PUBLISHED IC12-8-000 (FERC-552)-30dy notice

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 131 / Monday, July 9, 2012 / Notices
Program evaluation concerning any data
collection already taking place during
the same time period that addresses
EECBG grant activities.
The sample selection of Broad
Program Areas and specific
programmatic activities within each
Broad Program Area is scheduled to be
completed in May 2012. Data collection
and calculation of outcomes are
scheduled to be completed by October
2012.
The detailed study design and work
plan for the EECBG evaluation has been
available for public review since
January 2012 at http://weatherization.
ornl.gov/eecbg.shtml.
(5) Annual Estimated Number of
Respondents: 350.
(6) Annual Estimated Number of
Total Responses: 350.
(7) Annual Estimated Total Number
of Burden Hours (Interview and Record
Review): 934.
Statutory Authority: Title V, Subtitle E of
the Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007, codified at 42 U.S.C. 17151–17158.
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 7, 2012.
David T. Danielson,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2012–16663 Filed 7–6–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. IC12–9–000]

Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC–552); Comment
Request
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Energy.
ACTION: Comment request.
AGENCY:

In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork

SUMMARY:

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 Form 552 (Annual
Report of Natural Gas Transactions) 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 19009, 3/29/2012) requesting
public comments. FERC received no
comments on the FERC–552 and is
making this notation in its submittal to
OMB.
Comments on the collection of
information are due by August 8, 2012.

DATES:

Comments filed with OMB,
identified by the OMB Control No.
1902–0242, should be sent via email to
the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs: [email protected].
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. IC12–9–000, 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/submissionguide.asp. For user assistance contact
FERC Online Support by email at
[email protected], or by phone

ADDRESSES:

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/docsfiling/docs-filing.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ellen Brown may be reached by email
at [email protected], by
telephone at (202) 502–8663, and by fax
at (202) 273–0873.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC Form 552, Annual Report
of Natural Gas Transactions.
OMB Control No.: 1902–0242.
Type of Request: Three-year extension
of the FERC–552 information collection
requirements with no changes to the
reporting requirements.
Abstract: The Commission uses the
information collected within the FERC–
552 to provide greater transparency
concerning the use of indices to price
natural gas and how well index prices
reflect market forces. The collection also
includes transactions that contribute to,
or may contribute to natural gas price
indices. Many market participants rely
on indices as a way to reference market
prices without taking on the risks of
active trading.
FERC–552 had its genesis in the
Energy Policy Act of 2005,1 which
added section 23 of the Natural Gas Act
(NGA). Section 23 of the NGA, among
other things, directs the Commission ‘‘to
facilitate price transparency in markets
for the sale or transportation of physical
natural gas in interstate commerce,
having due regard for the public
interest, the integrity of those markets,
and the protection of consumers.’’ 2
Type of Respondents: Wholesale
natural gas market participants.
Estimate of Annual Burden 3: The
Commission estimates the total Public
Reporting Burden for this information
collection as:

FERC–552 (IC12–9–000): ANNUAL REPORT OF NATURAL GAS TRANSACTIONS
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)

sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Wholesale natural market participants ............

The total estimated annual cost
burden to respondents is $476,857
1 Public

Law 109–58.
U.S.C. 717t–2.
3 Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or
financial resources expended by persons to
2 15

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691

1

691

10

6,910

[6,910 hours ÷ 2,080 4 hours/year =
3.32212 * $143,540/year 5 = $476,857].

The estimated annual cost of filing the
FERC–552 per response is $690

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.
4 2080 hours = 40 hours/week * 52 weeks (1 year).
5 Average annual salary per employee in 2012.

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40348

Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 131 / Monday, July 9, 2012 / Notices

[$476,857 ÷ 691 responses = $690/
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: June 28, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012–16630 Filed 7–6–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. IC12–15–000]

Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC–546); Comment
Request; Extension
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Energy.
ACTION: Notice of information collection
and request for comments.
AGENCY:

In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (Commission or

SUMMARY:

FERC) is soliciting public comment on
the currently approved information
collection, FERC–546, Certificated
Filings: Gas Pipeline Rates.
DATES: Comments on the collection of
information are due September 7, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
(identified by Docket No. IC12–15–000)
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/submissionguide.asp. For user assistance contact
FERC Online Support by email at
[email protected], 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/docsfiling/docs-filing.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ellen Brown may be reached by email
at [email protected], telephone
at (202) 502–8663, and fax at (202) 273–
0873.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC–546, Certificated Filings:
Gas Pipeline Rates.
OMB Control No.: 1902–0155.
Type of Request: Three-year extension
of the FERC–546 information collection
requirements with no changes to the
current reporting requirements.
Abstract: The Commission reviews
the FERC–546 materials to decide

whether to determine an initial rate
associated with an application for a
certificate under NGA Section 7(c). It
reviews FERC–546 materials in 4(f)
storage applications to evaluate market
power and decide whether to grant,
deny, or condition market based rate
authority for the applicant. The
Commission uses the FERC–546
information to monitor jurisdictional
transportation, natural gas storage, and
unbundled sales activities of interstate
natural gas pipelines and Hinshaw 1
pipelines. In addition to fulfilling the
Commission’s obligations under the
NGA, the FERC–546 enables the
Commission to monitor the activities
and evaluate transactions of the natural
gas industry, ensure competitiveness,
and improved efficiency of the
industry’s operations. In summary, the
Commission uses the FERC–546
information to:
• Ensure adequate customer
protections under section 4(f) of the
NGA;
• Review rate and tariff changes by
natural gas companies for the
transportation of gas, natural gas storage
services;
• Provide general industry oversight;
• And supplement documentation
during its audits process.
Failure to collect this information
would prevent the Commission from
being able to monitor and evaluate
transactions and operations of interstate
pipelines and perform its regulatory
functions.
Type of Respondents: Pipeline
companies and storage operators.
Estimate of Annual Burden 2: The
Commission estimates the total Public
Reporting Burden for this information
collection as:

FERC–546: CERTIFICATED RATE FILINGS

sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

[Gas Pipeline Rates]
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)

Pipeline companies ..........................................
Storage operators ............................................

11
2

1
1

11
2

40
350

440
700

Total ..........................................................

13

2

13

N/A

1,140

1 Hinshaw pipelines are those that receive all outof-state gas from entities within or at the boundary
of a state if all the natural gas so received is
ultimately consumed within the state in which it is
received, 15 U.S.C. 717(c). Congress concluded that
Hinshaw pipelines are ‘‘matters primarily of local
concern,’’ and so are more appropriately regulated

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by pertinent state agencies rather than by FERC.
The Natural Gas Act section 1(c) exempts Hinshaw
pipelines from FERC jurisdiction. A Hinshaw
pipeline, however, may apply for a FERC certificate
to transport gas outside of state lines.
2 Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or
financial resources expended by persons to

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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.

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