In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for two
years.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
03/31/2012
36 Months From Approved
03/31/2012
62,244
0
65,884
44,033
0
47,683
0
0
0
In Docket No. RM08-2-000 Pipeline
Posting Requirements under Section 23 of the Natural Gas Act
(Order No.720 FERC adopted new regulations requiring major
non-interstate pipelines to post certain data on
publicly-accessible Internet websites. Order No. 720 implemented
the Commissions authority under section 23 of the Natural Gas Act
(NGA), as added by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005).
Order No. 720 required major non-interstate pipelines, defined as
those natural gas pipelines that are not natural gas companies
under the NGA and deliver more than 50 million MMBtu per year, to
post scheduled flow information and to post information for each
receipt or delivery point with a design capacity greater than
15,000 MMBtu per day. In Order No. 720-A (RM08-2-001) FERC is
modifying its regulations requiring major non-interstate pipelines
to post daily scheduled volume information and other data for
certain points. These modifications include a requirement that
major non-interstate pipelines post information for receipt and
delivery points at which design capacity is unknown. The Commission
denies requests to revise its regulations requiring interstate
natural gas pipelines to post information regarding the provision
of no-notice service. The posting requirements will facilitate
price transparency in markets for the sale or transportation of
physical natural gas in interstate commerce to implement section 23
of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. 717t-2 (2000 & Supp. V
2005).
The daily posting of additional
flow information by interstate and major non-interstate pipelines
is necessary to provide information regarding the price and
availability of natural gas to market participants, state
commissions, the FERC and the public. The posting would contribute
to market transparency by aiding the understanding of the
volumetric/availability drivers behind price movements; it would
provide a better picture of disruptions in natural gas flows in the
case of disturbances to the pipeline system; and it would allow the
monitoring of potentially manipulative or unduly discriminatory
activity. As noted above, the Commission exempted some major
non-interstate pipelines with certain operational characteristics
from the posting requirements and otherwise modifying the
requirements to lessen the burden on posting pipelines. For
example, the Commission is directing major non-interstate pipelines
to review points with no known design capacity annually, rather on
a rolling basis, to determine whether information for the point
must be posted. Further, major non-interstate pipelines are exempt
from posting scheduled natural gas volumes at points that have
scheduled flows less than 5,000 MMBtu per day on each day within
the prior three calendar years. In response to the comments on
rehearing and the supplemental comments, FERC is also exercising an
additional regulatory alternative by exempting some major
non-interstate pipelines with certain operational characteristics
from the posting requirements and otherwise modifying the
requirements to lessen the burden on posting pipelines. The
Commission is also exempting: major non-interstate pipelines that
have stub lines incidental to a processing plant and that deliver
all of their transported gas directly into a single pipeline; major
non-interstate pipelines that deliver more than 95 percent of their
annual flows to end-users as measured by average deliveries over
the preceding three calendar years; major non-interstate pipelines
that deliver to on-system storage facilities (including deliveries
to on-system LNG storage); and pipelines that transport all of
their natural gas directly to an end-user that owns or operates the
pipeline. This will reduce the number of non-major interstate
pipelines that will have to comply with these regulations.
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.
RM08-2-001(B) Supp OMBjust.wpdshort.doc
Reporting of Flow Volume and Capacity by Interstate and Non-major Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines