Notice2023-01321
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-551) 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 24, 2023
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 a renewal of currently approved information collection, FERC-551, (Reporting of Flow Volume and Capacity by Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines), which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. No Comments were received on the 60-day notice published on September 29, 2022.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4175-4176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01321]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC22-32-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-551) Comment
Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of information collection 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 a renewal of currently approved
information collection, FERC-551, (Reporting of Flow Volume and
Capacity by Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines), which will be submitted
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. No Comments
were received on the 60-day notice published on September 29, 2022.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due February 23,
2023.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-551 to OMB through
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB Control Number (1902-
0243) 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. IC22-32-000)
by one of the following methods:
Electronic filing through <a href="https://www.ferc.gov">https://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, Secretary of the 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="https://www.ferc.gov">https://www.ferc.gov</a>. For user assistance,
contact FERC Online Support by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#61070413020e0f0d080f04121411110e131521070413024f060e17"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ea8c8f988985848683848f999f9a9a85989eaa8c8f9889c48d859c">[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#1a5e7b6e7b59767f7b687b74797f5a5c5f4859347d756c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="82c6e3f6e3c1eee7e3f0e3ece1e7c2c4c7d0c1ace5edf4">[email protected]</span></a>, telephone at (202) 502-8663.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
>Title: FERC-551, Reporting of Flow Volume and Capacity by
Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines.
OMB Control No.: 1902-0243.
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-551 information
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting
requirements.
Abstract: The Commission is authorized to facilitate price
transparency in markets for the sale or transportation of natural gas
in interstate commerce, regarding the public interest, the integrity of
those markets, fair competition, and the protection of consumers. FERC-
551 uses the information provided by pipelines as part of its overall
implementation of the statutory
[[Page 4176]]
provisions of section 23 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and 16 U.S.C.
717t-2. More specifically, the Commission relies, in part, on section
23(a)(1) of the NGA, for the authority to collect this information and
uses the pipelines' FERC-551 postings as part of fulfilling the
transparency provisions of section 23(a)(1) of the NGA. The data
requirements for pipelines are listed in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR 284.13 (Reporting requirements for
interstate pipelines). The Commission has directed that the data
requirements under FERC-551 are to be posted on interstate pipelines'
websites and provided in downloadable file formats, in conformity with
18 CFR 284.12.
The posting requirements are based on the Commission's authority
under section 23 of the NGA (as added by the Energy Policy Act of
2005), which provides, in relevant part, that the Commission may issue
such rules as necessary and appropriate to provide for the
dissemination of ``information about the availability and prices of
natural gas at wholesale and in interstate commerce.'' \1\ This
provision enhances the Commission's authority to ensure confidence in
the Nation's natural gas markets. The Commission's market-oriented
policies for the wholesale natural gas industry require that interested
persons have broad confidence that reported market prices accurately
reflect the interplay of legitimate market forces. Without confidence
in the efficiency of price formation, the true value of transactions is
very difficult to determine. Further, price transparency facilitates
ensuring that jurisdictional prices are ``just and reasonable.'' \2\
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\1\ Section 23(a)(2) of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717t-2(a)(2) (2000 &
Supp. V 2005).
\2\ See sections 4 and 5 of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717c and 717d.
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The posting of FERC-551 information occurs on a daily basis. The
data must be available for download for not less than 90 days from the
date of posting and must be retained by the pipeline for three years.
The daily posting requirements for major non-interstate pipelines
prescribed in the Commission's Order No. 720 are no longer required.
The number of respondents used to develop the burden estimates do not
include any major non-interstate pipelines.
Type of Respondents: Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines.
Estimate of Annual Burden: \3\ The Commission estimates the total
public reporting burden and cost for this information collection as
follows:
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\3\ 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, refer to 5 CFR 1320.3.
FERC-551--Reporting of Flow Volume and Capacity by Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines
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Annual number of Average burden & Total annual burden
Number of responses per Total number of cost per response hours & total Burden hours & cost
respondents respondent responses \4\ annual cost per respondent ($)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4)................ (3) * (4) = (5).... (5) / (1)
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FERC-551........................ 181 365 66,065 0.5 hours; $37..... 33,032.50 hrs.; 182.5 hrs.;
$2,444,405. $13,505.
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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.
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\4\ The hourly figure (wages plus benefits) is based on the
average of the occupational categories for 2022 found on the Bureau
of Labor Statistics website (<a href="http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm">http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm</a> and <a href="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm">http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm</a>):
--Management (Occupation Code: 11-0000): $102.41.
--Business (Occupation Code: 13-0000): $47.71.
--Financial (Occupation Code: 13-2051): $70.68.
These various occupational categories' wage (and benefits)
figures are averaged and weighted equally, giving an average of
$73.60/hour. The resulting wage figure is rounded to $74.00/hour for
use in calculating wage figures in the FERC-551 renewal.
Dated: January 18, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-01321 Filed 1-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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