[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 173 (Thursday, September 8, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54991-54992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19399]



[[Page 54991]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RD22-3-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725U)

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

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 FERC-725U, 
Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk Power System; CIP 
Reliability Standards, which will be submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review. No Comments were received on 
the 60-day notice published on June 24, 2022.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due October 11, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-725U, Mandatory Reliability 
Standards for the Bulk Power System; CIP Reliability Standards to OMB 
through www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB Control No: 
1902-0274(FERC-725U) in the subject line of your comments. Comments 
should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
    Please submit copies of your comments to the Commission. You may 
submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket No. RD22-3-000) by 
one of the following methods:
    Electronic filing through https://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: Deliver to: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 12225 Wilkins 
Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
    Instructions: OMB submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Using the search function under the ``Currently Under Review'' 
field, select Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; click ``submit,'' 
and select ``comment'' to the right of the subject collection.
    FERC submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with 
submission guidelines at: https://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 https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-725U, Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk 
Power System; CIP Reliability Standards.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0274(FERC-725U).
    Type of Request: Approval of the change from the removal of the 
recordkeeping requirement in (C.1.1.4) the currently approved 
collection: FERC-725U. There are no changes in burden resulting from 
this change.
    Abstract: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Commission is 
soliciting public comment on revisions to the information collection 
FERC-725U, Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk Power System; 
CIP Reliability Standards; which will be submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for a review of the information collection 
requirements. Comments on the collection of information are due within 
60 days of the date this order is published in the Federal Register. 
Respondents subject to the filing requirements of this order will not 
be penalized for failing to respond to these collections of information 
unless the collections of information display a valid OMB control 
number.
    The information collection requirements are subject to review by 
the OMB under section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.\1\ OMB's regulations require approval of certain information 
collection requirements imposed by agency rules.\2\ The Commission 
solicits comments on the Commission's need for this information, 
whether the information will have practical utility, the accuracy of 
the burden estimates, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected or retained, and any suggested 
methods for minimizing respondents' burden, including the use of 
automated information techniques.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
    \2\ 5 CFR 1320 (2021).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The number of respondents below is based on an estimate of the NERC 
compliance registry for transmission owners and transmission operator. 
The Commission based its paperwork burden estimates on the NERC 
compliance registry as of May 6, 2022. According to the registry, there 
are 326 transmission owners and 18 transmission operators not also 
registered as transmission owners. The estimate is based on a zero 
change in burden from the current standard to the standard approved in 
this Order. The Commission based the burden estimate on staff 
experience, knowledge, and expertise.
    For the new Reliability Standard CIP-014-3, the burden for entities 
remains the same as they will still need to provide the same evidence 
to demonstrate compliance whether it is kept on-site or loaded 
electronically into the SEL. No comments were received that expressed a 
change in the manhour burden associated with the use of SEL.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit, and not for profit 
institutions.
    Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
    Necessity of the Information: Reliability Standard CIP-014-3 
(Physical Security) is part of the implementation of the Congressional 
mandate of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to develop mandatory and 
enforceable Reliability Standards to better ensure the reliability of 
the nation's Bulk Power system. Specifically, the revised standard only 
changes the how the evidence is stored.
    Internal review: The Commission has reviewed NERC's proposal and 
determined that its action is necessary to implement section 215 of the 
FPA.
    Burden Estimates: The Commission estimates the changes in the 
annual public reporting burden and cost \3\ as indicated below:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ FERC staff estimates that industry costs for salary plus 
benefits are similar to Commission costs. The FERC 2021 average 
salary plus benefits for one FERC full-time equivalent (FTE) is 
$180,703/year (or $87.00/hour) posted by the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics for the Utilities sector (available at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics3_221000.htm).

[[Page 54992]]



                               FERC-725U: (Mandatory Reliability Standards: Reliability Standard CIP-014) Change in Burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Number of       Number of
                                         respondents    responses per   Total number    Average burden hours &     Total burden hours &    Average cost
                                             \4\         respondent     of responses       cost per response            total cost        per respondent
                                                  (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).....................  (3) * (4) = (5)........       (5) / (1)
                                                                                  (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Change Annual Reporting and                       344               1             344  32.71 hrs.; 2,845.77....  11,252.24 hrs.;               $2,845.77
 Recordkeeping.                                                                                                   $978,944.88.
                                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total FERC-725U..................             344               1             344  32.71 hrs.; $2,845.77...  11,254.24 hrs.;                2,845.77
                                                                                                                  $978,944.88.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 total number (344) of transmission owners (326) plus 
transmission operators (18) not also registered as owners, this 
represents the unique US entities (taken from data as of May 6, 
2022).

    Dated: September 1, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-19399 Filed 9-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


