Generic Clearance EIA-882T_60-Day FRN

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 136 / Tuesday, July 20, 2021 / Notices
characteristics, and sales of pellet fuels
and other densified biomass fuel
products data from facilities that
manufacture densified biomass fuel
products, primarily pellet fuels, for
energy applications. The data collected
on Form EIA–63C are a primary source
of information for the nation’s growing
production of biomass products for
heating and electric power generation,
and for use in both domestic and foreign
markets.
(5) Annual Estimated Number of
Respondents: 106;
(6) Annual Estimated Number of
Total Responses: 1,041;
(7) Annual Estimated Number of
Burden Hours: 1,433;
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and
Recordkeeping Cost Burden: The cost of
the burden hours is estimated to be
$117,004 (1,433 burden hours times
$81.65 per hour). EIA estimates that
respondents will have no additional
costs associated with the surveys other
than the burden hours and the
maintenance of the information during
the normal course of business.
Statutory Authority: 15 U.S.C. 772(b),
42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.
Signed in Washington, DC, on July 14th,
2021.
Samson A. Adeshiyan,
Director, Office of Statistical Methods and
Research, U.S. Energy Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021–15355 Filed 7–19–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection
Proposed Extension
U.S. Energy Information
Administration (EIA), Department of
Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:

EIA invites public comment
on the proposed three-year extension,
with changes, to the Generic Clearance
for Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation,
and Research, as required under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. EIA–
882T, Generic Clearance for
Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation, and
Research, provides EIA with the
authority to utilize qualitative and
quantitative methodologies to pretest
questionnaires and validate the quality
of data collected on EIA’s surveys. EIA
uses EIA–882T to meet its obligation to
publish, and otherwise make available
independent, high-quality statistical

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SUMMARY:

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data to federal government agencies,
state and local governments, the energy
industry, researchers, and the general
public.
EIA must receive all comments
on this proposed information collection
no later than September 20, 2021. If you
anticipate any difficulties in submitting
your comments by the deadline, contact
the person listed in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice as soon as
possible.

DATES:

Submit comments
electronically to Gerson Morales by
email at [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gerson Morales, U.S. Energy
Information Administration, telephone
(202) 586–7077, or by email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
information collection request contains:
(1) OMB No.: 1905–0186;
(2) Information Collection Request
Title: Generic Clearance for
Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation, and
Research;
(3) Type of Request: Three-year
extension with changes;
(4) Purpose: The U.S. Energy
Information Administration (EIA) is
requesting a three-year approval from
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) to utilize qualitative and
quantitative methodologies to pretest
questionnaires and validate the quality
of the data that is collected on EIA and
DOE survey forms. Through the use of
these methodologies, EIA will conduct
research studies to improve the quality
of energy data being collected, reduce or
minimize survey respondent burden,
and increase agency efficiency. This
authority would also allow EIA to
improve data collection in order to meet
the needs of EIA’s customers while also
staying current in the evolving nature of
the energy industry.
The specific methods proposed for the
coverage by this clearance are described
below. Also outlined is the legal
authority for these voluntary
information gathering activities.
The following methods are proposed:
Pilot Surveys. Pilot surveys conducted
under this clearance will generally be
methodological studies, and will always
employ statistically representative
samples. The pilot surveys will replicate
all components of the methodological
design, sampling procedures (where
possible), and questionnaires of the full
scale survey. Pilot surveys will normally
be utilized when EIA undertakes a
complete redesign of a particular data
collection methodology or when EIA
undertakes data collection in new
ADDRESSES:

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energy areas, such as HGL production,
alternative fueled motor vehicles, and
other emerging areas of the energy
sector where data collection would
provide utility to EIA.
Cognitive Interviews. Cognitive
interviews are typically one-on-one
interviews in which the respondent is
usually asked to ‘‘think aloud’’ or is
asked ‘‘retrospective questions’’ as he or
she answers questions, reads survey
materials, defines terminology, or
completes other activities as part of a
typical survey process. A number of
different techniques may be involved
including, asking respondents what
specific words or phrases mean or
asking respondents probing questions to
determine how they estimate, calculate,
or determine specific data elements on
a survey. The objectives of these
cognitive interviews are to identify
problems of ambiguity or
misunderstanding, examine the process
that respondents follow for reporting
information, assess survey respondents’
ability to report new information, or
identify other difficulties respondents
have answering survey questions in
order to reduce measurement error from
estimates based on a survey.
Respondent Debriefings. Respondent
debriefings conducted under this
clearance will generally be
methodological or cognitive research
studies. The debriefing form is
administered after a respondent
completes a questionnaire either in
paper format, electronically, or through
in-person interviews. The debriefings
contain probing questions to determine
how respondents interpret the survey
questions, how much time and effort
was spent completing the questionnaire,
and whether they have problems in
completing the survey/questionnaire.
Respondent debriefings also are useful
in determining potential issues with
data quality and in estimating
respondent burden.
Usability Testing. Usability tests are
similar to cognitive interviews in which
a respondent is typically asked to ‘‘think
aloud’’ or asked ‘‘retrospective
questions’’ as he or she reviews an
electronic questionnaire, website, visual
aid, or hard copy survey form. The
objective of usability testing is to check
that respondents can easily and
intuitively navigate electronic survey
collection programs, websites, and other
survey instruments to submit their data
to EIA.
Focus Groups. Focus groups, in
person, online, or by phone, involve
group sessions guided by a moderator
who follows a topic guide containing
questions or subjects focused on a
particular issue rather than adhering to

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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 136 / Tuesday, July 20, 2021 / Notices

a standardized cognitive interview
protocol. Focus groups are useful for
exploring issues concerning the design
of a form and the meaning of terms from
a specific group of respondents, data
users, or other stakeholders of EIA data.
Focus groups may also be used to
explore respondents’ general opinions
about data collection technologies or
survey materials other than
questionnaires.
(4a) Proposed Changes to Information
Collection:
EIA proposes to add several other
methodologies or techniques to improve
survey design, pretest questionnaires
and validate the quality of the data that
is collected on EIA and DOE survey
forms.
Field Techniques. Field techniques
described in survey research and survey
methodology literature will be
employed as appropriate. These include
follow-up probing, memory cue tasks,
paraphrasing, confidence rating,
response latency measurements, free
and dimensional sort classification
tasks, and vignette classifications. The
objective of all of these techniques is to
aid in the development of surveys that
work with respondents’ thought
processes, thus reducing response error
and burden. These techniques have also
proven useful for studying and revising
pre-existing questionnaires.
Behavior Coding. Behavior coding is a
quantitative technique in which a
standard set of codes is systematically
applied to respondent/interviewer
interactions in interviewer-administered
surveys or respondent/questionnaire
interactions in self-administered
surveys. The advantage of this
technique is that it can identify and
quantify problems with the wording or
ordering of questions, but the
disadvantage is that it does not
necessarily illuminate the underlying
causes.
Split Panel Test. Split panel tests refer
to controlled experimental testing of
alternative hypotheses. Thus, they allow
one to choose from among competing
questions, questionnaires, definitions,
error messages or survey improvement
methodologies with greater confidence
than any of the other methods. Split
panel tests conducted during the
fielding of the survey are superior in
that they can support both internal
validity (controlled comparisons of the
variable(s) under investigation) and
external validity (represent the
population under study). Most of the
previously mentioned survey
improvement methods can be
strengthened when teamed with this
method.

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(5) Annual Estimated Number of
Respondents: 1,800;
(6) Annual Estimated Number of
Total Responses: 1,800;
(7) Annual Estimated Number of
Burden Hours: 2,200;
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and
Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $179,630
(2,200 annual burden hours multiplied
by $81.65 per hour). EIA estimates that
respondents will have no additional
costs associated with the surveys other
than the burden hours and the
maintenance of the information during
the normal course of business.
Comments are invited on whether or
not: (a) The proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of agency functions,
including whether the information will
have a practical utility; (b) EIA’s
estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and
assumptions used, is accurate; (c) EIA
can improve the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information it will collect;
and (d) EIA can minimize the burden of
the collection of information on
respondents, such as automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Statutory Authority: 15 U.S.C. 772(b)
and 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.
Signed in Washington, DC, on July 14th,
2021.
Samson A. Adeshiyan,
Director, Office of Statistical Methods and
Research, U.S. Energy Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021–15360 Filed 7–19–21; 8:45 am]

Regulations, et al. of Effingham County
Power, LLC, et al.
Filed Date: 7/12/21.
Accession Number: 20210712–5136.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/19/21.
The filings are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system (https://
elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/search/fercgen
search.asp) by querying the docket
number.
Any person desiring to intervene or
protest in any of the above proceedings
must file in accordance with Rules 211
and 214 of the Commission’s
Regulations (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern
time on the specified comment date.
Protests may be considered, but
intervention is necessary to become a
party to the proceeding.
eFiling is encouraged. More detailed
information relating to filing
requirements, interventions, protests,
service, and qualifying facilities filings
can be found at: http://www.ferc.gov/
docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For
other information, call (866) 208–3676
(toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659.
Dated: July 13, 2021.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021–15314 Filed 7–19–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 10821–000]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Pacific Gas & Electric Company;
Notice of Authorization for Continued
Project Operation

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Combined Notice of Filings
Take notice that the Commission has
received the following Natural Gas
Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings:
Docket Numbers: RP21–653–000.
Applicants: Ovintiv Marketing Inc.,
Kiwetinohk Marketing US Corp.
Description: Joint Petition of Ovintiv
Marketing Inc. and Kiwetinohk
Marketing US Corp. for Extension of
Temporary and Limited Waivers.
Filed Date: 7/12/21.
Accession Number: 20210712–5024.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/26/21.
Docket Numbers: RP21–963–000.
Applicants: Effingham County Power,
LLC, Oglethorpe Power Corporation (An
Electric Membership Corporation).
Description: Joint Petition for
Temporary Waiver of Capacity Release

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On June 27, 2019, Pacific Gas &
Electric Company (PG&E), licensee for
the Camp Far West Transmission Line
Project No. 10821, filed an Application
for a Subsequent License pursuant to
the Federal Power Act (FPA) and the
Commission’s regulations thereunder.
The Camp Far West Transmission Line
Project is located in Placer and Yuba
Counties, California.
The license for Project No. 10821 was
issued for a period ending June 30,
2021. Section 15(a)(1) of the FPA, 16
U.S.C. 808(a)(1), requires the
Commission, at the expiration of a
license term, to issue from year-to-year
an annual license to the then licensee(s)
under the terms and conditions of the
prior license until a new license is
issued, or the project is otherwise
disposed of as provided in section 15 or
any other applicable section of the FPA.
If the project’s prior license waived the

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