[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71445-71446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33049]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection;
comment request.
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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting
comments on the proposed revision and extension of approval to the Form
EIA-902, ``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers Survey.''
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before February 22,
2000. If you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within that
period, contact the person identified below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Peter Holihan, Energy Information
Administration (EI-52), Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy,
Washington, D.C. 20585. Alternatively, Mr. Holihan may be reached by
phone at (202) 426-1147, by e-mail James.Holihan@eia.doe.gov, or by FAX
(202) 426-1311.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Mr. Holihan
at the address listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments
I. Background
The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275, 15
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the Department of Energy Organization Act (Pub.
L. 95-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the Energy Information
Administration (EIA) to carry out a centralized, comprehensive, and
unified energy information program. This program collects, evaluates,
assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information on energy resource
reserves, production, demand, technology, and related economic and
statistical information. This information is used to assess the
adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer term domestic
demands.
The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides
the general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to
comment on collections of energy information conducted by or in
conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA to prepare
data requests that maximize the utility of the information collected,
and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the public.
Also, the EIA will later seek approval by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) of the collections under Section 3507(h) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995.
The Form EIA-902 collects information on shipments of geothermal
heat pumps. The survey tracks shipments of the following three main
types of geothermal heat pumps, as classified by the Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Institute (ARI), and the much smaller shipped volume of
non-ARI rated systems. A brief description of the ARI-classified system
is as follows:
ARI 320--Water-Source Heat Pumps (WSHP)--These systems are
installed in commercial buildings, where a central chiller or boiler
supplies chilled or heated water, respectively, to heat pumps installed
in series. The heat pumps reject building heat to chilled water during
the cooling season and, during the heating season, take heat from
boiler water.
ARI 325--Ground Water-Source Heat Pumps (GWHP)--The GWHP is an
open-loop system in which ground water is drawn from an aquifer or
other natural body of water into piping. At the heat pump, heat is
drawn from or dumped to the water through a heat exchanger to the
refrigerant in the heat pump. The heated or cooled water returns to its
source.
ARI 330--Ground Source Closed-Loop Heat Pumps (GSHP)--A water or
water/glycol (antifreeze) solution flows continuously through a closed
loop of pipe buried underground. Ground heat is absorbed into or
rejected from the solution flowing in the closed loop. At the heat
pump, heat is drawn from or dumped to the closed loop solution via heat
transfer through a heat exchanger, which passes heat to or removes heat
from the refrigerant in the heat pump. Depending on the type of ground
and land area, systems can either be installed horizontally or
vertically.
Data are collected by model type, heat pump capacity, region of
destination, customer type, and economic sector. Respondents are all
U.S. geothermal heat pump manufacturers.
II. Current Actions
EIA will be requesting a three-year extension of Office of
Management and Budget approval to continue using Form EIA-902 through
2003.
III. Request for Comments
Prospective respondents and other interested persons are invited to
comment on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines
are provided to assist in the preparation of comments.
General Issues:
A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the
information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the
actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into
account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the
agency's ability to process the information it collects.
B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected?
As a Potential Respondent:
A. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If
not, which instructions need clarification?
B. Can information be submitted by the due date?
C. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to
average four hours per response. The estimated burden includes the
total time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate,
maintain, retain, disclose and provide the information. Please comment
on the accuracy of the estimate.
D. The agency estimates respondents will incur no additional costs
for reporting other than the hours required to complete the collection.
What is the estimated: (1) total dollar amount annualized for capital
and start-up costs; and (2) recurring annual costs of operation and
maintenance, and purchase of services associated with this data
collection?
E. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of
this collection of information, including the use of information
technology? For example, should the agency develop additional
electronic methods (e.g., forms and instruction on diskettes, touch
tone data entry, forms that may be completed and submitted directly
through the Internet, and data submission by fax or e-mail) for
respondents to submit information?
F. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the
method(s) of collection.
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As a Potential User:
A. Is the information useful at the levels of detail indicated on
the form?
B. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
C. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also
will become a matter of public record.
Statutory Authority: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).
Issued in Washington, DC, December 15, 1999.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-33049 Filed 12-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
