98-13931. Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28999-29000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13931]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[IC98-521-000 FERC-521]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

May 20, 1998.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(a) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13), the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public 
comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described 
below.

DATES: Consideration will be given to comments submitted on or before 
July 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained from and written comments may be submitted to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Information 
Services Division, CI-1, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 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 information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-521 ``Payments for Benefits from Headwater 
Benefits'' (OMB No. 1902-0087) is used by the Commission to implement 
the statutory provisions of Section 10(f) of the Federal Power Act 
(FPA) (16 U.S.C. 803). The owners of non-federal hydropower projects 
that directly benefit from a headwater(s) improvement must pay an 
equitable portion of the annual charges for interest, maintenance, and 
depreciation of the headwater project to the U.S. Treasury. The 
regulations provide for apportionment of these costs between the 
headwater project and downstream projects based on downstream energy 
gains and proposed equitable apportionment methodology that can be 
applied to all river basins in which headwater improvements are built. 
Section 10(f) of the EPA directs the Commission to determine the 
benefits downstream parties receive from the operation of storage 
reservoirs or other headwater improvements. The purpose of determining 
the benefits is for

[[Page 29000]]

assessing the downstream beneficiaries for a part of the annual costs 
for the headwater project.
    The date the Commission requires owners of non-federal hydropower 
projects to file for determining annual charges is specified in 18 Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 11.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date, with no changes to the existing collection of 
data.
    Burden Station: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

                                                                        
    Number of          Number of      Average burden                    
   respondents       responses per       hours per        Total annual  
     annually         respondent         response         burden hours  
(1)                         (2)               (3)      (1) x (2) x (3)  
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15...............             1                40                 600   
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    The estimated total cost to respondents is $33,716 (840 hours 
divided by 2,088 hours per year per employee times $110,000 per year 
per average employee = $33,716). The cost per respondent is $2,248.
    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 estimate 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.
David P. Boergers,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-13931 Filed 5-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M