Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-520, FERC-561, and FERC-566); Comment Request, 38870-38872 [2014-15993]
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38870
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 131 / Wednesday, July 9, 2014 / Notices
Copies of this application will be
made available, upon request, for public
inspection and copying at the address
provided above, by accessing the
program Web site at https://energy.gov/
oe/services/electricity-policycoordination-and-implementation/
international-electricity-regulatio-2.
Issued in Washington, DC, on July 2, 2014.
Christopher A. Lawrence,
Electricity Policy Analyst, National Electricity
Delivery Division, Office of Electricity
Delivery and Energy Reliability.
[FR Doc. 2014–16106 Filed 7–8–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. IC14–9–000]
Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC–520, FERC–561, and
FERC–566); Comment Request
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Comment request.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C.
3507(a)(1)(D), the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (Commission or
FERC) is submitting its information
collections FERC–520 (Application for
Authority to Hold Interlocking
Directorate Positions), FERC–561
(Annual Report of Interlocking
Positions), and FERC–566 (Annual
Report of a Utility’s 20 Largest
Purchasers) to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review of the
information collection requirements.
Any interested person may file
comments directly with OMB and
should address a copy of those
comments to the Commission as
explained below. The Commission
previously issued a Notice in the
Federal Register (79 FR 12191, 3/4/
2014) requesting public comments. The
Commission received four comments on
the FERC–520, FERC–561, and FERC–
566 information collections. The
Commission addresses these comments
in this notice and in its submittal to
OMB.
DATES: Comments on the collection of
information are due August 8, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB,
identified by the OMB Control Nos.
1902–0083, 1902–0099, and 1902–0114,
should be sent via email to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs:
oira_submission@omb.gov, Attention:
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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Jkt 232001
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Desk Officer. The Desk Officer may also
be reached via telephone at 202–395–
4718.
A copy of the comments should also
be sent to the Commission, in Docket
No. IC14–9–000, by either of the
following methods:
• eFiling at Commission’s Web site:
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
efiling.asp.
• Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Secretary of the Commission, 888 First
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
Instructions: All submissions must be
formatted and filed in accordance with
submission guidelines at: https://
www.ferc.gov/help/submissionguide.asp. For user assistance contact
FERC Online Support by email at
ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or by phone
at: (866) 208–3676 (toll-free), or (202)
502–8659 for TTY.
Docket: Users interested in receiving
automatic notification of activity in this
docket or in viewing/downloading
comments and issuances in this docket
may do so at https://www.ferc.gov/docsfiling/docs-filing.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ellen Brown may be reached by email
at DataClearance@FERC.gov, by
telephone at (202) 502–8663, and by fax
at (202) 273–0873.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC–520 (Application for
Authority to Hold Interlocking
Directorate Positions), FERC Form 561
(Annual Report of Interlocking
Positions), and FERC–566 (Annual
Report of a Utility’s 20 Largest
Purchasers).
OMB Control No.: FERC–521 (1902–
0083), FERC–561 (1902–0099), and
FERC–566 (1902–0114).
Type of Request: Three-year extension
of the FERC–521, FERC Form 561, and
FERC–566 information collection
requirements with no changes to the
reporting requirements.
Abstract: The Federal Power Act
(FPA), as amended by the Public Utility
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978
(PURPA), mandates federal oversight
and approval of certain electric
corporate activities to ensure that
neither public nor private interests are
adversely affected. Accordingly, the
FPA proscribes related information
filing requirements to achieve this goal.
Such filing requirements are found in
the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),
specifically in 18 CFR Parts 45, 46, and
Section 131.31 and serve as the basis for
FERC–520, Form 561, and FERC–566.
Overview of the Three Data
Collections. FERC–520, Form 561 and
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
FERC–566 provide information related
to complex electric corporate activities
and serve to safeguard public and
private interests, as the FPA requires.
The Commission can use its
enforcement authority when violations
and omissions of FPA requirements
occur.
FERC–520: FERC–520 is divided into
two types of applications: Full and
informational. The full application, as
specified in 18 CFR Section 45.8,
implements the FPA requirement under
Section 305(b) that it is unlawful for any
person to concurrently hold the
positions of officer or director of more
than one public utility; or a public
utility and a financial institution that is
authorized to underwrite or participate
in the marketing of public utility
securities; or a public utility and an
electrical equipment supplier to that
public utility, unless authorized by
order of the Commission. In order to
obtain authorization, an applicant must
demonstrate that neither public nor
private interests will be adversely
affected by the holding of the position.
The full application provides the
Commission with information about any
interlocking position for which the
applicant seeks authorization including,
but not limited to, a description of
duties and the estimated time devoted
to the position.
An informational application,
specified in 18 CFR Section 45.9, allows
an applicant to receive automatic
authorization for an interlocked position
upon receipt of the filing by the
Commission. The informational
application applies only to those
individuals who seek authorization as:
(1) an officer or director of two or more
public utilities where the same holding
company owns, directly or indirectly,
that percentage of each utility’s stock (of
whatever class or classes) which is
required by each utility’s by-laws to
elect directors; (2) an officer or director
of two public utilities, if one utility is
owned, wholly or in part, by the other
and, as its primary business, owns or
operates transmission or generation
facilities to provide transmission service
or electric power for sale to its owners;
or (3) an officer or director of more than
one public utility, if such person is
already authorized under Part 45 to hold
different positions as officer or director
of those utilities where the interlock
involves affiliated public utilities.
Pursuant to 18 CFR 45.5, in the event
that an applicant resigns or withdraws
from Commission-authorized
interlocked positions or is not re-elected
or re-appointed to such interlocked
positions, the Commission requires that
the applicant submit a notice of change
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38871
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 131 / Wednesday, July 9, 2014 / Notices
within 30 days from the date of the
change.
FERC Form 561: The Commission
uses FERC Form 561 to implement the
FPA requirement that those who are
authorized to hold certain interlocked
positions annually disclose the
interlocked positions they held the prior
year. The positions that must be
disclosed in the Form 561 include those
which public utility officers and
directors hold with other public
utilities, with financial institutions,
insurance companies, electrical
equipment and fuel providers, and with
any of the public utility’s 20 largest
purchasers of electric energy. The FPA
specifically defines most of the
information elements in the Form 561,
including the information that must be
concurrently are officers or directors of
public utilities and of certain other
entities must request authorization to
hold such interlocking positions by
submitting a FERC–520. Those who are
authorized to hold interlocked positions
must annually disclose interlocked
positions that they held in the prior
calendar year by submitting a Form 561.
Lastly, each public utility must annually
publish the FERC–566 to list the
purchasers of the 20 largest annual
amounts of electric energy sold by such
public utility during any of the last
three calendar years.
Estimates of Annual Burden: 1 The
Commission estimates the annual public
reporting burdens for the information
collections as:
filed, the required filers, the directive to
make the information available to the
public, and the filing deadline.
FERC–566: FERC–566 implements
FPA requirements that each public
utility annually publish a list of the 20
purchasers which purchased the largest
annual amounts of electric energy sold
by such public utility during any of the
three previous calendar years. The
public disclosure of this information
provides the information necessary to
determine whether an interlocked
position is with any of the 20 largest
purchasers of electric energy. Similar to
the Form 561, the FPA identifies who
must file the FERC–566 report and sets
the filing deadline.
Type of Respondents: Individuals
who plan to concurrently become or
FERC–520
[Application for Authority to Hold Interlocking Directorate Positions]
Number of
respondents
Informational ............................................
Notice of Change .....................................
Total ..................................................
Total number
of responses
Average
burden/cost
per response 2
Total annual
burden hours
(total annual
cost) 3
Cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
Full ...........................................................
Annual
number of
responses per
respondent
(2)
(1)*(2)=(3)
(4)
(3)*(4)=(5)
(5)÷(1)
10
........................
454
........................
254
........................
1
........................
1
........................
1
........................
10
........................
454
........................
254
........................
51.8
$3,651.9
16
$1,128
0.25
$17.63
518
$36,519
7,264
$512,112
63.5
$4,477
1,128
........................
........................
........................
........................
718
........................
........................
........................
7,845.5
$553,108
$4,797.63
3,652
17.63
FERC FORM 561
[Annual Report of Interlocking Positions]
Number of
respondents
Total number
of responses
Average
burden/cost
per response 2
Total annual
burden hours
(total annual
cost) 3
Cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
FERC Form 561 .......................................
Annual
number of
responses per
respondent
(2)
(1)*(2)=(3)
(4)
(3)*(4)=(5)
(5)÷(1)
2,675
........................
1
........................
2,675
........................
0.25
$17.63
668.75
$47,147
17.63
FERC–566
[Annual Report of a Utility’s 20 Largest Purchasers]
FERC–566 ...............................................
Annual
number of
responses per
respondent
Total number
of responses
Average
burden/cost
per response 2
Total annual
burden hours
(total annual
cost) 3
Cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Number of
respondents
(2)
(1)*(2)=(3)
(4)
(3)*(4)=(5)
(5)÷(1)
1,082
........................
1
........................
1,082
........................
1 The Commission defines burden as the total
time, effort, or financial resources expended by
persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or
provide information to or for a Federal agency. For
further explanation of what is included in the
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20:08 Jul 08, 2014
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information collection burden, reference 5 Code of
Federal Regulations 1320.3.
2 The estimates for cost per response are derived
using the following formula: Total Annual Cost
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
6
$423
6,492
$457,686
423
(Column 5) ÷ Total Number of Responses (Column
3) = Average Cost per Response.
3 Total Annual Burden Hours * $70.50.
E:\FR\FM\09JYN1.SGM
09JYN1
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
38872
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 131 / Wednesday, July 9, 2014 / Notices
Public Comments and FERC
Responses: A summary of the comments
filed by the public in response to the 30day notice for the FERC–520, FERC–
561, and FERC–566 information
collections and FERC’s responses are
provided below.
Public Comments: A number of
commenters request changes to Form
561. For example, the Electric Power
Supply Association (EPSA) argues that
the Commission should modify Form
561 to allow individuals holding
interlocking positions pursuant to
automatic authorization to check a box
indicating that they hold interlocking
positions solely with affiliated entities.
Similarly, NRG Energy (NRG) argues
that, instead of requiring the Form 561,
the Commission should consider an
annual report where those holding
covered positions are permitted to check
a box indicating that they are the officer
or director of affiliated entities, whether
the entities are public utilities, electrical
equipment suppliers, fuel suppliers or
none of the categories. White & Case
LLP (White & Case) submits that the
Commission should only require the refiling of an updated Form 561 after a
year in which the individual changed
reportable positions from those
previously reported in a prior Form 561.
Commenters also request certain
exemptions from the FERC–520 and
FERC–566 reporting requirements.
White & Case suggests that the
Commission should not require an
informational report under Part 45 for
automatic authorization to hold officer/
director positions with more than one
public utility in a corporate family
when the corporate family does not
include any franchised public utility
with captive customers. White & Case
also recommends that the Commission
eliminate the requirement to file notices
of change under section 45.5 of the
Commission’s regulations and the
requirement to file FERC–566 for public
utilities that do not make any reportable
sales. NYISO argues that it should be
exempted from the requirement to
submit FERC–566. EPSA and NRG
suggest that the Commission should
exempt electric wholesale generators
(EWG) from the FERC–566 filing
requirement.
FERC’s Response: The Commission
shares commenters’ interest in
identifying and implementing burden
reductions to the benefit of filers as well
as the Commission. Nevertheless,
commenters’ suggestions raise issues
that require additional study. Moreover,
should the Commission determine after
further study to pursue changes to these
information collections, those changes
would be more appropriately addressed
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:08 Jul 08, 2014
Jkt 232001
in a forum and through a process that
is better suited to full public
identification of and deliberation on
possible proposed changes. Any
changes to the Commission’s regulations
would need to be made through the
Commission’s formal rulemaking
process. Given competing demands on
the resources of both the Commission
and industry, we estimate that it would
take more than two years to complete
the rulemaking process for the three
information collections. That period
includes the development, preparation
and issuance of a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, review of the submitted
comments, the preparation and
promulgation of a Final Rule and the
development and implementation of
any necessary software changes. As a
result, the Commission is requesting
that OMB extend the three collections
for three years and thus provide the
Commission with the necessary time to
consider the issues and, if it decides
that changes may be warranted, to
promulgate any necessary rulemakings.
Additional Comments: Comments are
invited on: (1) Whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden and cost of the collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility
and clarity of the information collection;
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of
the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Dated: July 1, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014–15993 Filed 7–8–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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:
Filings Instituting Proceedings
Docket Numbers: RP10–837–000.
Applicants: Dominion Transmission,
Inc.
Description: DTI—Operational Gas
Sales Report—2014.
Filed Date: 6/30/14.
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Accession Number: 20140630–5231.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/14/14.
Docket Numbers: RP10–900–000.
Applicants: Dominion Transmission,
Inc.
Description: DTI—Informational Fuel
Report—2014.
Filed Date: 6/30/14.
Accession Number: 20140630–5232.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/14/14.
Docket Numbers: RP14–1064–000.
Applicants: Gulf South Pipeline
Company, LP.
Description: Cap Rel Neg Rate Agmts
(QEP 36601, 37657 to
42637,42644,42645,42648) to be
effective 7/1/2014.
Filed Date: 6/30/14.
Accession Number: 20140630–5042.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/14/14.
Docket Numbers: RP14–1065–000.
Applicants: Gulf South Pipeline
Company, LP.
Description: Cap Rel Neg Rate Agmt
(Petrohawk 41455 to BP 42647) to be
effective 7/1/2014.
Filed Date: 6/30/14.
Accession Number: 20140630–5043.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/14/14.
Docket Numbers: RP14–1066–000.
Applicants: Gulf South Pipeline
Company, LP.
Description: Cap Rel Neg Rate Agmt
(JW Operating 34690 to QWest 42657) to
be effective 7/1/2014.
Filed Date: 6/30/14.
Accession Number: 20140630–5044.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/14/14.
Docket Numbers: RP14–1067–000.
Applicants: Dominion Transmission,
Inc.
Description: DTI—June 30, 2014
Negotiated Rate Agreement to be
effective 7/1/2014.
Filed Date: 6/30/14.
Accession Number: 20140630–5065.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/14/14.
Docket Numbers: RP14–1068–000.
Applicants: Northern Natural Gas
Company.
Description: 20140630 ILD
Compliance Filing to be effective 9/30/
2014.
Filed Date: 6/30/14.
Accession Number: 20140630–5077.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/14/14.
Docket Numbers: RP14–1069–000.
Applicants: Texas Eastern
Transmission, LP.
Description: EPC AUG 2014 FILING to
be effective 8/1/2014.
Filed Date: 6/30/14.
Accession Number: 20140630–5122.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/14/14.
Docket Numbers: RP14–1070–000.
Applicants: Big Sandy Pipeline, LLC.
Description: Big Sandy EPC 2014 to be
effective 8/1/2014.
E:\FR\FM\09JYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38870-38872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15993]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC14-9-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-520, FERC-561,
and FERC-566); Comment Request
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Comment request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D), the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (Commission or FERC) is submitting its information
collections FERC-520 (Application for Authority to Hold Interlocking
Directorate Positions), FERC-561 (Annual Report of Interlocking
Positions), and FERC-566 (Annual Report of a Utility's 20 Largest
Purchasers) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review of
the information collection requirements. Any interested person may file
comments directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments
to the Commission as explained below. The Commission previously issued
a Notice in the Federal Register (79 FR 12191, 3/4/2014) requesting
public comments. The Commission received four comments on the FERC-520,
FERC-561, and FERC-566 information collections. The Commission
addresses these comments in this notice and in its submittal to OMB.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due August 8,
2014.
ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control Nos.
1902-0083, 1902-0099, and 1902-0114, should be sent via email to the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs: oira_submission@omb.gov,
Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. The Desk
Officer may also be reached via telephone at 202-395-4718.
A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in
Docket No. IC14-9-000, by either of the following methods:
eFiling at Commission's Web site: https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20426.
Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in
accordance with submission guidelines at: https://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. For user assistance contact FERC Online Support
by email at ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or by phone at: (866) 208-3676
(toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
Docket: Users interested in receiving automatic notification of
activity in this docket or in viewing/downloading comments and
issuances in this docket may do so at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at
DataClearance@FERC.gov, by telephone at (202) 502-8663, and by fax at
(202) 273-0873.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC-520 (Application for Authority to Hold Interlocking
Directorate Positions), FERC Form 561 (Annual Report of Interlocking
Positions), and FERC-566 (Annual Report of a Utility's 20 Largest
Purchasers).
OMB Control No.: FERC-521 (1902-0083), FERC-561 (1902-0099), and
FERC-566 (1902-0114).
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-521, FERC Form
561, and FERC-566 information collection requirements with no changes
to the reporting requirements.
Abstract: The Federal Power Act (FPA), as amended by the Public
Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), mandates federal
oversight and approval of certain electric corporate activities to
ensure that neither public nor private interests are adversely
affected. Accordingly, the FPA proscribes related information filing
requirements to achieve this goal. Such filing requirements are found
in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), specifically in 18 CFR Parts
45, 46, and Section 131.31 and serve as the basis for FERC-520, Form
561, and FERC-566.
Overview of the Three Data Collections. FERC-520, Form 561 and
FERC-566 provide information related to complex electric corporate
activities and serve to safeguard public and private interests, as the
FPA requires. The Commission can use its enforcement authority when
violations and omissions of FPA requirements occur.
FERC-520: FERC-520 is divided into two types of applications: Full
and informational. The full application, as specified in 18 CFR Section
45.8, implements the FPA requirement under Section 305(b) that it is
unlawful for any person to concurrently hold the positions of officer
or director of more than one public utility; or a public utility and a
financial institution that is authorized to underwrite or participate
in the marketing of public utility securities; or a public utility and
an electrical equipment supplier to that public utility, unless
authorized by order of the Commission. In order to obtain
authorization, an applicant must demonstrate that neither public nor
private interests will be adversely affected by the holding of the
position. The full application provides the Commission with information
about any interlocking position for which the applicant seeks
authorization including, but not limited to, a description of duties
and the estimated time devoted to the position.
An informational application, specified in 18 CFR Section 45.9,
allows an applicant to receive automatic authorization for an
interlocked position upon receipt of the filing by the Commission. The
informational application applies only to those individuals who seek
authorization as: (1) an officer or director of two or more public
utilities where the same holding company owns, directly or indirectly,
that percentage of each utility's stock (of whatever class or classes)
which is required by each utility's by-laws to elect directors; (2) an
officer or director of two public utilities, if one utility is owned,
wholly or in part, by the other and, as its primary business, owns or
operates transmission or generation facilities to provide transmission
service or electric power for sale to its owners; or (3) an officer or
director of more than one public utility, if such person is already
authorized under Part 45 to hold different positions as officer or
director of those utilities where the interlock involves affiliated
public utilities.
Pursuant to 18 CFR 45.5, in the event that an applicant resigns or
withdraws from Commission-authorized interlocked positions or is not
re-elected or re-appointed to such interlocked positions, the
Commission requires that the applicant submit a notice of change
[[Page 38871]]
within 30 days from the date of the change.
FERC Form 561: The Commission uses FERC Form 561 to implement the
FPA requirement that those who are authorized to hold certain
interlocked positions annually disclose the interlocked positions they
held the prior year. The positions that must be disclosed in the Form
561 include those which public utility officers and directors hold with
other public utilities, with financial institutions, insurance
companies, electrical equipment and fuel providers, and with any of the
public utility's 20 largest purchasers of electric energy. The FPA
specifically defines most of the information elements in the Form 561,
including the information that must be filed, the required filers, the
directive to make the information available to the public, and the
filing deadline.
FERC-566: FERC-566 implements FPA requirements that each public
utility annually publish a list of the 20 purchasers which purchased
the largest annual amounts of electric energy sold by such public
utility during any of the three previous calendar years. The public
disclosure of this information provides the information necessary to
determine whether an interlocked position is with any of the 20 largest
purchasers of electric energy. Similar to the Form 561, the FPA
identifies who must file the FERC-566 report and sets the filing
deadline.
Type of Respondents: Individuals who plan to concurrently become or
concurrently are officers or directors of public utilities and of
certain other entities must request authorization to hold such
interlocking positions by submitting a FERC-520. Those who are
authorized to hold interlocked positions must annually disclose
interlocked positions that they held in the prior calendar year by
submitting a Form 561. Lastly, each public utility must annually
publish the FERC-566 to list the purchasers of the 20 largest annual
amounts of electric energy sold by such public utility during any of
the last three calendar years.
Estimates of Annual Burden: \1\ The Commission estimates the annual
public reporting burdens for the information collections as:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Commission defines burden as the total time, effort, or
financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain,
retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal
agency. For further explanation of what is included in the
information collection burden, reference 5 Code of Federal
Regulations 1320.3.
\2\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the
following formula: Total Annual Cost (Column 5) / Total Number of
Responses (Column 3) = Average Cost per Response.
\3\ Total Annual Burden Hours * $70.50.
FERC-520
[Application for Authority to Hold Interlocking Directorate Positions]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average Total annual
Number of Annual number Total number burden/cost burden hours Cost per
respondents of responses of responses per response (total annual respondent
per respondent \2\ cost) \3\ ($)
(1) (2) (1)*(2)=(3) (4) (3)*(4)=(5) (5)/(1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full.................................................... 10 1 10 51.8 518 3,652
.............. .............. .............. $3,651.9 $36,519
Informational........................................... 454 1 454 16 7,264 1,128
.............. .............. .............. $1,128 $512,112
Notice of Change........................................ 254 1 254 0.25 63.5 17.63
.............. .............. .............. $17.63 $4,477
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................................... .............. .............. 718 .............. 7,845.5 $4,797.63
.............. .............. .............. .............. $553,108
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC Form 561
[Annual Report of Interlocking Positions]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average Total annual
Number of Annual number Total number burden/cost burden hours Cost per
respondents of responses of responses per response (total annual respondent
per respondent \2\ cost) \3\ ($)
(1) (2) (1)*(2)=(3) (4) (3)*(4)=(5) (5)/(1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC Form 561........................................... 2,675 1 2,675 0.25 668.75 17.63
.............. .............. .............. $17.63 $47,147
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-566
[Annual Report of a Utility's 20 Largest Purchasers]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number Average Total annual
Number of of responses Total number burden/cost burden hours Cost per
respondents per of responses per response (total annual respondent
respondent \2\ cost) \3\ ($)
(1) (2) (1)*(2)=(3) (4) (3)*(4)=(5) (5)/(1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-566................................................ 1,082 1 1,082 6 6,492 423
.............. .............. .............. $423 $457,686
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 38872]]
Public Comments and FERC Responses: A summary of the comments filed
by the public in response to the 30-day notice for the FERC-520, FERC-
561, and FERC-566 information collections and FERC's responses are
provided below.
Public Comments: A number of commenters request changes to Form
561. For example, the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) argues
that the Commission should modify Form 561 to allow individuals holding
interlocking positions pursuant to automatic authorization to check a
box indicating that they hold interlocking positions solely with
affiliated entities. Similarly, NRG Energy (NRG) argues that, instead
of requiring the Form 561, the Commission should consider an annual
report where those holding covered positions are permitted to check a
box indicating that they are the officer or director of affiliated
entities, whether the entities are public utilities, electrical
equipment suppliers, fuel suppliers or none of the categories. White &
Case LLP (White & Case) submits that the Commission should only require
the re-filing of an updated Form 561 after a year in which the
individual changed reportable positions from those previously reported
in a prior Form 561.
Commenters also request certain exemptions from the FERC-520 and
FERC-566 reporting requirements. White & Case suggests that the
Commission should not require an informational report under Part 45 for
automatic authorization to hold officer/director positions with more
than one public utility in a corporate family when the corporate family
does not include any franchised public utility with captive customers.
White & Case also recommends that the Commission eliminate the
requirement to file notices of change under section 45.5 of the
Commission's regulations and the requirement to file FERC-566 for
public utilities that do not make any reportable sales. NYISO argues
that it should be exempted from the requirement to submit FERC-566.
EPSA and NRG suggest that the Commission should exempt electric
wholesale generators (EWG) from the FERC-566 filing requirement.
FERC's Response: The Commission shares commenters' interest in
identifying and implementing burden reductions to the benefit of filers
as well as the Commission. Nevertheless, commenters' suggestions raise
issues that require additional study. Moreover, should the Commission
determine after further study to pursue changes to these information
collections, those changes would be more appropriately addressed in a
forum and through a process that is better suited to full public
identification of and deliberation on possible proposed changes. Any
changes to the Commission's regulations would need to be made through
the Commission's formal rulemaking process. Given competing demands on
the resources of both the Commission and industry, we estimate that it
would take more than two years to complete the rulemaking process for
the three information collections. That period includes the
development, preparation and issuance of a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, review of the submitted comments, the preparation and
promulgation of a Final Rule and the development and implementation of
any necessary software changes. As a result, the Commission is
requesting that OMB extend the three collections for three years and
thus provide the Commission with the necessary time to consider the
issues and, if it decides that changes may be warranted, to promulgate
any necessary rulemakings.
Additional Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Commission, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of
the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4)
ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Dated: July 1, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-15993 Filed 7-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
