Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 31174-31176 [E6-8496]

Download as PDF 31174 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 105 / Thursday, June 1, 2006 / Notices Dated: May 24, 2006. James F. Manning, Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. E6–8266 Filed 5–31–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Advisory Committee Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. AGENCY: SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of an upcoming open meeting of The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Advisory Committee. The notice also describes the functions of the Committee. Notice of this meeting is required by section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and is intended to notify the public of their opportunity to attend. This notice is appearing in the Federal Register less than 15 days before the date of the meeting due to scheduling issues. DATES: Tuesday, June 13, 2006. Time: 8 a.m.–12 noon. ADDRESSES: The Committee will meet in Washington, DC, at The Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C Street, SW., Washington, DC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phyllis Scattergood, Designated Federal Officer: The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Advisory Committee, Room 3E212, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC telephone: (202) 260–0504, e-mail: phyllis.scattergood@ed.gov. The Committee was established to provide advice to the Secretary on Federal, state and local programs designated to create safe and drug-free schools, and on issues related to crisis planning. The agenda will also include a discussion focused on the strategies to strengthen and improve the state formula program in order to ensure that schools and communities are implementing the best strategies and interventions, and are prepared to meet current and future needs of students. Further, the Committee will address strategies for accomplishing their mission as stated in their charter. Individuals who will need accommodations for a disability in order to attend the meeting (e.g., interpreting services, assistive listening devices, or materials in alternative format) should notify Phyllis Scattergood at (202) 260– wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:10 May 31, 2006 Jkt 208001 0504, or by e-mail at Phyllis/ scattergood@ed.gov, no later than June 2, 2006. We will attempt to meet requests for accommodations after this date but cannot guarantee their availability. The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Individuals interested in attending the meeting must register in advance because of limited space issues. Please contact Phyllis Scattergood at (202) 260–0504 or by e-mail at Phyllis.scattergood@ed.gov. Opportunities for public comment are available on June 13 from 9:30–10:30 a.m. on a first come, first served basis. Comments presented at the meeting must be limited to 5 minutes in length or can be submitted in writing by 5 p.m., June 11, 2006 by mail or e-mail to Phyllis Scattergood. Records are kept of all Committee proceedings and are available for public inspection at the staff office for the Committee from the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dated: May 25, 2006. Ray Simon, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education. [FR Doc. 06–4994 Filed 5–31–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–M DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Energy Information Administration Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection; Comment request. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed reinstatement of the Form EIA– 846(A)(B)(C), ‘‘Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey.’’ DATES: Comments must be filed by July 31, 2006. If you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed below as soon as possible. Send comments to Tom Lorenz. To ensure receipt of the comments by the due date, submission by FAX (202–586–0018) or e-mail (Thomas.Lorenz@eia.doe.gov) is recommended. The mailing address is Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy Consumption Division, EI–63, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of ADDRESSES: PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Energy, Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Mr. Lorenz may be contacted by telephone at 202–586– 3442. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of Internet or paper forms and instructions should be directed to Tom Lorenz at the address listed above. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background II. Current Actions III. Request for Comments I. Background The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93–275, 15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95–91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized, comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and related economic and statistical information. This information is used to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer term domestic demands. The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides the general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to comment on collections of energy information conducted by or in conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA to prepare data requests that maximize the utility of the information collected, and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the public. Also, the EIA will later seek approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under section 3507(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS) is a selfadministered sample survey designed to collect energy consumption and expenditures data from establishments in the manufacturing sector; i.e., North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes 31–33. There are three MECS data collection forms and their use depends on an establishment’s primary business activity classification under NAICS. Form EIA–846A collects information for all the manufacturing industries contained within NAICS 31– 33 except for NAICS 321, 322, 324, 325, and 331111. Form EIA–846B is for establishments operating primarily in the petroleum refining industry (NAICS 324110). Form EIA–846C is for E:\FR\FM\01JNN1.SGM 01JNN1 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 105 / Thursday, June 1, 2006 / Notices wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES establishments in NAICS 321, 322, 324 (except 324110), 325 and 331111. The 2006 MECS will collect information during 2007 for business activities in calendar year 2006. For the 2006 MECS, EIA proposes to collect the following data from each MECS establishment: (1) For each energy source consumed—consumption (total, fuel and nonfuel uses) and the expenditures for each energy source, energy storage (as applicable), and energy produced onsite; (2) energy end uses; (3) fuel-switching capabilities; (4) general energy-saving technologies; (5) energy management activities; and (6) square footage and number of buildings in the establishment. The MECS has been conducted six times previously, covering the years 1985, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1998, and 2002. In all six survey years, the MECS has collected baseline data on manufacturers’ energy consumption and expenditures. The MECS collected data on fuel-switching capabilities in all years except 1998. In the 1991, 1994, 1998, and 2002 surveys, the MECS also collected data on end-uses, energy management technologies, building square footage, and energy-saving technologies. The MECS information is the basis for data and analytic products that can be found at https://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ mecs. Also on this website are past publications, articles, and a special analytic series, ‘‘Industry Analysis Briefs.’’ The 2006 MECS will also be used to benchmark EIA’s industry forecasting model and update changes in the energy intensity and greenhouse gases data series. The proposed 2006 MECS uses experience gained from the administration and processing of the six previous surveys and past consultations with respondents, trade association representatives, and data users. II. Current Actions EIA proposes making several changes from the 2002 MECS for use in the 2006 MECS. The first substantial change for the 2006 MECS is collecting the data primarily through the Internet instead of though a paper and pencil method. This change, in part, has occurred because of the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) which requires EIA, as of October 21, 2003, to allow establishments the option to submit and maintain information electronically. EIA anticipates that this electronic method will save time and money in the submission and processing of the data. There will still be an option for those manufacturing establishments who do not have Internet access to complete the VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:10 May 31, 2006 Jkt 208001 2006 survey using the standard paper method. The persisting energy prices volatility since the 2002 survey has prompted EIA to not only continue to collect fuelswitching data for the 2006 survey, but to expand it with a few more questions being asked. EIA plans to ask about the limitations that would make fuel switching impractical. This reporting would help EIA better understand what factors, if any, play a role in the capability of a manufacturing establishment to fuel-switch. EIA is also planning to add a question to obtain data about what price differences among fuels would likely trigger a switch. EIA is working with the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at DOE to reform the questions in the Energy Management and General Technologies sections on the MECS. Pending funding from EERE the questions plan to target energy efficiency activities at the manufacturing establishment. The data collected would help EIA and DOE to develop manufacturing energy efficiency improvements. These will be ‘‘Yes’’/ ‘‘No’’ questions that should not greatly increase response burden. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has requested to include questions on the MECS relating to manufacturing water consumption. Pending funding from EPA and EIA and OMB approval, these questions plan to target general water consumption at manufacturing establishments. These questions, which focus on water use, are not to be confused with the Industrial Hot Water section that is currently collected by the MECS, which focuses on the energy content of the water. The increased response burden for the added energy efficiency activities and fuel switching questions will be offset by the planned removal of the onsite electricity generation ownership questions from the 2002 survey. Also, EIA plans to eliminate all of the steam and industrial hot water questions from the 2002 survey except for purchases, generation from renewable energy sources, and sales and transfers offsite, which will still be collected for the 2006 survey. EIA believes that collecting data through the Internet will lessen the response burden because it will be easier to use and faster to complete the questionnaire than the traditional paper method. Besides the changes already discussed, the content of the 2006 MECS will be largely unchanged from the 2002 survey. Most respondents will submit their data electronically in a question-answer format as opposed to the spreadsheet format used in the past. PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 31175 The MECS information products will continue to present industry-by-Census Region level data as well as national data. III. Request for Comments Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are provided to assist in the preparation of comments. Please indicate to which form(s) your comments apply. General Issues A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the agency’s ability to process the information it collects. B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected? As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be collected? B. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If not, which instructions need clarification? C. Can the information be submitted by the due date? D. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average eight hours per response for Form EIA–846A, seven hours per response for Form EIA– 846B, and nine hours per response for Form EIA–846C. The estimated burden includes the total time necessary to provide the requested information. In your opinion, how accurate is this estimate? E. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with the information collection? F. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. G. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar information? If so, specify the agency, the data E:\FR\FM\01JNN1.SGM 01JNN1 31176 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 105 / Thursday, June 1, 2006 / Notices element(s), and the methods of collection. As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information disseminated? B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be collected? C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific. D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths? Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also will become a matter of public record. Statutory Authority: Section 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104–13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Issued in Washington, DC, May 24, 2006. Jay H. Casselberry, Agency Clearance Officer, Energy Information Administration. [FR Doc. E6–8496 Filed 5–31–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OW–2006–0454; FRL–8177–4] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Community Water System Survey 2006 Agency Information Collection; EPA ICR No. 2232.01; OMB Control No. 2006–2040. New Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 31, 2006. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OW–2006–0454 by one of the following methods: VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:10 May 31, 2006 Jkt 208001 • https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. • E-mail: Rourke.brian@epa.gov. • Fax: 202–564–3760. • Mail: Water Docket, EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 4101T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. • Hand Delivery: Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2006– 0454. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through https:// www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through https:// www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA’s public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https:// www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Rourke, Standards and Risk Management Division (Mailcode 4607M), Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202–564–5241; fax number: 202–564–3760; e-mail address: rourke.brian@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments? EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No EPA– HQ–OW–2006–0454 which is available for viewing on line at https:// www.regulations.gov, or viewing in person at the Water Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202–566–1744, and the telephone number for the Water Docket is 202– 566–2426. Use https://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select ‘‘search,’’ then key in the docket ID number identified in this document. What Information is EPA Particularly Interested in? Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically solicits comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (ii) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (iv) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork E:\FR\FM\01JNN1.SGM 01JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 105 (Thursday, June 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31174-31176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8496]


=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection; 
Comment request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed reinstatement 
of the Form EIA-846(A)(B)(C), ``Manufacturing Energy Consumption 
Survey.''

DATES: Comments must be filed by July 31, 2006. If you anticipate 
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the 
person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Tom Lorenz. To ensure receipt of the 
comments by the due date, submission by FAX (202-586-0018) or e-mail 
(Thomas.Lorenz@eia.doe.gov) is recommended. The mailing address is 
Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy Consumption Division, EI-
63, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 
20585. Alternatively, Mr. Lorenz may be contacted by telephone at 202-
586-3442.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of Internet or paper forms and instructions should be directed 
to Tom Lorenz at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275, 
15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91, 
42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized, 
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program 
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information 
on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and 
related economic and statistical information. This information is used 
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer term 
domestic demands.
    The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides 
the general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to 
comment on collections of energy information conducted by or in 
conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA to prepare 
data requests that maximize the utility of the information collected, 
and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the public. 
Also, the EIA will later seek approval by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) under section 3507(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.
    The Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS) is a self-
administered sample survey designed to collect energy consumption and 
expenditures data from establishments in the manufacturing sector; 
i.e., North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes 31-
33. There are three MECS data collection forms and their use depends on 
an establishment's primary business activity classification under 
NAICS. Form EIA-846A collects information for all the manufacturing 
industries contained within NAICS 31-33 except for NAICS 321, 322, 324, 
325, and 331111. Form EIA-846B is for establishments operating 
primarily in the petroleum refining industry (NAICS 324110). Form EIA-
846C is for

[[Page 31175]]

establishments in NAICS 321, 322, 324 (except 324110), 325 and 331111.
    The 2006 MECS will collect information during 2007 for business 
activities in calendar year 2006. For the 2006 MECS, EIA proposes to 
collect the following data from each MECS establishment: (1) For each 
energy source consumed--consumption (total, fuel and nonfuel uses) and 
the expenditures for each energy source, energy storage (as 
applicable), and energy produced onsite; (2) energy end uses; (3) fuel-
switching capabilities; (4) general energy-saving technologies; (5) 
energy management activities; and (6) square footage and number of 
buildings in the establishment.
    The MECS has been conducted six times previously, covering the 
years 1985, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1998, and 2002. In all six survey years, 
the MECS has collected baseline data on manufacturers' energy 
consumption and expenditures. The MECS collected data on fuel-switching 
capabilities in all years except 1998. In the 1991, 1994, 1998, and 
2002 surveys, the MECS also collected data on end-uses, energy 
management technologies, building square footage, and energy-saving 
technologies.
    The MECS information is the basis for data and analytic products 
that can be found at https://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu /mecs. Also on this 
website are past publications, articles, and a special analytic series, 
``Industry Analysis Briefs.'' The 2006 MECS will also be used to 
benchmark EIA's industry forecasting model and update changes in the 
energy intensity and greenhouse gases data series.
    The proposed 2006 MECS uses experience gained from the 
administration and processing of the six previous surveys and past 
consultations with respondents, trade association representatives, and 
data users.

II. Current Actions

    EIA proposes making several changes from the 2002 MECS for use in 
the 2006 MECS. The first substantial change for the 2006 MECS is 
collecting the data primarily through the Internet instead of though a 
paper and pencil method. This change, in part, has occurred because of 
the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) which requires EIA, as 
of October 21, 2003, to allow establishments the option to submit and 
maintain information electronically. EIA anticipates that this 
electronic method will save time and money in the submission and 
processing of the data. There will still be an option for those 
manufacturing establishments who do not have Internet access to 
complete the 2006 survey using the standard paper method.
    The persisting energy prices volatility since the 2002 survey has 
prompted EIA to not only continue to collect fuel-switching data for 
the 2006 survey, but to expand it with a few more questions being 
asked. EIA plans to ask about the limitations that would make fuel 
switching impractical. This reporting would help EIA better understand 
what factors, if any, play a role in the capability of a manufacturing 
establishment to fuel-switch. EIA is also planning to add a question to 
obtain data about what price differences among fuels would likely 
trigger a switch.
    EIA is working with the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy (EERE) at DOE to reform the questions in the Energy Management 
and General Technologies sections on the MECS. Pending funding from 
EERE the questions plan to target energy efficiency activities at the 
manufacturing establishment. The data collected would help EIA and DOE 
to develop manufacturing energy efficiency improvements. These will be 
``Yes''/ ``No'' questions that should not greatly increase response 
burden.
    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has requested to include 
questions on the MECS relating to manufacturing water consumption. 
Pending funding from EPA and EIA and OMB approval, these questions plan 
to target general water consumption at manufacturing establishments. 
These questions, which focus on water use, are not to be confused with 
the Industrial Hot Water section that is currently collected by the 
MECS, which focuses on the energy content of the water.
    The increased response burden for the added energy efficiency 
activities and fuel switching questions will be offset by the planned 
removal of the onsite electricity generation ownership questions from 
the 2002 survey. Also, EIA plans to eliminate all of the steam and 
industrial hot water questions from the 2002 survey except for 
purchases, generation from renewable energy sources, and sales and 
transfers offsite, which will still be collected for the 2006 survey. 
EIA believes that collecting data through the Internet will lessen the 
response burden because it will be easier to use and faster to complete 
the questionnaire than the traditional paper method.
    Besides the changes already discussed, the content of the 2006 MECS 
will be largely unchanged from the 2002 survey. Most respondents will 
submit their data electronically in a question-answer format as opposed 
to the spreadsheet format used in the past. The MECS information 
products will continue to present industry-by-Census Region level data 
as well as national data.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are 
provided to assist in the preparation of comments. Please indicate to 
which form(s) your comments apply.

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the 
information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the 
actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into 
account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the 
agency's ability to process the information it collects.
    B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be 
collected?
    B. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions need clarification?
    C. Can the information be submitted by the due date?
    D. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average eight hours per response for Form EIA-846A, seven hours per 
response for Form EIA-846B, and nine hours per response for Form EIA-
846C. The estimated burden includes the total time necessary to provide 
the requested information. In your opinion, how accurate is this 
estimate?
    E. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for 
the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent 
incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs 
for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with 
the information collection?
    F. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of 
this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    G. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data

[[Page 31176]]

element(s), and the methods of collection.

As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information 
disseminated?
    B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be 
collected?
    C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
    D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Section 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC, May 24, 2006.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-8496 Filed 5-31-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

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