

[Federal Register: June 1, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 105)]
[Notices]               
[Page 30574-30575]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01jn07-64]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC07-542-000; FERC-542]

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

May 25, 2007.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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 August 3, 
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 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. IC07-542-000.
    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
, choose the Documents & Filings tab, click on eFiling, 

then follow the instructions given. 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 FERC's homepage using the eLibrary link. For user 
assistance, contact FERConlinesupport@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

[[Page 30575]]

(202) 273-0873, and by e-mail at michael.miller@ferc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-542 ``Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Tracking'' (OMB No. 
1902-0070) is used by the Commission to implement the statutory 
provisions of Title IV of the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA), 15 U.S.C. 
3301-3432, and Sections 4, 5 and 16 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (Pub. 
L.) 75-688) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w). These statutes empower the Commission 
to collect natural gas transmission cost information from interstate 
natural gas transporters for the purpose of verifying that these costs, 
which are passed on to pipeline customers, are just and reasonable.
    Interstate natural gas pipeline companies are required by the 
Commission to track their transportation associated costs to allow for 
the Commission's review and where appropriate, approval of the pass-
through of these costs to pipeline customers. Most of these FERC-542 
tracking filings are monthly accountings of the cost of fuel or 
electric power necessary to operate compressor stations. Others track 
the costs of (1) Gas Research Institutes fees; (2) annual charges of 
various types, and (3) other types of rate adjustments.
    Tracking filings may be submitted at any time or on a regularly 
scheduled basis in accordance with the pipeline company's tariff. 
Filings may be either: (1) Accepted; (2) suspended and set for hearing; 
(3) suspended, but not set for hearing; or (4) suspended for further 
review, such as technical conference or some other type of Commission 
action. The Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR part 154, Sec. Sec.  154.4, 
154.7, 154.101, 154.307, 154.201, 154.207-154.209 and 154.401-154.403.
    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      Average burden     Total annual
            Number of respondents annually  (1)               responses per       hours per       burden hours
                                                             respondent  (2)    response  (3)      (1)x(2)x(3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
95........................................................               3.5                40            13,300
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    Estimated cost burden to respondents is $780,972. (13,300 hours/
2080 hours per year times $122,137 per year average per employee = 
$780,972). The cost per respondent is $8,221. There is a significant 
increase in the number of respondents and number of filings per 
respondent since the last renewal request because in the last two years 
each pipeline has had to file for a change in annual charges whereas 
previously they did not. However, the annual charge filings are shorter 
than most other tracking filings which has resulted in a reduction in 
the burden hours per response.
    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.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-10543 Filed 5-31-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
