77 FR 149 pgs. 46086-46087 - Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-576); Comment Request
Type: NOTICEVolume: 77Number: 149Pages: 46086 - 46087
Docket number: [Docket No. IC12-12-000]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2012-18859 Filed 8-1-12; 8:45 am]
Agency: Energy Department
Sub Agency: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC12-12-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-576); Comment Request
AGENCY:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.
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 the information collection FERC-576 (Report of Service Interruptions) 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 issued a Notice in the Federal Register (77 FR 28369, May 14, 2012) requesting public comments. FERC received no comments on the FERC-576 and is making this notation in its submittal to OMB.
DATES:
Comments on the collection of information are due by September 4, 2012.
ADDRESSES:
Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 1902-0004, should be sent via email to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs: oira_submission@omb.gov, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. The Desk Officer may also be reached via telephone at 202-395-4718.
A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, identified by the Docket No. IC12-12-000, 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 Form 576, Report of Service Interruptions.
OMB Control No.: 1902-0004.
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-576 information collection requirements with no changes to the reporting requirements.
Abstract: A natural gas company must obtain Commission authorization to engage in the transportation, sale, or exchange of natural gas in interstate commerce under the Natural Gas Act (NGA).1The NGA also empowers the Commission to oversee continuity of service in the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce. The information collected under FERC-576 notifies the Commission of: (1) Damage to jurisdictional natural gas facilities as a result of a hurricane, earthquake, or other natural disaster, or terrorist activity, (2) serious interruptions to service, and (3) damage to jurisdictional natural gas facilities due to natural disaster or terrorist activity that creates the potential for serious delivery problems on the pipeline's own system or the pipeline grid.
Footnotes:
1 Public Law 75-688; 15 U.S.C. 717 & 15 U.S.C. 717(w).
In cases of emergency and pending the determination of any application on file with the Commission for a certificate of public convenience and necessity pursuant to section 7 of the Natural Gas Act, an application may be made for a temporary certificate authorizing the construction and operation of extensions of existing facilities, interconnections of pipeline systems, sales of natural gas that may be required to assure maintenance of adequate service or to service particular customers.
Filings (in accordance with the provisions of section 4(d) of the NGA)2must contain information necessary to advise the Commission when a change in service has occurred. 18 CFR 157.17 authorizes the Commission to issue an application for a temporary certificate authorizing the construction and operation of extensions of existing facilities, interconnections of pipeline systems, or sales of natural gas that may be required to assure maintenance of adequate service, or to service particular customers. Respondents to the FERC-576 may submit the initial reports by email to pipelineoutage@ferc.gov. 18 CFR 260.9(b) requires that a report of service interruption or damage to natural gas facilities state: (1) The location of the service interruption or damage to natural gas pipeline or storage facilities; (2) The nature of any damage to pipeline or storage facilities; (3) Specific identification of the facilities damaged; (4) The time the service interruption or damage to the facilities occurred; (5) The customers affected by the service interruption or damage to the facilities; (6) Emergency actions taken to maintain service; and (7) Company contact and telephone number. The Commission may contact other pipelines to determine available supply, and if necessary, authorize transportation or construction of facilities to alleviate the problem in response to these reports.
Footnotes:
2 15 U.S.C. 717f(c).
Additionally, a report required by 18 CFR 260.9(a)(1)(i) of damage to natural gas facilities resulting in loss of pipeline throughput of storage deliverability shall be provided to the Director of the Commission's Division of Pipeline Certificates at the earliest feasible time and again when pipeline throughput or storage deliverability has been restored.
In any instance in which an incident or damage report involving jurisdictional natural gas facilities is required by Department of Transportation (DOT) reporting requirements under the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968, a copy of such report shall be submitted to the Director of the Commission's Division of Pipeline Certificates, within 30 days of the reportable incident.3
Footnotes:
3 18 CFR 260.9(d).
Type of Respondents: Pipeline and storage company operators.
Estimate of Annual Burden: 4The Commission estimates the total Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
Footnotes:
4 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 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.
| Number of respondents | Number of responses per respondent | Total number of responses | Average burden hours per response | Estimated total annual burden | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (A) | (B) | (A) × (B) = (C) | (D) | (C) × (D) | |
| Submittal of original email | 40 | 2 | 80 | 1 | 80 |
| Submittal of damage reports | 40 | 1 | 40 | .25 | 10 |
| Submittal of DOT incident report | 40 | 1 | 40 | .25 | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $6,901 [100 hours ÷ 2,0805hours/year = 0.04808 * $143,540/year6= $6,900.96].
Footnotes:
5 2080 hours = 40 hours/week * 52 weeks (1 year).
6 Average annual salary plus benefits per employee in 2012.
The estimated annual cost of filing the FERC-576 per response is $43.13 [$6,901 ÷ 160 responses = $43.13/response].
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: July 27, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-18859 Filed 8-1-12; 8:45 am]
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