Notice2021-23481
Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-500 and Ferc-505); Consolidated Comment Request; Extension
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 28, 2021
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Abstract
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 collections, FERC-500 (Application for License/Relicense for Water Projects with More than 10 Megawatt (MW) Capacity); and FERC- 505 (Application for Small Hydropower Projects and Conduit Facilities including License/Relicense, Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit Facility Determinations).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 206 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 206 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59704-59706]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23481]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. Ic21-34-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-500 and Ferc-
505); Consolidated Comment Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of information collections and request for comments.
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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 collections, FERC-500 (Application for License/Relicense
for Water Projects with More than 10 Megawatt (MW) Capacity); and FERC-
505 (Application for Small Hydropower Projects and Conduit Facilities
including License/Relicense, Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit Facility
Determinations).
DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due December 27,
2021.
ADDRESSES: You may provide your comments (identified by Docket No.
IC21-34-000) on FERC-500 and/or FERC-505 by one of the following
methods:
<bullet> Electronic Filing: <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a> (preferred method)
Documents must be filed in acceptable native applications and print-to-
PDF, but not in scanned or picture format.
<bullet> For those unable to file electronically, comments may be
filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery:
[cir] Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: Addressed to: Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
[cir] Hand (including courier) Delivery: Deliver to: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 12225 Wilkins
Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in
accordance with submission guidelines at: <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>. For user
assistance, contact FERC Online Support by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#84e2e1f6e7ebeae8edeae1f7f1f4f4ebf6f0c4e2e1f6e7aae3ebf2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="264043544549484a4f484355535656495452664043544508414950">[email protected]</span></a>, or by phone at (866) 208-3676 (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 <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6622071207250a03071407080503262023342548010910"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c581a4b1a486a9a0a4b7a4aba6a08583809786eba2aab3">[email protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at (202) 502-8663.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Titles: FERC-500 (Application for License/
Relicense for Water Projects with More than 10 Megawatt (MW) Capacity)
and FERC-505 (Application for Small Hydropower Projects and Conduit
Facilities including License/Relicense, Exemption, and Qualifying
Conduit Facility Determination).
OMB Control Nos.: 1902-0058 (FERC-500) and 1902-0115 (FERC-505).
Type of Request: Extension of currently approved information
collections.
Abstract: Part I of the Federal Power Act (FPA) \1\ authorizes the
Commission to grant hydropower licenses and exemptions to citizens of
the United States, or to any corporation organized under the laws of
United States or any State thereof, or to any State or municipality.
Holders of such licenses and exemptions construct, operate, and
maintain dams, water conduits, reservoirs, power houses, transmission
lines, or other project works necessary or convenient for the
development and improvement of navigation and for the development,
transmission, and utilization of power across, along, from, or in any
of the streams or other bodies of water over which Congress has
jurisdiction. This jurisdiction stems from Congressional authority to
regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several States, or
upon any part of the public lands and reservations of the United
States.
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\1\ 16 U.S.C. 791a-823g.
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FERC-500 and FERC-505 comprise applications and other information
collection activities implemented under numerous regulations. Some of
the regulations are relevant to both FERC-500 and FERC-505, and others
are relevant only to FERC-500 or FERC-505. Effective October 4,
2021,\2\
[[Page 59705]]
information collection activities within FERC-500 are for projects with
an installed capacity of more than 10 MW. Information collection
activities within FERC-505 are for other smaller projects. The
applicability and required contents of each activity are listed at the
pairs of regulations listed in the following table:
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\2\ Before October 4, 2021, FERC-500 applied only to projects
with an installed capacity of more than 5 MW. On August 5, 2021, the
Commission published a final rule that affected the paperwork
burdens of FERC-500 by changing the regulatory threshold for certain
licensing requirements from 5 MW to 10 MW. As a result, the
regulatory threshold for FERC-500 is now projects with an installed
capacity of more than 10 MW. See Final Rule, Docket RM20-21-000, 86
FR 42710 (Aug. 5, 2021).
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Title 18 CFR cites FERC-500 FERC-505
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Application for License for Major \3\ 4.40 and 4.41.......................... Yes Yes
Unconstructed Project and Major Modified
Project.
Application for License for Major Project-- 4.50 and 4.51.......................... Yes Yes
Existing Dam.
Application for License for Minor \4\ Water 4.60 and 4.61.......................... No Yes
Power Projects and Major Water Power
Projects More Than 10 Megawatts.
Application for License for Transmission 4.70 and 4.71.......................... Yes Yes
Line Only.
Exemption of Small Conduit Hydroelectric 4.90 and 4.92.......................... No Yes
Facilities.
Exemption of Small Hydroelectric Power 4.101 and 4.107........................ No Yes
Projects of 10 Megawatts or Less.
Application for Amendment of............... 4.200 and 4.201........................ Yes Yes
License....................................
Notice of Intent to Construct Qualifying 4.400 and 4.401........................ No Yes
Conduit Hydropower Facilities.
Application Under the Integrated Licensing 5.1 and 5.18........................... No Yes
Process.
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\3\ As defined at 18 CFR 4.30(b)(14) through 4.30(b)(16), a
``major'' project has a total installed generating capacity of more
than 1.5 MW.
\4\ As defined at 18 CFR 4.30(b)(17), a ``minor'' project has a
total installed generating capacity of 1.5 MW or less.
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Each of the ``contents'' regulations listed above requires
information that assists the Commission in identifying the respondent
and the type of proposed project. In addition, certain types of
applications must include all \5\ or some \6\ of the following
exhibits:
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\5\ The following regulations require Exhibits A through G: 18
CFR 4.41, 4.51, 4.61, and 4.71.
\6\ The following regulations do not require Exhibits B, C, and
D: 18 CFR 4.92 and 4.107. The regulations at 18 CFR 4.201 and 5.18
pertain to several types of applications and projects. The exhibits
required by those regulations vary, depending on the type of
application.
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<bullet> Exhibit A is a description of the project.
<bullet> Exhibit B is a statement of project operation and resource
utilization.
<bullet> Exhibit C is a proposed construction schedule for the
project.
<bullet> Exhibit D is a statement of project costs and financing.
<bullet> Exhibit E is an environmental report.
<bullet> Exhibit F consists of general design drawings of the
principal project works described under Exhibit A and supporting
information used as the basis of design.
<bullet> Exhibit G is a map of the project.
No exhibits are required in a Notice of Intent to Construct
Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facilities under 18 CFR 4.401. However,
the Notice of Intent must include:
<bullet> Statements that the proposed project will use the
hydroelectric potential of a non-federally owned conduit and that the
proposed facility has not been licensed or exempted from the licensing
requirements and Part I of the FPA;
<bullet> A description of the proposed facility;
<bullet> Project drawings;
<bullet> If applicable, the preliminary permit number for the
proposed facility; and
<bullet> Verification in accordance with 18 CFR 4.401(g).
In addition to the reporting requirements described above, FERC-500
and FERC-505 also contain requirements for those entities who
ultimately receive a FERC license or exemption. Both information
collections include an activity related to recreation signage (18 CFR
8.1 and 8.2), which is used to inform the public of appropriate uses at
the project. FERC-500 includes an annual conveyance report (18 CFR
141.15), which must be submitted only if a conveyance of easements or
rights-of-way across project lands, or a lease of project lands, has
occurred in the previous year.
Types of Respondents: Entities requesting Licenses, Relicenses,
Exemptions, or Qualifying Conduit Facility Determinations, and certain
entities in receipt of Commission Licenses and Exemptions.
Estimate of Annual Burden: For FERC-500, the Commission estimates
487 responses, 320,962 hours, and $27,923,694 annually. For FERC-505,
the Commission estimates 324 responses, 24,555 hours, and $2,136,285
annually. These burdens are itemized in detail in the following table:
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Number of
respondents Average annual burden hours & total annual cost
Type of response and responses Average burden & cost \8\ per response (Column B x Column C)
\7\
A. B. C.......................................... D.
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FERC-500, Application for License/ 9 35,602.55 hrs.; $3,097,421.85.............. 320,422.95 hrs.; $27,876,796.65.
Relicense for Water Projects with
Greater than 10 MW Capacity \9\.
FERC-500, Request for Authorization to 5 40 hrs.; $3,480............................ 200 hrs.; $17,400.
Use Expedited Licensing Process.
FERC-500, Annual Conveyance Reports... 41 3 hrs.; $261............................... 123 hrs.; $10,701
FERC-500, Recreation Posting.......... 432 0.5 hr.; $43.50............................ 216 hrs.; $18,792.
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Subtotals for FERC-500............ 487 N/A........................................ 320,961.95 hrs.; $27,923,689.65.
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FERC-505, for Small Hydropower 32 756.59 hrs.; $65,823.33.................... 24,210.88 hrs.; $2,106,346.56.
Projects and Conduit Facilities
including License/Relicense,
Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit
Facility Determinations.
FERC-505, Request for Authorization to 5 40 hrs.; $3,480............................ 200 hrs.; $17,400.
Use Expedited Licensing Process.
FERC-505, Recreation Posting.......... 287 0.5 hr.; $43.50............................ 143.5 hrs.; $12,484.50.
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Sub-Totals for FERC-505........... 324 N/A........................................ 24,554.38 hrs.; $2,136,231.06.
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[[Page 59706]]
Totals............................ 811 N/A........................................ 345,516.33 hrs.; $30,068,620.71.
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\7\ There is one response per respondent for each activity in
this information collection.
\8\ Commission staff estimates that the average industry hour4ly
cost for this information collection is approximated by the current
FERC 2021 average hourly costs for wages and benefits, i.e., $87.00/
hour.
\9\ The previously reported 33 responses associated with
Comprehensive Plans were incorrect and not consistent in how we have
approached the number of respondents for this Information
Collection. As a result, the total number of hours associated with
the Comprehensive Plans requirement was moved to the total number of
hours associated with the application process. The Commission does
not break down pieces of this process (as it is all considered one
application) and so this edit was made for consistency across the
information collection.
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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: October 22, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-23481 Filed 10-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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