2022-18792. Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-592); 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-592 (Standards of Conduct for Transmission Provider and Marketing Affiliates of Interstate Pipelines), which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a review of the information collection requirements.

DATES:

Comments on the collection of information are due September 30, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments on FERC-592 to OMB through www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB control number (1902-0157) in the subject line. Your comments should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register .

Please submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket No. IC22-15-000) to the Commission as noted below. Electronic filing through https://www.ferc.gov is preferred.

• Electronic Filing: Documents must be filed in acceptable native applications and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture format.

• For those unable to file electronically, comments may be filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery.

○ Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: Addressed to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.

○ Hand (including courier) delivery: Deliver to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.

Instructions: OMB submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with submission guidelines at www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain; Using the search function under the “Currently Under Review field,” select Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; click “submit” and select “comment” to the right of the subject collection.

FERC submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with submission guidelines at: https://www.ferc.gov. For user assistance, contact FERC Online Support by email at [e-mail], or by phone at: [phone] (toll-free).

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 https://www.ferc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers and Marketing Affiliates of Interstate Pipelines.

OMB Control No.: 1902-0157.

Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-592 information collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting requirements.

Abstract: The Commission uses the information maintained and posted by the respondents to monitor the pipeline's transportation, sales, and storage activities for its marketing affiliates to deter undue discrimination by pipeline companies in favor of their marketing affiliates. Non-affiliated shippers and other entities ( e.g., state commissions) also use the information to determine whether they have been harmed by affiliate preference and to prepare evidence for proceedings following the filing of a complaint.

18 CFR Part 358 (Standards of Conduct)

Respondents maintain and provide the information required by 18 CFR part 358 on their internet websites. When the Commission requires a pipeline to post information on its website following a disclosure of non-public information to its marketing affiliate, non-affiliated shippers obtain comparable access to the non-public transportation information, which allows them to compete with marketing affiliates on a more equal basis.

18 CFR 250.16, and the FERC-592 Log/Format

This form (log/format) provides the electronic formats for maintaining information on discounted transportation transactions and capacity allocation to support monitoring of activities of interstate pipeline marketing affiliates. Commission staff considers discounts given to shippers in litigated rate cases.

Without this information collection:

• the Commission would be unable to effectively monitor whether pipelines are giving discriminatory preference to their marketing affiliates; and
• non-affiliated shippers and state commissions and others would be unable to determine if they have been harmed by affiliate preference or prepare evidence for proceedings following the filing of a complaint.

Type of Respondents: Natural gas pipelines.

Estimate of Annual Burden: ^[1] The Commission estimates the annual reporting burden and cost for the information collection as shown in the following table:

FERC-592—Estimated Annual Burden

Number of respondents	Annual number of responses per respondent	Total number of responses	Average burden & cost per response 2	Total annual burden hours & total annual cost	Cost per respondent ($)
(1)	(2)	(1) * (2) = (3)	(4)	(3) * (4) = (5)	(5) ÷ (1)
85	1	85	117 hrs.; $10,179	9,945 hrs.; $865,215	$10,179

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: August 25, 2022.

Debbie-Anne A. Reese,

Deputy 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. For further explanation of what is included in the information collection burden, reference 5 CFR 1320.3.

2. Commission staff estimate that the industry's hourly cost for wages plus benefits is similar to the Commission's $87.00 FY 2021 average hourly cost for wages and benefits.