Notice2023-00591
Agency Information Collection Proposed 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 13, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentEnergy Information Administration
Abstract
DOE invites public comment on the proposed collection of information, FE-746R "Natural Gas Imports and Exports", as required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DOE is requesting a three- year extension with changes of Form FE-746R, "Natural Gas Imports and Exports". The information collection request supports DOE's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) in gathering critical information on the U.S. trade in natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG). The data are used to monitor natural gas trade, assess the adequacy of U.S. energy resources to meet near and longer term domestic demands, and support various market and regulatory analyses done by FECM.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 9 (Friday, January 13, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2350-2351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00591]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Proposed Extension
AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of
Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: DOE invites public comment on the proposed collection of
information, FE-746R ``Natural Gas Imports and Exports'', as required
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DOE is requesting a three-
year extension with changes of Form FE-746R, ``Natural Gas Imports and
Exports''. The information collection request supports DOE's Office of
Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) in gathering critical
information on the U.S. trade in natural gas, including liquefied
natural gas (LNG). The data are used to monitor natural gas trade,
assess the adequacy of U.S. energy resources to meet near and longer
term domestic demands, and support various market and regulatory
analyses done by FECM.
DATES: DOE must receive all comments on this proposed information
collection no later than March 14, 2023. If you anticipate any
difficulties in submitting your comments by the deadline, contact the
person listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice as soon as
possible.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically to Tu Tran at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6317164d1711020d230b124d070c064d040c15"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d393863393f2c230d253c63292228632a223b">[email protected]</span></a> or mail comments to U.S. Energy Department (FE-34),
Attn: Tu Tran, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, 1000
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you need additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument, send your request to
Tu Tran, (202) 235-5873, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7c080952080e1d123c140d52181319521b130a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f5b5a015b5d4e416f475e014b404a01484059">[email protected]</span></a>. Copies of the information
collection instruments and instructions can also be viewed at: https://
[[Page 2351]]
www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/changes-fe-746-data-collection.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request
contains:
(1) OMB No.: 1901-0294;
(2) Information Collection Request Title: ``Natural Gas Imports and
Exports;''
(3) Renewal with changes;
(4) Purpose: The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (15
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et
seq.) require EIA to carry out a centralized, comprehensive, and
unified energy information program. This program collects, evaluates,
assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information on energy resource
reserves, production, demand, technology, and related economic and
statistical information. Additionally, FECM is authorized to regulate
natural gas imports and exports, including LNG, under 15 U.S.C. 717b.
In order to carry out its statutory responsibilities, FECM requires
anyone seeking to import or export natural gas to file an application
and provide basic information on the scope and nature of the proposed
import/export activity. Additionally, once an importer or exporter
receives an authorization from FECM, they are required to submit
monthly reports of all import and/or export transactions.
Specifically, the Form FE-746R requires the reporting of the
following information by every holder of a DOE/FECM import or export
authorization: the name of importer/exporter; country of origin/
destination; international point of entry/exit; name of supplier;
volume; price; transporters; U.S. geographic market(s) served; and
duration of supply contract on a monthly basis. This information is
used by both EIA and FECM to assess the adequacy of energy resources to
meet near and longer term domestic demands, and by FECM in the
management of its natural gas regulatory program.
Data collected on Form FE-746R are published in Natural Gas Imports
and Exports, LNG Monthly Report, and in EIA official statistics on U.S.
natural gas supply and disposition. In addition, the data are used to
monitor the North American natural gas trade, which, in turn, enables
the Federal government to perform market and regulatory analyses;
improve the capability of industry and the government to respond to any
future energy-related supply problems; and keep the general public
informed of international natural gas trade.
(4a) Proposed Changes to Information Collection: FECM will use the
exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to protect
prices of LNG exports, but not other natural gas price data. Import and
export prices for all forms of natural gas at the transaction level
will be considered public information and may be publicly released in
company identifiable form, excluding prices for domestically produced
LNG exports. The data protection statement for information reported on
Form FE-746R will read:
``Information reported on Form FE-746R is considered public
information and may be publicly released in company identifiable form,
except that the following information will be protected and not
disclosed to the public to the extent that it satisfies the criteria
for exemption under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C.
552, as amended, and the Department of Energy (DOE) regulations, 10 CFR
1004.11, implementing the FOIA:
<bullet> LNG export prices;
<bullet> Name of the Specific Purchaser/End User for all forms of
natural gas imports and exports, including LNG, for all modes of
transportation except by pipeline; and
<bullet> Heat content for all forms of natural gas imported and
exported.''
Published LNG export prices will be aggregated for all LNG cargoes
by month at each point of export. Additionally, there may be some
statistics that are based on data from fewer than three import or
export transactions. In these cases, it may be possible for a
knowledgeable person to closely estimate the information reported by a
specific respondent.
Data protection methods will not be applied to the aggregate
statistical data published from submissions on Form FE-746R.
(5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 353.
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 4,236.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 12,708.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: The
cost of the burden hours is estimated to be $1,133,419. EIA estimates
that respondents will have no additional costs associated with the
surveys other than the burden hours and the maintenance of the
information during the normal course of business.
Comments are invited on whether or not: (a) The proposed collection
of information is necessary for the proper performance of agency
functions, including whether the information will have a practical
utility; (b) EIA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used, is accurate; (c) EIA can improve the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information it will collect; and (d) EIA can minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, such as
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Statutory Authority: 15 U.S.C. 772(b), 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq., 15
U.S.C. 717b.
Signed in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2023.
Samson A. Adeshiyan,
Director, Office of Statistical Methods & Research, U.S. Energy
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-00591 Filed 1-12-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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