Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-500, Ferc-542); Consolidated Comment Request; Extension, 79322-79324 [2015-31970]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 244 / Monday, December 21, 2015 / Notices
interventions in lieu of paper, using the
FERC Online links at https://
www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic
service, persons with Internet access
who will eFile a document and/or be
listed as a contact for an intervenor
must create and validate an
eRegistration account using the
eRegistration link. Select the eFiling
link to log on and submit the
intervention or protests.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 5 copies
of the intervention or protest to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
The filings in the above-referenced
proceeding are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the appropriate link in the
above list. They are also available for
electronic review in the Commission’s
Public Reference Room in Washington,
DC. There is an eSubscription link on
the Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
information collections described
below.
Dated: December 14, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Comments on the collections of
information are due February 19, 2016.
DATES:
You may submit comments
(identified by Docket No. IC16–4–000)
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.
ADDRESSES:
Please reference the specific collection
number and/or title in your comments.
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/docsfiling/docs-filing.asp.
Ellen Brown may be reached by email
at DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone
at (202) 502–8663, and fax at (202) 273–
0873.
[FR Doc. 2015–31967 Filed 12–18–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. IC16–4–000]
Commission Information Collection
Activities (Ferc–500, Ferc–542);
Consolidated Comment Request;
Extension
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of information
collections and request for comments.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (Commission or
FERC) is soliciting public comment on
the requirements and burden 1 of the
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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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Type of Request: Three-year extension
of the information collection
requirements for all collections
described below with no changes to the
current reporting requirements. Please
note that each collection is distinct from
the next.
Comments: Comments are invited on:
(1) Whether the collections of
information are 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
estimates of the burden and cost of the
collections of information, including the
validity of the methodology and
assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility and clarity of the
information collections; and (4) ways to
minimize the burden of the collections
of information on those who are to
respond, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
information collection burden, reference 5 Code of
Federal Regulations 1320.3.
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FERC–500, [Application for License/
Relicense and Exemption for Water
Projects With More Than 5 Megawatt 2
Capacity]
OMB Control No.: 1902–0058.
Abstract: Pursuant to the Federal
Power Act, the Commission is
authorized to issue licenses and
exemptions to citizens of the United
States, or to any corporation organized
under the laws of United States or any
State thereof, or to any State or
municipality for the purpose of
constructing, operating, and
maintaining dams, water conduits,
reservoirs, power houses, transmission
lines, or other project works necessary
or convenient for the development and
improvement of navigation and for the
development, transmission, and
utilization of power across, along, from,
or in any of the streams or other bodies
of water over which Congress has
jurisdiction under its authority to
regulate commerce with foreign nations
and among the several States, or upon
any part of the public lands and
reservations of the United States.
FERC–500 is an application (for water
projects with more than 5 megawatt
capacity) for a hydropower license or
exemption. FERC–500 includes certain
reporting requirements in 18 CFR 4, 5,
8, 16, 141, 154.15, and 292. Depending
on the type of application, it may
include project description, schedule,
resource allocation, project operation,
construction schedule, cost, and
financing; and an environmental report.
After an application is filed, the
Federal agencies with responsibilities
under the Federal Power Act (FPA) and
other statutes,3 the States, Indian tribes,
and other participants have
opportunities to request additional
studies and provide comments and
recommendations.
Submittal of the FERC–500
application is necessary to fulfill the
requirements of the FPA in order for the
Commission to make the required
finding that the proposal is
economically, technically, and
environmentally sound, and is best
adapted to a comprehensive plan for
improving/developing a waterway or
waterways.
Type of Respondent: Applicants for
major hydropower licenses or
exemptions greater than 5 MW
Estimate of Annual Burden:
Applicants for licenses are required to
2 Megawatt
= MW.
include the Electric Consumers
Protection Act (ECPA), the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, the
Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments of
1972 (the Clean Water Act), and the Coastal Zone
Management Act.
3 Statutes
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 244 / Monday, December 21, 2015 / Notices
include an estimate of their cost to
prepare the license application, which
would include nearly all of the
reporting requirements in FERC–500.4
Because the requirements for an
exemption application are largely the
same as that of a license application, the
license application costs are a good
estimate of the exemption application
costs and of the overall burden of
preparing license and exemption
applications for projects greater than 5
79323
MW. To estimate the total annual
burden, we averaged the reported
license application costs for proposed
projects greater than 5 MW filed in
fiscal years (FY) 2012 through 2015. The
results are presented in the table below:
FERC–500 (APPLICATION FOR LICENSE/RELICENSE AND EXEMPTION FOR WATER PROJECTS WITH MORE THAN 5 MW
CAPACITY)
Fiscal Year
2012
2013
2014
2015
Number of Applications (Responses) ..............................................................
Average Cost per Response ...........................................................................
9
$2,059,828
7
$1,234,987
15
$3,776,864
2
$500,000
Total Burden Cost ....................................................................................
$18,538,451
$8,644,909
$56,652,960
$1,000,000
The average burden cost per
application over the period FY 2012
through FY 2015 was approximately
$2,570,797.5 We estimate a cost (salary
plus benefits) of $72/hour.6 Using this
hourly cost estimate, the average burden
for each application filed from FY 2012
to FY 2015 is 35,706 hours.
FERC–500
Annual number of
responses per
respondent
Number of respondents
Average burden
hours and cost
per response
Total number of
responses
Total annual
burden hours
and total
annual cost
Cost per
respondent
($)
(1) ...........................................................
(2)
(1)*(2)=(3)
(4)
(3)*(4)=(5)
(5)÷(1)
9 .............................................................
1
9
35,705.52
$2,570,797.42
321,349.68
$23,137,176.82
$2,570,797.42
OMB Control No.: 1902–0070
Abstract: Commission regulations at
18 CFR 154.402 establish requirements
for natural gas pipelines that choose to
recover Commission-assessed annual
charges through an annual charge
adjustment (ACA) clause. All natural
gas pipelines subject to FERC
jurisdiction must have a clause in their
tariff that incorporates the Commissionauthorized annual charge unit rate by
reference to that rate, as published on
the Commission’s Web site located at
https://www.ferc.gov.
This reporting requirements results
from the Commission’s being required
to ‘‘assess and collect fees and annual
charges in any fiscal year in amounts
equal to all of the costs incurred by the
Commission in that fiscal year.’’ 7 To
accomplish this, the Commission
created the annual charges program,
which is designed to recover the costs
of administering the natural gas, oil, and
electric programs by calculating the
costs of each program, net of filing fees,
and properly allocating them among the
three programs.8
This reporting requirement applies
only to the recovery of annual charges
assessed to entities in the natural gas
program.
The provisions governing the
assessment of annual charges are
codified in Part 382 of the Commission’s
regulations.9 In brief, after the
4 Exceptions would be 18 CFR 2.19, 4.201, 4.202,
4.303, 4.35, 8.1, 8.2, 16.19, 141.15, and 292.208,
none of which directly relate to preparation of a
license or exemption application for a project
greater than 5 MW.
5 $84,836,320 (Total burden cost from 2012–2015)
÷ 33 (total number of applications received from
2012–2015) = $2,570,797.
6 FERC staff estimates that industry is similarly
situated in terms of the hourly cost for salary plus
benefits. Therefore, we are using the FERC FY 2015
hourly cost (salary plus benefits) of $72/hour.
7 See Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, Pub. L.
99–509, Title III, Subtitle E, § 3401, 1986 U.S. Code
Cong. & Ad. News (100 Stat.) 1874, 1890–91
(codified at 42 U.S.C. 7178 (2012)).
8 Annual Charges Under the Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1986, Order No. 472, FERC
Stats & Regs. ¶ 30,746, clarified by, Order No. 472–
A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 30,750, order on reh’g,
Order No. 472–B, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 30,767
(1987), order on reh’g, Order No. 472–C, 42 FERC
¶ 61,013 (1988).
9 18 CFR 382 (2015).
10 Id. at 382.102(d) (defining the ‘‘natural gas
regulatory program’’ as the Commission’s regulation
of the natural gas industry under the Natural Gas
Act; Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978; Alaska Natural
Gas Transportation Act; Public Utility Regulatory
Policies Act; Department of Energy Organization
Act; Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act; Energy
Security Act; Regulatory Flexibility Act; Crude Oil
Windfall Profit Tax Act; National Environmental
Policy Act; National Historic Preservation Act).
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
FERC–542, [Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate
Tracking]
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Sfmt 4703
Commission calculates the costs of
administering the natural gas regulatory
program,10 it assesses those costs to
natural gas pipeline companies
(Pipelines).11 Each Pipeline is assessed
a proportional share of the
Commission’s costs of administering the
natural gas program. That proportional
share is based on the following:
. . ..the proportion of the total gas subject to
Commission regulation which was sold and
transported by each company in the
immediately preceding calendar year to the
sum of the gas subject to the Commission
regulation which was sold and transported in
the immediately preceding calendar year by
all natural gas pipeline companies being
assessed annual charges.12
Type of Respondent: Natural Gas
Pipelines.
11 For the purposes of this proceeding, we use the
term natural gas pipeline company (Pipeline) as it
is defined in 18 CFR 382.101(a) (2012): ‘‘any
person: (1) Engaged in natural gas sales for resale
or natural gas transportation subject to the
jurisdiction of the Commission under the Natural
Gas Act whose sales for resale and transportation
exceed 200,000 Mcf at 14.73 psi (60ßF) in any of the
three calendar years immediately preceding the
fiscal year for which the Commission is assessing
annual charges; and (2) Not engaged solely in ‘‘first
sales’’ of natural gas as that term is defined in
section 2(21) of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978;
and (3) To whom the Commission has not issued
a Natural Gas Act Section 7(f) declaration; and (4)
Not holding a limited jurisdiction certificate.’’
12 18 CFR 382.202 (2015).
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79324
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 244 / Monday, December 21, 2015 / Notices
Estimate of Annual Burden: The
Commission estimates the annual public
reporting burden for the information
collection as:
FERC–542 (GAS PIPELINE RATES: RATE TRACKING)
Number of respondents
Annual number of
responses per
respondent
Total number of
responses
Average burden
hours and cost
per response
Total annual
burden hours
and total
annual cost
Cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
(2)
(1)*(2)=(3)
(4)
(3)*(4)=(5)
(5)÷(1)
5 .............................................................
1
Dated: December 14, 2015
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–31970 Filed 12–18–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Combined Notice of Filings #1
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric rate
filings:
Docket Numbers: ER11–4380–005;
ER15–1045–001; ER13–338–006; ER13–
1641–002; ER13–1562–004; ER12–610–
007; ER12–2314–005; ER12–2037–006;
ER12–1931–006; ER11–4381–005;
ER10–2504–007; ER10–2488–012;
ER10–2467–006; ER10–2436–006;
ER10–2434–006.
Applicants: Bellevue Solar, LLC,
Catalina Solar Lessee, LLC, Chestnut
Flats Lessee, LLC, Fenton Power
Partners I, LLC, Hoosier Wind Project,
LLC, Oasis Power Partners, LLC, Pacific
Wind Lessee, LLC, Pilot Hill Wind, LLC,
Shiloh Wind Project 2, LLC, Shiloh III
Lessee, LLC, Shiloh IV Lessee, LLC,
Spearville 3, LLC, Spinning Spur Wind,
LLC, Wapsipinicon Wind Project, LLC,
Yamhill Solar, LLC.
Description: Supplement to October 7,
2015 Notice of Change in Status of the
EDF–RE MBR Companies.
Filed Date: 12/8/15.
Accession Number: 20151208–5082.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/29/15.
Docket Numbers: ER15–2657–001.
Applicants: Midcontinent
Independent System Operator, Inc.
Description: Compliance filing: 2015–
12–14_Order 1000 CTDS Enhancement
Compliance Filing to be effective 11/16/
2015.
Filed Date: 12/14/15.
Accession Number: 20151214–5242.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/4/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–518–000.
Applicants: Central Maine Power
Company.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:38 Dec 18, 2015
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5
2
$144
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Executed Interconnection Agreement
with Hackett Mills Hydro Associates to
be effective 1/1/2016.
Filed Date: 12/14/15.
Accession Number: 20151214–5241.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/4/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–519–000.
Applicants: Nevada Power Company.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
OATT Revisions to Schedule 1 12.14.15
to be effective 10/1/2015.
Filed Date: 12/14/15.
Accession Number: 20151214–5244.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/4/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–520–000.
Applicants: Southwestern Public
Service Company.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: 12–
14–15_SPS Unfunded Reserves to be
effective 1/1/2016.
Filed Date: 12/14/15.
Accession Number: 20151214–5245.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/4/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–521–000.
Applicants: Midcontinent
Independent System Operator, Inc.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
2015–12–14 Attachment Y alignment
with PRA to be effective 2/12/2016.
Filed Date: 12/14/15.
Accession Number: 20151214–5246.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/4/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–522–000.
Applicants: Consolidated Edison
Company of New York, Inc.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
PASNY Tariff RY 3 2015 to be effective
1/1/2016.
Filed Date: 12/14/15.
Accession Number: 20151214–5262.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/4/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–523–000.
Applicants: Sierra Pacific Power
Company.
Description: Notices of Cancellation of
Transmission Service Agreements of
Sierra Pacific Power Company.
Filed Date: 12/14/15.
Accession Number: 20151214–5264.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/4/16.
The filings are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
PO 00000
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10
$720
$144
clicking on the links or 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: https://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: December 15, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–31953 Filed 12–18–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER16–452–000]
Tranquillity LLC; Supplemental Notice
That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing
Includes Request for Blanket Section
204 Authorization
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding
Tranquillity LLC’s application for
market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate tariff, noting that
such application includes a request for
blanket authorization, under 18 CFR
part 34, of future issuances of securities
and assumptions of liability.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest should file with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426,
in accordance with Rules 211 and 214
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 244 (Monday, December 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79322-79324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31970]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC16-4-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-500, Ferc-
542); Consolidated Comment Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of information collections and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the
requirements and burden \1\ of the information collections described
below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due February 19,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC16-4-
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.
Please reference the specific collection number and/or title in your
comments.
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, telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at (202)
273-0873.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the information collection
requirements for all collections described below with no changes to the
current reporting requirements. Please note that each collection is
distinct from the next.
Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collections of
information are 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 estimates of the
burden and cost of the collections of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility and clarity of the information collections; and
(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information on
those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
FERC-500, [Application for License/Relicense and Exemption for Water
Projects With More Than 5 Megawatt \2\ Capacity]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Megawatt = MW.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
OMB Control No.: 1902-0058.
Abstract: Pursuant to the Federal Power Act, the Commission is
authorized to issue licenses and exemptions to citizens of the United
States, or to any corporation organized under the laws of United States
or any State thereof, or to any State or municipality for the purpose
of constructing, operating, and maintaining dams, water conduits,
reservoirs, power houses, transmission lines, or other project works
necessary or convenient for the development and improvement of
navigation and for the development, transmission, and utilization of
power across, along, from, or in any of the streams or other bodies of
water over which Congress has jurisdiction under its authority to
regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several States, or
upon any part of the public lands and reservations of the United
States.
FERC-500 is an application (for water projects with more than 5
megawatt capacity) for a hydropower license or exemption. FERC-500
includes certain reporting requirements in 18 CFR 4, 5, 8, 16, 141,
154.15, and 292. Depending on the type of application, it may include
project description, schedule, resource allocation, project operation,
construction schedule, cost, and financing; and an environmental
report.
After an application is filed, the Federal agencies with
responsibilities under the Federal Power Act (FPA) and other
statutes,\3\ the States, Indian tribes, and other participants have
opportunities to request additional studies and provide comments and
recommendations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Statutes include the Electric Consumers Protection Act
(ECPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered
Species Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments of 1972
(the Clean Water Act), and the Coastal Zone Management Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submittal of the FERC-500 application is necessary to fulfill the
requirements of the FPA in order for the Commission to make the
required finding that the proposal is economically, technically, and
environmentally sound, and is best adapted to a comprehensive plan for
improving/developing a waterway or waterways.
Type of Respondent: Applicants for major hydropower licenses or
exemptions greater than 5 MW
Estimate of Annual Burden: Applicants for licenses are required to
[[Page 79323]]
include an estimate of their cost to prepare the license application,
which would include nearly all of the reporting requirements in FERC-
500.\4\ Because the requirements for an exemption application are
largely the same as that of a license application, the license
application costs are a good estimate of the exemption application
costs and of the overall burden of preparing license and exemption
applications for projects greater than 5 MW. To estimate the total
annual burden, we averaged the reported license application costs for
proposed projects greater than 5 MW filed in fiscal years (FY) 2012
through 2015. The results are presented in the table below:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Exceptions would be 18 CFR 2.19, 4.201, 4.202, 4.303, 4.35,
8.1, 8.2, 16.19, 141.15, and 292.208, none of which directly relate
to preparation of a license or exemption application for a project
greater than 5 MW.
FERC-500 (Application for License/Relicense and Exemption for Water Projects with More than 5 MW Capacity)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal Year 2012 2013 2014 2015
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Applications (Responses).............. 9 7 15 2
Average Cost per Response....................... $2,059,828 $1,234,987 $3,776,864 $500,000
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total Burden Cost........................... $18,538,451 $8,644,909 $56,652,960 $1,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The average burden cost per application over the period FY 2012
through FY 2015 was approximately $2,570,797.\5\ We estimate a cost
(salary plus benefits) of $72/hour.\6\ Using this hourly cost estimate,
the average burden for each application filed from FY 2012 to FY 2015
is 35,706 hours.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ $84,836,320 (Total burden cost from 2012-2015) / 33 (total
number of applications received from 2012-2015) = $2,570,797.
\6\ FERC staff estimates that industry is similarly situated in
terms of the hourly cost for salary plus benefits. Therefore, we are
using the FERC FY 2015 hourly cost (salary plus benefits) of $72/
hour.
FERC-500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total annual
Annual number of Total number of Average burden burden hours and Cost per
Number of respondents responses per responses hours and cost total annual respondent ($)
respondent per response cost
(1)...................................................... (2) (1)*(2)=(3) (4) (3)*(4)=(5) (5)/(1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9........................................................ 1 9 35,705.52 321,349.68 $2,570,797.42
$2,570,797.42 $23,137,176.82
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FERC-542, [Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Tracking]
OMB Control No.: 1902-0070
Abstract: Commission regulations at 18 CFR 154.402 establish
requirements for natural gas pipelines that choose to recover
Commission-assessed annual charges through an annual charge adjustment
(ACA) clause. All natural gas pipelines subject to FERC jurisdiction
must have a clause in their tariff that incorporates the Commission-
authorized annual charge unit rate by reference to that rate, as
published on the Commission's Web site located at https://www.ferc.gov.
This reporting requirements results from the Commission's being
required to ``assess and collect fees and annual charges in any fiscal
year in amounts equal to all of the costs incurred by the Commission in
that fiscal year.'' \7\ To accomplish this, the Commission created the
annual charges program, which is designed to recover the costs of
administering the natural gas, oil, and electric programs by
calculating the costs of each program, net of filing fees, and properly
allocating them among the three programs.\8\
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\7\ See Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, Pub. L. 99-509, Title
III, Subtitle E, Sec. 3401, 1986 U.S. Code Cong. & Ad. News (100
Stat.) 1874, 1890-91 (codified at 42 U.S.C. 7178 (2012)).
\8\ Annual Charges Under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
of 1986, Order No. 472, FERC Stats & Regs. ] 30,746, clarified by,
Order No. 472-A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 30,750, order on reh'g, Order
No. 472-B, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 30,767 (1987), order on reh'g,
Order No. 472-C, 42 FERC ] 61,013 (1988).
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This reporting requirement applies only to the recovery of annual
charges assessed to entities in the natural gas program.
The provisions governing the assessment of annual charges are
codified in Part 382 of the Commission's regulations.\9\ In brief,
after the Commission calculates the costs of administering the natural
gas regulatory program,\10\ it assesses those costs to natural gas
pipeline companies (Pipelines).\11\ Each Pipeline is assessed a
proportional share of the Commission's costs of administering the
natural gas program. That proportional share is based on the following:
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\9\ 18 CFR 382 (2015).
\10\ Id. at 382.102(d) (defining the ``natural gas regulatory
program'' as the Commission's regulation of the natural gas industry
under the Natural Gas Act; Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978; Alaska
Natural Gas Transportation Act; Public Utility Regulatory Policies
Act; Department of Energy Organization Act; Outer Continental Shelf
Lands Act; Energy Security Act; Regulatory Flexibility Act; Crude
Oil Windfall Profit Tax Act; National Environmental Policy Act;
National Historic Preservation Act).
\11\ For the purposes of this proceeding, we use the term
natural gas pipeline company (Pipeline) as it is defined in 18 CFR
382.101(a) (2012): ``any person: (1) Engaged in natural gas sales
for resale or natural gas transportation subject to the jurisdiction
of the Commission under the Natural Gas Act whose sales for resale
and transportation exceed 200,000 Mcf at 14.73 psi (60[ordm]F) in
any of the three calendar years immediately preceding the fiscal
year for which the Commission is assessing annual charges; and (2)
Not engaged solely in ``first sales'' of natural gas as that term is
defined in section 2(21) of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978; and
(3) To whom the Commission has not issued a Natural Gas Act Section
7(f) declaration; and (4) Not holding a limited jurisdiction
certificate.''
. . ..the proportion of the total gas subject to Commission
regulation which was sold and transported by each company in the
immediately preceding calendar year to the sum of the gas subject to
the Commission regulation which was sold and transported in the
immediately preceding calendar year by all natural gas pipeline
companies being assessed annual charges.\12\
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\12\ 18 CFR 382.202 (2015).
Type of Respondent: Natural Gas Pipelines.
[[Page 79324]]
Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
FERC-542 (Gas Pipeline Rates: Rate Tracking)
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Total annual
Annual number of Total number of Average burden burden hours and Cost per
Number of respondents responses per responses hours and cost total annual respondent ($)
respondent per response cost
(1) (2) (1)*(2)=(3) (4) (3)*(4)=(5) (5)/(1)
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5........................................................ 1 5 2 10 $144
$144 $720
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Dated: December 14, 2015
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-31970 Filed 12-18-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
