

[Federal Register: December 14, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 240)]
[Notices]               
[Page 75238-75239]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14de06-41]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC07-580-000; FERC 580]

 
Commission Information Collection Activities, Proposed 
Collection; Comment Request; Extension

December 7, 2006.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(a) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13), the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public 
comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described 
below.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due February 16, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: Copies of sample filings of the proposed collection of 
information can be obtained from the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filings/elibrary.asp
) or from the Federal


[[Page 75239]]

Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Office of the 
Executive Director, ED-34, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. 
Comments may be filed either in paper format or electronically. Those 
parties filing electronically do not need to make a paper filing. For 
paper filing, the original and 14 copies of such comments should be 
submitted to the Secretary of the Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 and refer to 
Docket No. IC07-580-000.
    Documents filed electronically via the Internet must be prepared in 
WordPerfect, MS Word, Portable Document Format, or ASCII format. To 
file the document, access the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov
 and click Documents and Filing tab, then choose eFiling 

from the drop-down menu. Follow the instructions provided. First time 
users will have to establish a user name and password. The Commission 
will send an automatic acknowledgement to the sender's e-mail address 
upon receipt of comments.
    All comments may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely via the 
Internet through the Commission's homepage using the eLibrary link. For 
user assistance, contact FERCOlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll-free at 
(866) 208-3676 or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Miller may be reached by 
telephone at (202) 502-8415, by fax at (202) 273-0873, and by e-mail at 
michael.miller@ferc.gov.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC Form No. 580 ``Interrogatory on Fuel and Energy 
Purchase Practices, Docket No. IN79-6''--(OMB No. 1902-0137) is used by 
the Commission to carry out its responsibilities in implementing the 
statutory provisions of the Federal Power Act (FPA). The FPA was 
amended by the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (49 Stat. 851; 16 
U.S.C. 824d) to require the Commission to review ``not less frequently 
than every two (2) years * * * of practices * * * to ensure efficient 
use of resources (including economical purchase and use of fuel and 
electric energy) * * *'' The collection of this information is 
specifically required by Federal statute (FPA Section 205(f)) and thus 
the Commission lacks authority to allow waivers for the filing of this 
information. In addition, the Commission entertains requests for 
confidential treatment pursuant to 18 CFR 388.112 for the coal mine 
price data and coal rail transportation cost data submitted in response 
to questions 3(i) and 3(1.2), respectively, only when disclosure would 
violate the terms of a confidentiality clause of a rail transportation 
contract. No other requests for confidential treatment are considered. 
The information is used to: (1) Review as mandated by statute, fuel 
purchase and cost recovery practices to ensure efficient use of 
resources, including economical purchase and use of fuel and electric 
energy, under fuel adjustment clauses on file with the Commission; (2) 
evaluate fuel costs in individual rate filings; (3) supplement periodic 
utility audits. The information has also been used by the Energy 
Information Administration under a Congressional mandate to study 
various aspects of coal, oil, and gas transportation rates.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date, with no changes to the existing collection of 
data.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Number of
           Number of respondents annually                responses per      Average burden       Total annual
                                                          respondent      hours per response     burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)                                                                 (2)                 (3)     (1) x (2) x (3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
114*................................................                 57      63.16              3,600
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*(114 responses every two years).
 rounded off.

    Estimated cost burden to respondents is $211,391. (3,600 hours/2080 
hours per year times $122,137 per year average per employee = $ 
211,391). The cost per respondent is $1,854).
    The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide 
the information including: (1) Reviewing instructions; (2) developing, 
acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems for the 
purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing, maintaining, 
disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the existing ways 
to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; 
(4) training personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5) 
searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of 
information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the 
information.
    The estimate of cost for respondents is based upon salaries for 
professional and clerical support, as well as direct and indirect 
overhead costs. Direct costs include all costs directly attributable to 
providing this information, such as administrative costs and the cost 
for information technology. Indirect or overhead costs are costs 
incurred by an organization in support of its mission. These costs 
apply to activities, which benefit the whole organization rather than 
any one particular function or activity.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed 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 of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of 
responses.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-21245 Filed 12-13-06; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
