Sample Respondent Letter

SAMPLE EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS TO RESPONDENTS

Sample EIA-176 email notification to file:

Dear Respondent:

It’s time again to complete Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form EIA-176 “Annual Report of Natural and Supplemental Gas Supply and Disposition” for the natural gas company or companies that you operate. We will use the data from your report(s) to compile statistics showing U.S. natural gas supply and disposition as of December 31, 20xx.

EIA has a legal mandate to carry out a central, comprehensive, and unified energy data and information program. All persons owning or operating facilities or business premises who are engaged in any phase of energy supply shall make available to the Administrator such information and periodic reports. By law the EIA Administrator has the authority to conduct mandatory information collections and obtain the information by issuing subpoenas, conducting physical inspections or by other means identified in 15 U.S.C. 779.

Statistics collected using Form EIA-176 will be posted on the EIA website (http://www.eia.gov) for use by people who make business and public policy decisions affecting your company and the natural gas industry as well as U.S. energy security, the economy, and the environment. Reporting on Form EIA-176 is mandatory because it is important for us to compile and present complete, accurate, and timely information.

Response to this survey is mandatory and required pursuant to 15 U.S.C., Sections 764(b), 772(b) and 790a of the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974. Your company’s mandatory participation will continue into the future unless your operations of natural gas distribution, transportation and/or underground storage operations cease. EIA estimates that the average reporting burden for this survey is 12 hours per annual response. Responses are made public any typically published a minimum of six months after submission to EIA.

Your report must be completed and sent to EIA by mm dd yy.

Our records indicate you are the person assigned by your company to complete Form EIA-176 for the following companies. Please let EIA know immediately if you are not the person responsible for completing Form EIA-176 for any or all of the companies listed so that the appropriate person can be contacted.

EIA ID Number Company Name Site Name

<DUPLICATE_ID_NAME1_NAME2>

Materials needed to complete Form EIA-176 (survey form, instructions, and definitions) are available on the EIA website at the following address.

http://www.eia.gov/survey/#eia-176

The EIA-176 survey form may be downloaded in portable document format (PDF) or as a spreadsheet (.xls) file. If you choose to use the spreadsheet file, you will first need to copy the file to your local computer. Data cannot be entered into the spreadsheet interactively on the EIA web site. There is an EIA-176 Electronic Filing System that can be downloaded to your PC that can be used to enter and submit your data electronically.

The following options are available for sending your completed Form EIA-176 report(s) to EIA.

• Facsimile: (202) 586-1076

• Email: [email protected]

• Secure File Transfer: https://signon.eia.doe.gov/upload/noticeoog.jsp

Please note that facsimile and email are not secure transmission methods and there is some possibility your data could be compromised. The secure file transfer option uses an industry-standard encryption process to prevent anyone outside of EIA from viewing your data. This is the same method commonly used for conducting business transactions over the Internet. Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or newer or Netscape 4.77 or newer are recommended when using secure file transfer.

Please let me know if I can be of any help as you complete the Annual Report of Natural and Supplemental Gas Supply and Disposition. I can be contacted by email at [email protected] or by phone at 202-586-4749.

Thank you for your cooperation in this important matter.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Wade

Survey Manager, EIA-176

Natural Gas Downstream Team

Office of Oil, Gas & Coal Supply Statistics

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Natural Gas Data Collection Program Package 1905-1975 Page 2 of 4