Proposed Renewal of Information Collection: The Alternatives Process in Hydropower Licensing, 55869-55870 [2015-23393]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 180 (Thursday, September 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55869-55870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23393]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

[156D0102DM DS61100000 DLSN00000.000000 DX61101]; [OMB Control Number 
1094-0001]


Proposed Renewal of Information Collection: The Alternatives 
Process in Hydropower Licensing

AGENCY: Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, Office of the 
Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Environmental Policy and 
Compliance, Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior is 
announcing its intention to request renewal for the collection of 
information for Alternatives Process in Hydropower Licensing. This 
collection request has been forwarded to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection 
request describes the nature of the information collection and the 
expected burden and cost.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collection request, but may respond after 30 days; therefore, public 
comments should be submitted to OMB by October 19, 2015, in order to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of Interior (1094-0001), by telefax at (202) 395-5806 or 
via email to OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov. Also, please send a copy of 
your comments to Shawn Alam, Office of Environmental Policy and 
Compliance, U.S. Department of the Interior, MS 2462-MIB, 1849 C 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, or send an email to 
Shawn_Alam@ios.doi.gov. Additionally, you may telefax them to him at 
(202) 208-6970. Individuals providing comments should reference 
Alternatives Process in Hydropower Licensing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To receive a copy of the information 
collection request, contact Dr. Shawn Alam at (202) 208-5465. You may 
also contact Dr. Shawn Alam electronically at Shawn_Alam@ios.doi.gov. 
To see a copy of the entire ICR submitted to OMB, go to: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, which implement the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., require that 
interested members of the public and affected agencies have an 
opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping 
activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8 (d)).
    On March 31, 2015, the Departments of Agriculture, the Interior, 
and Commerce published revised interim final rule they originally 
published in November 2005 at 7 CFR part 1, 43 CFR part 45, and 50 CFR 
part 221, to implement section 241 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EP 
Act), Public Law 109-58, which the President signed into law on August 
8, 2005. Section 241 of the EP Act added a new section 33 to the 
Federal Power Act (FPA), 16 U.S.C. 823d, that allowed the license 
applicant or any other party to the license proceeding to propose an 
alternative to a condition or prescription that one or more of the 
Departments develop for inclusion in a hydropower license issued by the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under the FPA. This 
provision required that the Department of Agriculture, the Department 
of the Interior, and the Department of Commerce collect the information 
covered by 1094-0001.
    Under FPA section 33, the Secretary of the Department involved must 
accept the proposed alternative if the Secretary determines, based on 
substantial evidence provided by a party to the license proceeding or 
otherwise available to the Secretary, (a) that the alternative 
condition provides for the adequate protection and utilization of the 
reservation, or that the alternative prescription will be no less 
protective than the fishway initially proposed by the Secretary, and 
(b) that the alternative will either cost significantly less to 
implement or result in improved operation of the project works for 
electricity production.
    In order to make this determination, the regulations require that 
all of the following information be collected: (1) A description of the 
alternative, in an equivalent level of detail to the Department's 
preliminary condition or prescription; (2) an explanation of how the 
alternative: (i) If a condition, will provide for the adequate 
protection and utilization of the reservation; or (ii) if a 
prescription, will be no less protective than the fishway prescribed by 
the bureau; (3) an explanation of how the alternative, as compared to 
the preliminary condition or prescription, will: (i) Cost significantly 
less to implement; or (ii) result in improved operation of the project 
works for electricity production; (4) an explanation of how the 
alternative or revised alternative will affect: (i) Energy supply, 
distribution, cost, and use; (ii) flood control; (iii) navigation; (iv) 
water supply; (v) air quality; and (vi) other aspects of environmental 
quality; and (5) specific citations to any scientific studies, 
literature, and other documented information relied on to support the 
proposal.
    This notice of proposed renewal of an existing information 
collection is being published by the Office of Environmental Policy and 
Compliance, Department of the Interior, on behalf of all three 
Departments, and the data provided below covers anticipated responses 
(alternative conditions/prescriptions and associated information) for 
all three Departments.

II. Data

    (1) Title: 7 CFR part 1; 43 CFR part 45; 50 CFR part 221; the 
Alternatives Process in Hydropower Licensing.
    OMB Control Number: 1094-0001.
    Current Expiration Date: November 30, 2015.
    Type of Review: Information Collection Renewal.
    Affected Entities: Business or for-profit entities.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 5.
    Frequency of responses: Once per alternative proposed.
    (2) Annual reporting and recordkeeping burden:
    Total annual reporting per response: 500 hours.

[[Page 55870]]

    Total number of estimated responses: 5.
    Total annual reporting: 2,500 hours.
    (3) Description of the need and use of the information: The purpose 
of this information collection is to provide an opportunity for license 
parties to propose an alternative condition or prescription to that 
proposed by the Federal Government for inclusion in the hydropower 
licensing process.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments on the collection of information was published on 
May 7, 2015 (88 FR 26290). No comments were received. This notice 
provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on 
the proposed information collection activity.

III. Request for Comments

    The Departments invite comments on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agencies, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of the agencies' estimate of the burden of the 
collection of the collection of information and the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology.
    ``Burden'' means the total time, effort, and financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide 
information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed 
to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install, and use 
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able 
to respond to a collection of information, to search data sources, and 
to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit 
or otherwise disclose the information.
    It is our policy to make all comments available to the public for 
review. Before including Personally Identifiable Information (PII), 
such as your address, phone number, email address, or other personal 
information in your comment(s), you should be aware that your entire 
comment (including PII) may be made available to the public at any 
time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold PII from public 
view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    If you wish to view any comments received, you may do so by 
scheduling an appointment with the Office of Environmental Policy and 
Compliance by calling (202) 208-3891. A valid picture identification is 
required for entry into the Department of the Interior.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid Office of Management and Budget control number.

Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2015-23393 Filed 9-16-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4334-63-P