98-16878. Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 122 (Thursday, June 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34638-34639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16878]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[IC98-73-000 FERC Form No. 73]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

June 19, 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 
August 24, 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, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer, CI-1, 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 information collected under the 
requirements of FERC Form No. 73 ``Oil Pipelines Service Life Data'' 
(OMB No. 1902-0019) is used by the Commission to implement the 
statutory provisions of Sections 306 and 402 of the Department of 
Energy Organization Act 42 U.S.C. Sec. 7155 and 7172, and Executive 
Order No. 12009, 42 FR 46277 (September 13, 1977). From these statutory 
sections the Commission assumed jurisdictional responsibility for oil 
pipelines from the Interstate Commerce Act, 49 U.S.C. Sec. 6501 et. al. 
As part of the information necessary for the subsequent investigation 
and review of the oil pipeline company's proposed depreciation rates, 
the pipeline companies are required to provide service life data as 
part of their data submission if the proposed depreciation rates are 
based on remaining physical life calculations. This service life data 
is collected and submitted on FERC Form No. 73.
    Data submitted by an oil pipeline company during an investigation 
may be either initial data or it may be an update to existing data 
already on file. These data are then used by the Commission as input to 
several computer programs know collectively as the Depreciation Life 
Analysis System (DLAS) to assist in the selection of appropriate 
service lives and book depreciation rates.
    Book depreciation rates are used by oil pipeline companies to 
compute the depreciation portion of their operating

[[Page 34639]]

expense which is a component of their cost of service which in turn is 
used to determine the transportation rate to assess customers. Staff's 
recommended book depreciation rates become legally binding when issued 
in an order by the Commission. These rates remain in effect until a 
subsequent review is requested and the outcome indicates that a 
modification is justified. The Commission implements these filing 
requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR 
Parts 347 and 357.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Number of          Number of       Average burden     Total annual  
   respondents       responses per        hours per       burden hours  
  annually  (1)     respondent  (2)     response  (3)      (1)x(2)x(3)  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5................                1                 40               200 
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated cost burden to respondents: 200 hours divided by 2,088 
hours per year times $110,000 per year equals $11,000. The cost per 
respondent is equal to $2,200.
    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 acitivites 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. 98-16878 Filed 6-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M