2018-27307. Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-538); Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collection, FERC-538 (Gas Pipelines Certificates: Sections 7(a) Mandatory Initial Service).

DATES:

Comments on the collection of information are due [insert date that is 60 days after publication in the Federal Register].

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC19-11-000) 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: Gas Pipelines Certificates: Sections 7(a) Mandatory Initial Service.

OMB Control No.: 1902-0061.

Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-538 information collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting requirements.

Abstract: Under sections 7(a), 10(a) and 16 of Natural Gas Act (NGA),^[1] upon application by a person or municipality authorized to engage in the local distribution of natural gas, the Commission may order a natural gas company to extend or improve its transportation facilities, and sell natural gas to the municipality or person and, for such purpose, to extend its transportation facilities to communities immediately adjacent to such facilities or to territories served by the natural gas pipeline company. The Commission uses the application data in order to be fully informed concerning the applicant, and the service the applicant is requesting.

Type of Respondents: Persons or municipalities authorized to engage in the local distribution of natural gas.

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

FERC-538—Gas Pipeline Certificates: Section 7(a) Mandatory Initial Service

	Number of respondents	Annual number of responses per respondent	Total number of responses	Average burden & cost per response 3	Total annual burden hours & total annual cost	Cost per respondent ($)
	(1)	(2)	(1)*(2) = (3)	(4)	(3)*(4) = (5)	(5)(1)
Gas Pipeline Certificates	1	1	1	240 hrs.; $18,960	240 hrs.; $18,960	$18,960
3 The estimates for cost per response are derived using the following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * $79.00/hour = Average cost/response. The figure is the 2018 FERC average hourly cost (for wages and benefits) of $79.00 (and an average annual salary of $164,820/year). Commission staff is using the FERC average salary because we consider any reporting requirements completed in response to the FERC-538 to be compensated at rates similar to the work of FERC employees.

Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the 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 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 12, 2018.

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 717f-w.

2.  “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. For further explanation of what is included in the information collection burden, reference 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.