Notice2024-01841
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 2 and 2-A); 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 31, 2024
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Abstract
In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collection, FERC Form No. 2 (Annual Report for Major Natural Gas Companies) and FERC Form No. 2-A (Annual Report for Non- Major Natural Gas Companies), which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 21 (Wednesday, January 31, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 21 (Wednesday, January 31, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6106-6107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01841]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC24-01-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 2
and 2-A); Comment Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
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 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved
information collection, FERC Form No. 2 (Annual Report for Major
Natural Gas Companies) and FERC Form No. 2-A (Annual Report for Non-
Major Natural Gas Companies), which will be submitted to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for review.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due March 1, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC Form Nos. 2 and 2-A 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 (1902-0303) 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. IC24-01-000)
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#cfa9aabdaca0a1a3a6a1aabcbabfbfa0bdbb8fa9aabdace1a8a0b9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="53353621303c3d3f3a3d36202623233c212713353621307d343c25">[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: Jean Sonneman may be reached by email
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ce8aafbaaf8da2abafbcafa0adab8e888b9c8de0a9a1b8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0642677267456a63677467686563464043544528616970">[email protected]</span></a>, telephone at (202) 502-6362.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: No comments were received on the 60-day
notice published on November 9, 2023 at 88 FR 77297.\1\
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\1\ The 60-day notice published on November 9, 2023,
inadvertently contained a burden table that did not reflect 2023
updates. However, the estimates contained in the instant 30-day
notice accurately reflect these updates. Parties should inform the
Commission should they need additional time to respond to this
notice beyond the 30 days provided.
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Title: FERC Form No. 2, Annual Report for Major Natural Gas
Companies; OMB Control No. 1902-0028.
FERC Form No. 2-A, Annual Report for Non-Major Natural Gas
Companies; OMB Control No. 1902-0030.
OMB Control Nos.: 1902-0028, 1902-0030.
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC Form Nos. 2 and
2-A information collection requirements without a change to the current
reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Abstract: Pursuant to sections 8, 10 and 14 of the Natural Gas Act
(NGA), (15 U.S.C. 717g, 717i, and 717m), the Commission is authorized
to conduct investigations and collect and record data, and to prescribe
rules and regulations concerning accounts, records and memoranda as
necessary or appropriate for purposes of administering the NGA. The
Commission may prescribe a system of
[[Page 6107]]
accounts for jurisdictional companies and, after notice and opportunity
for hearing, may determine the accounts in which particular outlays and
receipts will be entered, charged or credited.
The Commission collects FERC Form Nos. 2 and 2-A information as
prescribed in 18 CFR 260.1 and 18 CFR 260.2. These forms provide
information concerning a company's current performance, compiled using
the Commission's Uniform System of Account (USofA).\2\ FERC Form No. 2
is filed by ``Major'' natural gas companies that have combined natural
gas transported or stored for a fee that exceeds 50 million Dekatherms
in each of the three previous calendar years. FERC Form No. 2-A is
filed by ``Non-Major'' natural gas companies that do not meet the
filing threshold for the FERC Form No. 2 but have total gas sales or
volume transactions that exceed 200,000 Dekatherms in each of the three
previous calendar years.
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\2\ See 18 CFR part 201 (Uniform System of Accounts Prescribed
for Natural Gas Companies Subject to the Provisions of the Natural
Gas Act).
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The forms provide information concerning a company's financial and
operational information. The forms contain schedules which include a
basic set of financial statements: Comparative Balance Sheet, Statement
of Income, Statement of Retained Earnings, Statement of Cash Flows, and
the Statement of Comprehensive Income and Hedging Activities.
Supporting schedules containing supplementary information are filed,
including revenues and the related quantities of products sold or
transported; account balances for various operating and maintenance
expenses; selected plant cost data; and other information.
The information collected assists the Commission in the
administration of its jurisdictional responsibilities and is used by
Commission staff, state regulatory agencies, customers, financial
analysts and others in the review of the financial condition of
regulated companies. The information is also used in various rate
proceedings, industry analyses and in the Commission's, audit programs
and as appropriate, for the computation of annual charges. The
information is made available to the public, interveners and all
interested parties to assist in the proceedings before the Commission.
For financial information to be useful to the Commission, it must be
understandable, relevant, reliable, and timely. The Form Nos. 2 and 2-A
financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Commission's
USofA and related regulations and provide data that enables the
Commission to develop and monitor cost-based rates, analyze costs of
different services and classes of assets, and compare costs across
lines of business. The use of the USofA permits natural gas companies
to account for similar transactions and events in a consistent manner,
and to communicate those results to the Commission on a periodic basis.
Comparability of data and financial statement analysis for a particular
entity from one period to the next, or between entities, within the
same industry, would be difficult to achieve if each company maintained
its own accounting records using dissimilar accounting methods and
classifications to record similar transactions and events.
In summary, without the information collected in the forms, it
would be difficult for the Commission to ensure, as required by the
NGA, that a pipeline's rates remain just and reasonable, respond to
Congressional and outside inquires, and make decisions in a timely
manner.
Type of Respondent: Major and Non-Major Natural Gas Companies.
Estimate of Annual Burden: \3\ The Commission estimates the annual
public reporting burden and cost \4\ for the information collection as
shown in the following table:
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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 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.
\4\ The Commission staff believes the FERC FTE (full-time
equivalent) average cost for wages plus benefits is representative
of the corresponding cost for the industry respondents. Based upon
the FERC's 2023 average cost for salary plus benefits, the average
hourly cost is $96/hour.
\5\ Every figure in this column is rounded to the nearest
dollar.
Renewal for FERC Form Nos. 2 and 2A
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Annual number of
Information collection Number of responses per Total number of Average burden & cost Total annual burden Annual cost per
(FERC form No.) respondents respondent responses per response hours & cost respondent ($)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4)..................... (3) * (4) = (5)........ (5) / (1) \5\
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2......................... 106 1 106 1,643 hrs.; $157,728.... 174,158 hrs.; 157,728
$16,719,168.
2-A....................... 78 1 78 267 hrs.; $25,632....... 20,826 hrs.; $1,999,296 25,632
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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.
The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners,
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#98d7c8c8d8fefdeafbb6fff7ee"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0b445b5b4b6d6e7968256c647d">[email protected]</span></a>.
Dated: January 24, 2024.
Debbie-Anne. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-01841 Filed 1-30-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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