2019-27011. Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-604); Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comments on the currently approved information collection, FERC-604 (Cash Management Agreements) and submitting the information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. Any interested person may file comments directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below.

DATES:

Comments on the collection of information are due January 15, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 1902-0267, should be sent via email to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs: [e-mail]. Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Office.

A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in Docket No. IC19-46-000, by either of the following methods:

• eFiling at Commission's Website: http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​efiling.asp.
• Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.

Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov/​help/​submission-guide.asp. For user assistance, contact FERC Online Support by email at [e-mail], or by phone at: [phone] (toll-free), or [phone] for TTY.

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 http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​docs-filing.asp.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: FERC-604 (Cash Management Agreements).

OMB Control No.: 1902-0267.

Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-604 with no changes to the current reporting requirements.

Abstract: On September 6, 2019 (84 FR 46949), the Commission published a Notice in the Federal Register in Docket No. IC19-46-000 requesting public comments. The Commission received no comments and is noting that in the related submittal to OMB. Cash management or “money pool” programs typically concentrate affiliates' cash assets in joint accounts for the purpose of providing financial flexibility and lowering the cost of borrowing. In a 2001 investigation, FERC staff found that balances in cash management programs affecting FERC-regulated entities totaled approximately $16 billion. Additionally, other investigations revealed large transfers of funds amounting to more than $1 billion between regulated pipeline affiliates and non-regulated parents whose financial conditions were precarious. The Commission found that these and other fund transfers and the enormous (mostly unregulated) pools of money in cash management programs could detrimentally affect regulated rates.

To protect customers and promote transparency, the Commission issued Order No. 634-A (2003) requiring entities to formalize in writing and file with the Commission their cash management agreements. At that time, the Commission obtained OMB clearance for the new reporting requirement under the FERC-555 information collection (OMB Control No. 1902-0098). The Commission includes these reporting requirements for cash management agreements under the FERC-604 information collection (OMB Control No. 1902-0267). The Commission implemented these reporting requirements in 18 CFR 141.500, 260.400, and 357.5.

Type of Respondents: Public utilities, natural gas companies, and oil pipeline companies.

Estimate of Annual Burden.^[1] The Commission estimates the annual public reporting burden and cost ^[2] for the information collection as:

FERC—604—Cash Management Agreements

Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Total number of responses	Average burden hours & average cost per response ($)	Total annual burden hours & total annual cost ($)	Cost per respondent ($)
(1)	(2)	(1) * (2) = (3)	(4)	(3) * (4) = (5)	(5) ÷ (1) = (6)
35	1	35	1.5 hours; $120.00	52.5 hours; $4,200.00	$120.00

Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information are 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 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: December 10, 2019.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  Burden is defined as 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. See 5 CFR 1320 for additional information on the definition of information collection burden.

2.  The Commission staff estimates that industry is similarly situated in terms of hourly cost (for wages plus benefits). Based on the Commission's FY (Fiscal Year) 2019 average cost of $167,091 (for wages plus benefits), $80.00/hour is used.