EIA proposes a three-year extension of the Form EIA-23L, with changes to the methods for sampling, estimation,and imputation, and also with changes to the publication of data from three small states, and updates to the instructions to use current EIA definitions of industry terms. The Form EIA-64A will be extended without changes, and the Form EIA-23S will be discontinued, with the larger-volume Form EIA-23S respondents instead reporting on the Form EIA-23L.
Total respondent reporting burden for the OGRS data collection, estimated at 43,650 hours, will be reduced by over 2,700 hours from the previously-approved OGRS burden hours, because the burden from adding respondents to the Forms EIA-23L and EIA-64A will be more than offset by the reduction in the number of respondents from the proposed suspension of the Form EIA-23S survey and the revised sample methodology for the EIA-23. The total burden for respondents to Form EIA-64A increases because the survey is a census, and new natural gas processing plants are being built to tap new production areas with significant tight oil and shale gas reserves. These new processing plants are therefore added to the survey frame. The total burden for the Form EIA-23L increases because of the proposed addition to the sample of small volume respondents that previously completed the Form EIA-23S
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.