

[Federal Register: June 28, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 124)]
[Notices]               
[Page 35449-35450]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28jn07-41]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[IC07-549B-001, FERC 549B]

 
Commission Information Collection Activities, ProposedCollection; 
Comment Request; Extension

June 20, 2007.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of section 3507 of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507, the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (Commission) has submitted the information 
collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review and extension of this information collection requirement. 
Any interested person may file comments directly with OMB and should 
address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below. 
The Commission did not receive any comments in response to an earlier 
Federal Register notice of March 19, 2007 (72 FR 12786-12787) and has 
made a notation in its submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by July 28, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: Address comments on the collection of information to the 
Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. 
Comments to OMB should be filed electronically, c/o 
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov and include the OMB Control No. as a point of 

reference. The Desk Officer may be reached by telephone at 202-395-
4650. A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Office of the Executive Director, ED-34, 
Attention: Michael Miller, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. 
Comments may be filed either in paper format or electronically. Those 
persons filing electronically do not need to make a paper filing. For 
paper filings an 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 should 
refer to Docket No. IC07-549B-001.
    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 on ``Make an E-Filing,'' and then follow the 

instructions for each screen. 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. User assistance for electronic filings is available at 202-
502-8258 or by e-mail to efiling@ferc.gov. Comments should not be 
submitted to this e-mail address.
    All comments may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely via the 
Internet through FERC's homepage using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the 
docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number 
field to access the document. 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 (202) 273-0873, and by e-mail at 
michael.miller@ferc.gov.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description

    The information collection submitted for OMB review contains the 
following:
    1. Collection of Information: FERC 549B ``Gas Pipeline Rates: 
Capacity Information''.
    2. Sponsor: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
    3. Control No.: 1902-0169.
    The Commission is now requesting that OMB approve and extend the 
expiration date for an additional three years with no changes to the 
existing collection. The information filed with the Commission is 
mandatory.
    4. Necessity of the Collection of Information: Submission of the

[[Page 35450]]

information is necessary for the Commission to carry out its 
responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions of sections 
4, 5, and 16 of the NGA, 15 U.S.C. 717c-717o, Public Law 75-688, 52 
Stat. 822 and 830 and Title III of the NGPA, 15 U.S.C. 3301-3432, 
Public Law 95-621.

Capacity Reports

    On April 4, 1992, in Order No. 636, the Commission established a 
capacity release mechanism under which shippers could release firm 
transportation and storage capacity on either a short or long term 
basis to other shippers wanting to obtain capacity. Pipelines posted 
available firm and interruptible capacity information on their 
electronic bulletin boards (EBBs) to inform potential shippers. On 
September 11, 1992, in Order No. 636-A, the Commission determined, 
through staff audits, that the efficiency of the capacity release 
mechanism could be enhanced by standardizing the content and format of 
capacity release information and the methods by which shippers access 
this information, posted to EBBs.
    On April 4, 1995, through Order 577 (RM95-5-000), the Commission 
amended Sec. 284.243(h) of its regulations to allow shippers the 
ability to release capacity without having to comply with the 
Commission's advance posting and bidding requirements.
    To create greater substitution between different forms of capacity 
and to enhance competition across the pipeline grid, on February 25, 
2000, in Order No. 637 RM98-10-000), the Commission revised its 
capacity release regulations regarding scheduling, segmentation and 
flexible point rights, penalties, and reporting requirements. This 
resulted in more reliable capacity information availability and price 
data that shippers needed to make informed decisions in a competitive 
market as well as to improve shipper's and the Commission's 
availability to monitor marketplace behavior.

Index of Customers

    In Order 581, issued September 28, 1995, the Commission established 
the Index of Customers (IOC) information requirement. The Index of 
Customers had two functions, first, for analyzing capacity held on 
pipelines and second, for providing capacity information to the market. 
The Index of Customers information aids the capacity release system by 
enabling shippers to identify and locate those holding capacity rights 
that the shippers may want to acquire. The information was required to 
be posted on the pipeline's EBB and filed on electronic media with the 
Commission. This first Index contained, for all firm customers under 
contract as of the first day of the calendar quarter, the full legal 
name of the shipper, the rate schedule number for which service is 
contracted, the contract effective and expiration dates, and the 
contract quantities.
    In Order 637, the Commission required the following additional 
information: the receipt and delivery points held under contract and 
the zones or segments in which the capacity is held; the common 
transaction point codes; the contract number; a shipper identification 
number, such as DUNS; an indication whether the contract includes 
negotiated rates; the names of any agents or asset managers that 
control capacity in a pipeline rate zone; and any affiliate 
relationship between the pipeline and the holder of capacity. The Index 
is now provided through a quarterly filing on electronic media to the 
Commission and is posted on pipelines' Internet Web sites.
    5. Respondent Description: The respondent universe currently 
comprises 103 companies (on average) subject to the Commission's 
jurisdiction. Capacity reports: 179,838 hours/2080 work hours per year 
x $122,137 = $10,560,035; Index of Customers (IOC): 1,236 hours/2080 
work hours per year x $122,137 = $72,578 Total Costs = $10,632,613. The 
estimated annual cost per respondent is: Capacity Reports: $102,525; 
Index of Customers: $705.
    6. Estimated Burden: 181,074 total hours, 103 respondents 
(average), 6 (Capacity Reports), 4 (Index of Customers) responses per 
respondent, and 291 (Capacity Reports), 3 (Index of Customers) hours 
per response (rounded off and average time)
    7. Estimated Cost Burden to respondents: 181,074 hours/2080 hours 
per years x $122,137 per year = $10,560,035. The cost per respondent is 
equal to $102,525; Index of Customers: $705.

    Statutory Authority:  Statutory provisions of sections 4, 5 and 
16 Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. 717c-717o.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-12469 Filed 6-27-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
