In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320,the information collection is approved for 3 years.
The agency has offered to continue to monitor actual burden hours
on respondents and to adjust estimates accordingly upon
resubmission.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
01/31/2013
36 Months From Approved
01/31/2010
6
0
13
635,037
0
463,060
38,587,542
0
24,128,000
FERC-500 is a written application for
a hydropower license or exemption and is used by the FERC staff to
determine the impact of the application. Under the Authority of
Part 1 of the Federal Power Act (FPA),the Commission has the
authority to issue licenses for hydroelectric projects on the
waters over which Congress has jurisdiction. The FPA, as amended by
the Electric Consumers Protection Act (ECPA), provides the
Commission with the responsibility of issuing licenses for
non-federal hydroelectric plants. The passage of ECPA in 1986 also
revised the language of the FPA concerning environmental issues.
Section 3 of ECPA amended Section 4(e) of the FPA to require that
when making a licensing decision, the Commission gives equal
consideration to preserving environmental quality. ECPA also
amended section 10(a) of the FPA which stipulates the conditions on
which hydroelectric licenses are issued. It also directs that the
project adapts to a comprehensive plan that improves the waterways
for interstate/foreign commerce and for the protection and the
enhancement of fish and wildlife, flood control, water supply, and
other purposes. FERC's overarching responsibility under the FPA is
to strike a balance among many competing power and non-power
interests, and various statutory requirements, give other Federal
agencies, with mandatory conditioning authority, a powerful role in
licensing/relicensing cases.
Per sections 4.41(e)(9),
4.51(e)(7), and 4.61(c)(3) of the Federal Power Act (FPA),
applicants are now required to submit their total cost of
collection. These figures were used in determining the average
burden hours. The information presented here is based on actual
Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 and 2008 filings and the filers costs. As a
result, these figures are more accurate estimates than the numbers
included in the current OMB inventory. [The reporting requirements
have not changed.] Attachment C compares the figures in the
existing OMB inventory with this request for extension.
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.
issued 8 24 09_20090824-3027.doc
FERC-500, Application for License/Relicense for Water Projects with Greater than 5 MW Capacity