
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95127-95128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31096]



[[Page 95127]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC16-17-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-551); Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Comment request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D), the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission or FERC) is submitting its information 
collection FERC-551 (Reporting of Flow Volume and Capacity by 
Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review of the information collection requirements. 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 previously issued a Notice in the Federal Register (81 
FR 70671, 10/13/2016) requesting public comments. The Commission 
received no comments on the FERC-551 and is making this notation in its 
submittal to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by January 26, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0243, should be sent via email to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs: oira_submission@omb.gov. Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in 
Docket No. IC16-17-000, by either of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's Web site: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
     Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. For user assistance contact FERC Online Support 
by email at ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or by phone at: (866) 208-3676 
(toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
    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 http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at 
DataClearance@FERC.gov, by telephone at (202) 502-8663, and by fax at 
(202) 273-0873.

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 reporting requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission has a statutory requirement to facilitate 
price transparency in markets for the sale or transportation of 
physical natural gas in interstate commerce, having due regard for 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 
provisions of sections 23(a)(1) of the Natural Gas Act, 16 U.S.C. 717t-
2(a)(1); Section 316 of EPAct 2005; section 23 of the Natural Gas Act; 
section 1281 of EPAct 2005; and section 220 to the Federal Power Act. 
More specifically, the Commission uses the pipelines' FERC-551 postings 
as part of fulfilling the transparency provisions of section 23(a)(1) 
of the Natural Gas Act as mandated by Congress. FERC relies in part on 
section 23(a)(1) of the Natural Gas Act, for authority to collect this 
information. The data requirements for pipelines are listed in the Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR part 284.13, reporting 
requirements for interstate pipelines. The Commission has directed the 
data requirements under FERC-551 are to be posted on interstate 
pipelines' Web sites and not filed on formatted/printed forms.
    FERC is obligated to prescribe rules for the collection and 
dissemination of information regarding the wholesale, interstate 
markets for natural gas and electricity. The Commission is authorized 
to adopt rules to assure the timely dissemination of information about 
the availability and prices of natural gas and natural gas 
transportation and electric energy and transmission service in such 
markets.
    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, 
EPAct 2005), which directs the Commission, in relevant part, to obtain 
and disseminate ``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\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The posting for FERC-551 occurs on a daily basis. The data must be 
available for download for 90 days and must be retained by the pipeline 
for 3 years.
    The Commission uses the daily posting of information by interstate 
pipelines to provide information regarding the price and availability 
of natural gas to market participants, state commissions, FERC, and the 
public. The postings contribute to market transparency by aiding the 
understanding of the volumetric/availability drivers behind price 
movements and it provides a better picture of disruptions in interstate 
natural gas flows.
    Type of Respondents: Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \3\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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.

[[Page 95128]]



                                   FERC-551: Reporting of Flow Volume and Capacity by Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Annual  number                    Average burden &      Total annual
                                    Number of       of responses   Total number of   cost per response    burden hours &       Cost per respondent ($)
                                   respondents     per respondent     responses             \4\          total annual cost
                                            (1)              (2)   (1) * (2) = (3)  (4)...............  (3) * (4) = (5)...  (5) / (1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-551.......................             169              365           61,685   0.5 hrs.; $30.22..  30,842.50 hrs.;     182.5 hrs.; $11,030.30.
                                                                                                         $1,864,120.70.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response x $60.44 per 
hour = Average Cost per Response. This figure includes wages plus 
benefits and comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm data from May 2015) using 
Management Analyst category code (13-1111).

    Dated: December 20, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-31096 Filed 12-23-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


