Agency corrected estimation errors in supporting statement (justifications 12-14) and ensured burden table matched corrected values.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
12/31/2011
36 Months From Approved
09/30/2009
224
0
222
7,190
0
1,290
638,000
0
0
The information filed under FERC-549 is necessary to carry out the provisions of §311 and 312 of Title III of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (PL 95-621, 92 Stat. 3350, 15 U.S.C. 3371 and 3372), interstate pipelines must file with the Commission to transport on behalf of any intrastate pipeline or local distribution company, and Hinshaw pipelines must file to transport, sell or assign natural gas to any interstate pipeline or local distribution company served by the interstate pipeline. The information is also necessary to implement the provisions of Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717-717w). Under Part 284 of the CommissionÂs regulations, interstate pipelines performing unbundled sales service under a blanket certificate are required to make an annual filing detailing specific information for each transaction initiated during the reporting year. (Information includes estimated peak day capacity of the pipeline system, estimated storage capacity and maximum daily delivery capability of storage facilities under reasonably representative assumptions and the respective assignments of that capacity to various firm services provided by the pipeline.) Following approval of the initial filing, the individual transactions commence on a self-implementing basis without case-by-case prior Commission determination.
In RM01-5-000, a Final Rule issued September 19, 2008, FERC revised its regulations to require that all tariffs, tariff revisions and rate change applications for the public utility, natural gas pipeline and oil pipeline industries be filed according to a set of standards developed in conjunction with the North American Standards Board. The standards will assist in FERCÂs goal of establishing a robust electronic filing environment for tariffs and tariff related material and will make it possible for FERC staff and the public to retrieve this material from a data base. Adoption of these standards and protocols will provide each company with enhanced flexibility to develop software to better integrate tariff filings with their individual tariff maintenance and business needs. These standards and protocols will also provide an open platform permitting third-party software developers to create more efficient tariff filing and maintenance applications, which will spread the development costs over larger numbers of companies.
The Final Rule will assist the CommissionÂs efforts to comply with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) by developing the capability to file electronically with the Commission via the Internet with uniform formats using software that is readily available and easy to use and also achieve the PresidentÂs Management Agenda initiatives of expanding electronic government.
The Final Rule's provision for an electronic database of company tariffs will make such information available more efficiently and to a broader audience. The database will provide easier access to tariffs and allow the viewing of proposed tariff sections in context. One of the principal benefits of such a database is the ability to do historical research into tariffs. For example, proceedings such as complaints may involve past tariff provisions that have already been revised by the utility by the time the complaint is considered by the Commission. In order to expeditiously process such filings, the Commission, the parties, and the public need to be able to obtain the tariff provision that apply to the time period under review, rather than the currently effective tariff provision.
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.
Baseline Tariff.doc
NGPA Title III Transactions and NGA Blanket Certificate Transactions