[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 21655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-07730]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC22-11-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-538) Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or 
FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved 
information collection FERC-538 (Gas Pipeline Certificates: Section 
7(a) Mandatory Initial Service).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 13, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments (identified by Docket No. IC22-
11-000) by one of the following methods:
    Electronic filing through http://www.ferc.gov, is preferred.
     Electronic Filing: Documents must be filed in acceptable 
native applications and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture 
format.
     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: Addressed to: Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission,12225 Wilkins 
Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
    Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov. For user 
assistance, contact FERC Online Support by email at 
[email protected], 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 http://www.ferc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at 
[email protected], telephone at (202) 502-8663.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Gas Pipeline Certificates: Section 7(a) Mandatory Initial 
Service.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0061.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-538 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The purpose of FERC-537 is to implement the information 
collections pursuant to sections 7(a), 10(a) and 16 of Natural Gas Act 
(NGA),\1\ and part 156 of the Commission Regulations.\2\ These statutes 
and regulations upon application by a person or municipality authorized 
to engage in the local distribution of natural gas, allow for the 
Commission to order a natural gas company to extend or improve its 
transportation facilities and sell natural gas to the municipality or 
person and, for such purpose, to extend its transportation facilities 
to communities immediately adjacent to such facilities or to 
territories served by the natural gas pipeline company. The Commission 
uses the application data in order to be fully informed concerning the 
applicant, and the service the applicant is requesting.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 717f-w.
    \2\ 18 CFR 156.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Type of Respondents: Persons or municipalities authorized to engage 
in the local distribution of natural gas.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \3\ The Commission estimates the annual 
reporting burden and cost 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, reference 5 CFR 1320.3.
    \4\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * $87.00/hour = 
Average cost/response. The figure is the 2021 FERC average hourly 
cost (for wages and benefits) of $87.00 (and an average annual cost 
of $180,703/year). Commission staff is using the FERC average salary 
plus benefits because we consider people completing the FERC-538 to 
be compensated at rates similar to FERC employees.

                                       FERC-538--Gas Pipeline Certificates: Section 7(a) Mandatory Initial Service
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Annual number
                                     Number of     of responses    Total number   Average burden hrs. & cost   Total annual burden hours     Cost per
                                    respondents   per respondent   of responses      ($) per response \4\       & total annual cost ($)   respondent ($)
                                             (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).......................  (3) * (4) = (5)...........       (5) / (1)
                                                                             (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gas Pipeline Certificates.......               1               1               1  240 hrs.; $20,880.........  240 hrs.; $20,880.........         $20,880
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.

    Dated: April 5, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-07730 Filed 4-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


