98-30924. Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 223 (Thursday, November 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 64250]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30924]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC99-2-001; FERC Form No. 2]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

November 13, 1998.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of submission for review by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) and request for comments.

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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 Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 
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 a regulated entity and a Federal agency in 
response to an earlier notice issued June 18, 1998, 63 FR 34369 (June 
24, 1998) and has replied to these comments in its submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments regarding this collection of information are best 
assured of having their full effect if received on or before December 
21, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Address comments to the Office of Management and Budget, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Desk Officer, 725 17th Street, N.W. Washington, 
D.C. 20503. A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
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], by fax at 
[phone], and by e-mail at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The energy information collection submitted 
to OMB for review contains:

    1. Collection of Information: FERC Form No. 2 ``Annual Report of 
Major Natural Gas Companies.''
    2. Sponsor: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
    3. Control No.: OMB No. 1902-0028. The Commission is now requesting 
that OMB approve a three-year extension of the current expiration date, 
with no substantive changes to the existing collection. There is an 
increase in the reporting burden due to an increase in the number of 
companies filing this information. This increase reflects an adjustment 
to the Commission's regulatory burden for this information collection 
requirements. These are mandatory collection requirements.
    4. Necessity of Collection of Information: Submission of the 
information is necessary to enable the Commission to implement the 
statutory provisions of Natural Gas Act (NGA), 15 U.S.C. 717. The NGA 
authorizes the Commission to prescribe rules and regulations concerning 
accounts, records and memoranda as appropriate for purposes of 
administering the NGA. The Commission may prescribe a system of 
accounts for jurisdictional companies, and after notice and hearing, 
may determine the account in which particular outlays and receipts will 
be entered, charged or credited. The FERC Form 2 data is used for the 
following: to assess the financial conditions of natural gas pipeline 
companies; verification of cost data in various rate proceedings and 
supply programs, in the audit program implemented by the Office of 
Finance, Accounting and Operations (formerly Office of Chief 
Accountant) and to compute annual charges. Major natural gas pipeline 
companies are defined as having combined gas transported or stored for 
a fee that exceeds 50 million Dekatherms. The reporting requirements 
are found at 18 CFR 260.1.
    5. Respondent Description: The respondent universe currently 
comprises on average, 59 companies subject to the Commission's 
regulations.
    6. Estimated Burden: 87,615 total burden hours, 59 respondents, 1 
response annually, 1,485 hours per response (average).
    7. Estimated Cost Burden to Respondents: 87,615 hours  
2,080 hours  x  $109,888 per year = $4,628,768. Average cost per 
respondent = $78,454.
    Statutory Authority: Section 8, 10(9) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), 
15 U.S.C. 717g, 717i.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-30924 Filed 11-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M