The agency
requested to withdraw the collection in order to resubmit the
collection as an extension without change of a currently approved
collection.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
04/30/2013
36 Months From Approved
04/30/2013
1
0
1
240
0
240
15,909
0
15,909
Under the Natural Gas Act (NGA)
(Public Law 75-688) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w), upon application by a
local distribution company or municipality, a natural gas pipeline
company may be ordered by the Commission to extend or improve
transportation facilities, to establish physical connections to
serve, and sell natural gas to the applicant. As stated in section
156 (18 CFR 156), filings pursuant to the provisions of Section
7(a) of the NGA are to contain all information necessary to advise
the Commission fully concerning the service which the applicant has
requested the Commission to direct the natural gas pipeline company
to render. Included in the information to be provided as stated in
18 CFR 156.5 (1-16) are included (but not limited to): A
description of any improvement or extension of facilities which the
natural gas pipeline company will be required to make in connection
with the requested rendition of the service; The applicant's
present and proposed operations, construction, service, and sales,
together with a description of any extension or improvement of
facilities by the applicant which will be required in order to
enable applicant to engage in the local distribution of natural
gas. If the authorization is granted, the natural gas pipeline
company must extend or improve transportation facilities and
establish physical connection to serve the local distribution
companies. The Commission uses the FERC-538 data to perform its
regulatory functions. The Commission must determine whether the
distributor applicant can economically construct and manage its
facilities. A request is made by a person or municipality to have
the Commission, by order, direct a natural gas company to extend or
improve its transportation facilities, and sell natural gas to the
municipality or person and, for such purpose, to extend its
transportation facilities to communities immediately adjacent to
such facilities or to territories served by the natural gas
pipeline company. In addition, the Commission uses the flow data
and market data are used to evaluate existing and future customer
requirements on the system in order to find if sufficient capacity
will be available. Likewise, the Commission uses the cost of
facilities and the rate data to evaluate the financial impact of
the cost of the project to both the pipeline company and its
customers. The information collection cannot be discontinued nor
collected less frequently because of statutory requirements. The
Commission is required to review applications concerning
improvement or extensions of facilities and services for local
distributors of natural gas. The consequences of not collecting
this information are that the Commission would be unable to fulfill
its statutory mandate under the NGA and its Rules of Practice and
Procedure, and the distribution companies would be unable to
request the Commission to direct pipelines to serve them.
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.
FERC-538--18 CFR Part156.pdf
FERC-538_Statute.doc
FERC-538, Gas Pipeline Certificates: Section 7(a) Mandatory Initial Service