asp. All comments may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely via the Internet through FERC's homepage using the “eLibrary” link. For user assistance, contact [e-mail] or toll-free at [phone], or for TTY, contact [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ellen Brown may be reached by e-mail at [e-mail], by telephone at [phone], and by fax at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The information collected under the requirements of FERC-574, “Gas Pipeline Certificates: Hinshaw Exemption” (OMB No. 1902-0116), is used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of Sections 1(c), 4 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (Pub. L. 75-688) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w). Natural gas pipeline companies file applications with the Commission furnishing information in order for a determination to be made as to whether the applicant qualifies for an exemption under the provisions of the Natural Gas Act (Section 1(c)). If the exemption is granted, the natural gas pipeline company is not required to file certificate applications, rate schedules, or any other applications or forms prescribed by the Commission.

The exemption applies to companies engaged in the transportation or sale for resale of natural gas in interstate commerce if: (a) They receive gas at or within the boundaries of the state from another person at or within the boundaries of that state; (b) such gas is ultimately consumed in such state; (c) the rates, service and facilities of such company are subject to regulation by a State Commission; and (d) that such State Commission is exercising that jurisdiction. The data required to be filed by pipeline companies for an exemption are specified by Title 18 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 152.

Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the FERC-574 reporting requirements, with no changes.

Burden Statement: The estimated annual public reporting burden for FERC-574 is reduced from the estimate made three years ago due to the results of an analysis of recent filings showing that 60 hours per response is a more accurate estimate for the average burden hours per response than the 245 hours used in the 2007 estimate.

FERC data collection	Number of respondents	Average number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Total annual burden hours
	(1)	(2)	(3)	(1)×(2)×(3)
FERC-574	1	1	60	60

The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $3,977 (60 hours/2,080 hours ^[1] per year, times $137,874 ^[2] ).

The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, 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 estimates 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.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  Estimated Number of hours an employee works each year.

2.  Estimated average annual cost per employee.