FERC-537, Gas Pipeline Certificates: Construction, Acquisition and Abandonment

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
FERC-537 supporting statement-Final.docx Supporting Statement A	2021-07-30
18 CFR Part 2.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-07-28
15 USC 717.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-07-28
18 CFR 284.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-07-28
18 CFR 157.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-07-28
FERC-537 30-day notice-Final (issued).DOCX Supplementary Document	2021-07-28
FERC-537 60-day notice-Final (issued).DOCX Supplementary Document	2021-07-28
FERC-537 30-day notice (published).pdf Supplementary Document	2021-07-28
FERC-537 60-day notice (published).pdf Supplementary Document	2021-07-28

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
43998	Gas Pipeline Certificates: Construction, Acquisition and Abandonment	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0060	ICR Reference No: 202107-1902-013
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 201808-1902-003
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-537
Title: FERC-537, Gas Pipeline Certificates: Construction, Acquisition and Abandonment
Type of Information Collection: Extension without change of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 07/30/2021

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	10/31/2021
Responses	394	335
Time Burden (Hours)	45,433	50,935
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: Under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) a natural gas company must obtain FERC authorization to engage in the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce, to undertake the construction or extension of any facilities, or to acquire or operate any such facilities or extensions in accordance with Section 7(c) of the NGA. A natural gas company must also obtain FERC approval under Section 7(b) of the NGA prior to abandoning any jurisdictional facility or service. Under the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA) (Public Law 96-621) interstate pipelines must also obtain FERC authorization for certain transportation arrangements. If a certificate is granted, the natural gas company can engage in the interstate transportation of natural gas and construct, acquire, or operate facilities. Conversely, approval of an abandonment application permits the pipeline to cease service and discontinue the operation of such facilities. Authorization under NGPA Section 311(a) allows the interstate or intrastate pipeline applicants to render certain transportation services. The natural gas companies file the necessary information with FERC so that the Commission can determine from the data if the requested certificate should be authorized. The data required to be submitted in a normal certificate filing may include (depending on the circumstances and application): • identification of the company and responsible officials • factors considered in the location of the facilities and the impact on the area for environmental considerations • Flow diagrams showing the design capacity for engineering design verification and safety determination; • Cost of proposed facilities, plans for financing, and estimated revenues and expenses related to the proposed facility for accounting and financial evaluation. • Existing and proposed storage capacity and pressures and reservoir engineering studies for requests to increase storage capacity; • Engineering drawings; • An affidavit showing the consent of existing customers for abandonment of service requests. In addition, requests for an increase of pipeline capacity must include a statement that demonstrates compliance with the Commission’s Certificate Policy Statement by making a showing that the cost of the expansion will not be subsidized by existing customers and that there will not be adverse economic impacts to existing customers, competing pipelines or their customers, or to landowners and surrounding communities.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 15 USC 717-717w Name of Law: Natural Gas Act
   US Code: 15 USC 3301-3432 Name of Law: Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 27589	05/21/2021
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 40554	07/28/2021
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Gas Pipeline Certificates: Construction, Acquisition and Abandonment

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	394	335	0	0	59	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	45,433	50,935	0	0	-5,502	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: Growth in the industry caused the number of respondents to increase from 214 to 339. This reflects the fact that more firms are doing business related to gas pipeline construction, acquisition, and abandonment. There was an increase in number of responses annually from 335 to 394. This increase was due to the type, size and scope of projects those firms initiated being different and/or more frequent because of current market conditions and the major development of infrastructure that had previously occurred in prior years. The number of hours were reduced to cut redundancy creating a reduction of 5,502 hours.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $10,518,544

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 07/30/2021

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