Notice2022-01522
Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-545) 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
January 26, 2022
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 collection, FERC-545 (Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Change (Non- Formal)), which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 17 (Wednesday, January 26, 2022)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4009-4011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01522]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC22-2-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-545) Comment
Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.
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-545 (Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Change (Non-
Formal)), which will be submitted to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due February 25,
2022.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-545 to OMB through
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>.
[[Page 4010]]
Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please
identify the OMB Control Number (1902-0154) in the subject line of your
comments. Comments should be sent within 30 days of publication of this
notice to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>.
Please submit copies of your comments to the Commission. You may
submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket No. IC22-2-000) by
one of the following methods: Electronic filing through <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>, is preferred.
<bullet> Electronic Filing: 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, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
Instructions: OMB submissions must be formatted and filed in
accordance with submission guidelines at <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. 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: <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#fa9c9f889995949693949f898f8a8a95888eba9c9f8899d49d958c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a0c0f180905040603040f191f1a1a05181e2a0c0f1809440d051c">[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="https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview">https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#397d584d587a555c584b58575a5c797f7c6b7a175e564f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a2e0b1e0b29060f0b180b04090f2a2c2f3829440d051c">[email protected]</span></a>, telephone at (202) 502-8663.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC-545, Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Change (Non-Formal).
OMB Control No.: 1902-0154.
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-545 information
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting
requirements. No comments were received on the 60-day notice published
November 15, 2021 (86 FR 63010).
Abstract: FERC-545 is required to implement Sections 4, 5, and 16
of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), (15 U.S.C. 717c, 717d, and 717o). NGA
Sections 4, 5, and 16 authorize the Commission to inquire into rate
structures and methodologies and to set rates at a just and reasonable
level. Specifically, a natural gas company must obtain Commission
authorization for all rates and charges made, demanded, or received in
connection with the transportation or sale of natural gas in interstate
commerce.
Under the NGA, a natural gas company's rates must be just and
reasonable and not unduly discriminatory or preferential. The
Commission may act under different sections of the NGA to effect a
change in a natural gas company's rate. When the Commission reviews
rate increases that a natural gas company has proposed, it is subject
to the requirement of Section 4(e) of the NGA. Under Section 4(e), the
natural gas company bears the burden of proving that its proposed rates
are just and reasonable. On the other hand, when the Commission seeks
to impose its own rate determination, it must do so in compliance with
Section 5(a) of the NGA. Under Section 5, the Commission must first
establish that its alternative rate proposal is both just and
reasonable.
Section 16 of the NGA states that the Commission ``shall have the
power to perform any and all acts, and to prescribe, issue, make,
amend, and rescind such orders, rules, and regulations as it may find
necessary or appropriate to carry out provisions of [the NGA].'' In
other words, Section 16 of the NGA grants the Commission the power to
define accounting, technical and trade terms, prescribe forms,
statements, declarations, or reports and to prescribe rules and
regulations.
Pipelines adjust their tariffs to meet market and customer needs.
The Commission's review of these proposed changes is required to ensure
rates remain just and reasonable and that services are not provided in
an unduly or preferential manner. The Commission's regulations in 18
CFR part 154 specify what changes are allowed and the procedures for
requesting Commission approval.
The Commission uses information in FERC-545 to examine rates,
services, and tariff provisions related to natural gas transportation
and storage services. The following filing categories are subject to
FERC-545: (1) Tariff Filings--filings regarding proposed changes to a
pipeline's tariff (including Cost Recovery Mechanisms for Modernization
of Natural Gas Facilities filings in Docket No. PL15-1) and any related
compliance filings; (2) Rate Filings--rate-related filings under NGA
sections 4 and 5 and any related compliance filings and settlements;
(3) Informational Reports; (4) Negotiated Rate and Non-Conforming
Agreement Filings; (5) North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB)
(RM96-1-042) Version 3.2; and (6) Market-Based Rates for Storage
Filings (Part 284.501-505).
Type of Respondents: Natural gas pipelines under the jurisdiction
of NGA.
Estimate of Annual Burden: \1\ The public reporting burden has
increased for this information collection due to normal fluctuations in
industry and the inclusion of tariff filings in compliance with Order
No. 587-Z. On July 15, 2021, in Docket No. RM96-1-042, the Commission
amended its regulations to incorporate by reference the North American
Energy Standards Board (NAESB) Wholesale Quadrant Version 3.2
standards.\2\ The revisions made by NAESB Version 3.2 are designed to
enhance the natural gas industries' cyber security measures.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Commission defines burden 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 Code of Federal
Regulations 1320.3.
\2\ The final rule was published in the Federal Register on
August 10, 2021 (86 FR 43590). OMB approved the information
collection aspects of the rule, including revsions of FERC-545, in
November of 2021.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 60-day notice was published on November 15, 2021 (86 FR 63010).
No comments were received.
The Commission estimates the annual public reporting burden and
cost for the information collection as follows:
[[Page 4011]]
FERC-545--Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Change (Non-Formal)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average number of Average burden and Total annual
Number of responses per Total number of cost per response burden hours and Cost per respondent
respondents respondent responses \3\ total annual cost ($)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4)............... (3) * (4) = (5).. (5) / (1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tariff Filings................. 109 2.768 301.712 211 hrs.; $20,467. 63,661.232 hrs.; 56,652.66
$6,175,139.50.
Rate Filings................... 32 2 64 354 hrs.; $34,338. 22,656 hrs.; 68,676
$2,197,632.
Informational Reports.......... 100 1.770 177 235 hrs.; $22,795. 41,595 hrs.; 40,347.15
$4,034,715.
Negotiated Rates & Non- 69 11 759 233 hrs.; $22,601. 176,847 hrs.; 248,611
Conforming Agreement Filings. $17,154,159.
Market-Base Rates for Storage 2 1 2 230 hrs.; $22,310. 460 hrs.; $44,620 22,310
Filings.
NAESB (version 3.2) one time 59 1 59 10 hrs.; $970..... 593.33 hrs.; 970
over 3 years carried over from $57,553.33.
RM96-1-42 \4\.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................... ................. ................. 1,362.712 .................. $305,812.56 hrs.; .......................
29,663,818.51.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits) provided in
this section is based on the salary figures for May 2021 posted by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the Utilities sector (available
at <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics3_221000.htm">https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics3_221000.htm</a>) and scaled to
reflect benefits using the relative importance of employer costs for
employee compensation from June 2021 (available at <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm">https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm</a>). The hourly estimates for
salary plus benefits are:
Computer and Information Systems Manager (Occupation Code: 11-
3021), $103.61
Computer and Information Analysts (Occupation Code: 15-1120
(1221), $67.99
Electrical Engineer (Occupation Code: 17-2071), $72.15
Legal (Occupation Code: 23-0000), $142.25
The average hourly cost (salary plus benefits), weighing all of
these skill sets evenly, is $96.50. We round it to $97/hour.
\4\ The final rule in Docket No. RM96-1-042 was published in the
Federal Register on August 10, 2021 (86 FR 43590). OMB approved the
information collection aspects of the rule, including revisions of
FERC-545, in November of 2021.
Dated: January 20, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-01522 Filed 1-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 26, 2022.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.