The Commission is approving eight
Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Reliability Standards
submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American
Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The CIP Reliability
Standards require certain users, owners, and operators of the
Bulk-Power System to comply with specific requirements to safeguard
critical cyber assets. In addition, in accordance with section
215(d)(5) of the FPA, the Commission is directing NERC to develop
modifications to the CIP Reliability Standards to address specific
concerns identified by the Commission. Approval of these standards
will help protect the nations Bulk-Power System against potential
disruptions from cyber attacks. FERC-725B is a new information
collection implementing standards that were previously part of a
voluntary program.
This is a new information
collection requirement that implements the provisions of the
Electricity Modernization Act of 2005. The Act created section 215
of the Federal Power Act which provides for a system of mandatory
reliability rules developed by the ERO, established by the
Commission, and enforced by the Commission, subject to Commission
review. As noted above, the information collections proposed in
this Final Rule are needed to protect the electric industrys
Bulk-Power System against malicious cyber attacks that could
threaten the reliability of the Bulk-Power System
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.