Proposed Agency Information Collection, 26543-26545 [2016-10259]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 3, 2016 / Notices
Description: Annual Report of
Operational Imbalances and Cash-out
Activity of Cameron Interstate Pipeline,
LLC.
Filed Date: 4/25/16.
Accession Number: 20160425–5214.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/9/16.
Docket Numbers: RP16–871–000.
Applicants: Cameron Interstate
Pipeline, LLC.
Description: Annual Report of
Operational Imbalances and Cash-out
Activity of Cameron Interstate Pipeline,
LLC.
Filed Date: 4/25/16.
Accession Number: 20160425–5217.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/9/16.
Docket Numbers: RP16–872–000.
Applicants: El Paso Natural Gas
Company, L.L.C.
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: NonConforming Negotiated Rate Service
Agreement Filing (Anadarko) to be
effective 5/25/2016.
Filed Date: 4/25/16.
Accession Number: 20160425–5292.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/9/16.
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.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Filings in Existing Proceedings
Docket Numbers: RP15–1026–001.
Applicants: Maritimes & Northeast
Pipeline, L.L.C.
Description: Compliance filing MNUS
Settlement Filing to be effective 5/1/
2016.
Filed Date: 4/25/16.
Accession Number: 20160425–5216.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/9/16.
Any person desiring to protest in any
of the above proceedings must file in
accordance with Rule 211 of the
Commission’s Regulations (18 CFR
385.211) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern
time on the specified comment date.
The filings are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the links or querying the
docket number.
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.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
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Dated: April 26, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
at DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone
at (202) 502–8663, and fax at (202) 273–
0873.
[FR Doc. 2016–10257 Filed 5–2–16; 8:45 am]
The
Commission will submit the reporting
and recordkeeping requirements of
proposed Reliability Standard FAC–
003–4 (Transmission Vegetation
Management) to OMB for review.
Proposed Reliability Standard FAC–
003–4 replaces the requirements from
the previous version of the Reliability
Standard (FAC–003–3),1 which is
approved under FERC–725M
(Mandatory Reliability Standards:
Generator Requirements at the
Transmission Interface, OMB Control
No. 1902–0263).
Type of Request: Three-year approval
of the revised FERC–725M information
collection requirements with the stated
changes to the current reporting and
record retention requirements.
Abstract: The Commission requires
the information collected by the FERC–
725M to implement the statutory
provisions of section 215 of the Federal
Power Act (FPA).2 On August 8, 2005,
Congress enacted into law the
Electricity Modernization Act of 2005,
which is Title XII, Subtitle A, of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct
2005).3 EPAct 2005 added a new section
215 to the FPA, which requires a
Commission-certified Electric
Reliability Organization (ERO) to
develop mandatory and enforceable
Reliability Standards, which are subject
to Commission review and approval.
Once approved, the Reliability
Standards may be enforced by the ERO
subject to Commission oversight, or the
Commission can independently enforce
Reliability Standards.4
On February 3, 2006, the Commission
issued Order No. 672, implementing
section 215 of the FPA.5 Pursuant to
Order No. 672, the Commission certified
one organization, the North American
Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC),
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. RD16–4–000]
Proposed Agency Information
Collection
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
The Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (Commission)
invites public comment in Docket No.
RD16–4–000 on a proposed change to a
collection of information (FERC–725M)
that the Commission is developing for
submission to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) 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; (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 automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology.
SUMMARY:
Comments regarding this
proposed information collection must
be received on or before July 5, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by
docket number, may be filed in the
following ways:
• Electronic Filing through https://
www.ferc.gov. Documents created
electronically using word processing
software should be filed in native
applications or print-to-PDF format and
not in a scanned format.
• Mail/Hand Delivery: Those unable
to file electronically may mail or handdeliver an original of their comments to:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Secretary of the Commission, 888 First
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ellen Brown may be reached by email
DATES:
PO 00000
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1 Reliability Standard FAC–003–3 was approved
in Order No. 785 in Docket No. RM12–16–000.
Revisions to Reliability Standard for Transmission
Vegetation Management, Order No. 777, 142 FERC
¶ 61,208 (2013). The associated reporting and
recordkeeping requirements in FAC–003–3 were
approved by OMB on Dec. 17, 2013, under FERC–
725M.
2 16 U.S.C. 824o (2012).
3 Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109–58, Title
XII, Subtitle A, 119 Stat. 594, 941 (codified at 16
U.S.C. 824o).
4 16 U.S.C. 824o(e)(3).
5 Rules Concerning Certification of the Electric
Reliability Organization; and Procedures for the
Establishment, Approval, and Enforcement of
Electric Reliability Standards, Order No. 672, FERC
Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,204, order on reh’g, Order No.
672–A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,212 (2006).
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
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26544
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 3, 2016 / Notices
as the ERO.6 The Reliability Standards
developed by the ERO and approved by
the Commission apply to users, owners
and operators of the Bulk-Power System
as set forth in each Reliability Standard.
On March 14, 2016, NERC filed a
petition for Commission approval of
proposed Reliability Standard FAC–
003–4 (Transmission Vegetation
Management). NERC states in its
petition that proposed Reliability
Standard FAC–003–4 reflects revisions
to the current Minimum Vegetation
Clearance Distances (MVCDs) in
Reliability Standard FAC–003–3 based
on additional testing regarding the
appropriate gap factor to be used to
calculate clearance distances for
vegetation. NERC explains that in
response to the Commission’s directive
as part of its approval of an earlier
version of the Reliability Standard,
FAC–003–2, NERC contracted with the
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
to conduct this testing.7 As NERC notes,
when the Commission approved
Reliability Standard FAC–003–2, the
Commission stated that ‘‘it is important
that NERC develop empirical evidence
that either confirms assumptions used
in calculating the MVCD values based
on the Gallet equation, or gives reason
to revisit the Reliability Standard.’’ 8
NERC states in its petition that
preliminary testing conducted by EPRI
indicated that the gap factor used to
calculate MVCDs should be adjusted.
NERC further explains that proposed
Reliability Standard FAC–003–4
proposes higher and more conservative
MVCD values, and therefore maintains
that these revisions will ‘‘enhance
reliability and provide additional
confidence by applying a more
conservative approach to determining
the vegetation clearing distances.’’ 9
NERC states that the revised clearances
as reflected in Table 2 were moved into
the text of the proposed Reliability
Standard, and that MVCD values were
added for elevations up to 15,000 feet,
but that no other substantive changes
were made to the currently-effective
Reliability Standard FAC–003–3.10
Type of Respondents: Transmission
Owner (TO); and Generator Owner (GO).
Estimate of Annual Burden.11 The
burden and cost estimates below are
based on the number of transmission
owners and generator owners as
reflected in NERC’s current registry (i.e.,
updated since the Commission’s
approval of earlier versions of FAC–
003).
Transmission owners and applicable
generator owners have a one-time
burden to review and modify existing
documentation, plans and procedures,
as well as an ongoing burden to retain
records. Our estimate of the number of
respondents affected is based on the
NERC Compliance Registry as of
February 25, 2016. According to the
Compliance Registry, NERC has
registered 320 transmission owners and
940 generator owners within the United
States, and we estimate that
approximately 10 percent (or 94) of the
registered generator owners have
interconnection facilities that meet the
requirements for applicability under the
new standard. The estimated annual
burden and cost of the new standard
follow.12
FERC–725M, CHANGES DUE TO FAC–003–4 IN DOCKET NO. RD16–4–000
Number of
respondents 14
Number of
responses per
respondent
Total number
of responses
Average burden hours
and cost per
response
Total annual burden
hours and cost
Total annual
cost per
respondent
(1)
Requirements/
Measures 13
(2)
(1)*(2)=(3)
(4)
(3)*(4)=(5)
($)
Strategies, documentation, processes, & procedures (M3) [onetime].
Record Retention (Compliance 1.2) [ongoing].
414
1
414
4 hrs.; $248.64 ...........
1,656 hrs.;
$102,936.96 [@
$62.16/hr.].
414
1
414
1 hr.; $31.76 ...............
414 hrs.; $13,148.64
[@$31.76/hr.].
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Total Net Change,
due to RD16–4.
828
6 North American Electric Reliability Corp., 116
FERC ¶ 61,062, order on reh’g and compliance, 117
FERC ¶ 61,126 (2006), order on compliance, 118
FERC ¶ 61,190, order on reh’g, 119 FERC ¶ 61,046
(2007), aff’d sub nom. Alcoa Inc. v. FERC, 564 F.3d
1342 (D.C. Cir. 2009).
7 NERC Petition at 7 (citing Order No. 777, 142
FERC ¶ 61,208 (2013)).
8 Order No. 777, 142 FERC ¶ 61,208 at P 3.
9 NERC Petition at 3.
10 Id. at 12, and n. 37 (describing certain nonsubstantive edits to the standard and
implementation plan as compared to the currentlyeffective version of the standard).
11 The Commission defines burden as the total
time, effort, or financial resources expended by
persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or
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$31.76
2,070 hrs.;
$116,085.60.
provide information to or for a federal agency. See
5 CFR 1320 for additional information on the
definition of information collection burden.
12 The estimates for cost per hour (for salary plus
benefits) are derived from the Bureau of Labor and
Statistics’ figures for May 2015 (at https://
www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm#11-0000
and benefits [updated March 10, 2016] at https://
www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm), as
follows:
• $62.16/hour for salary plus benefits [based on
the average for an electrical engineer (code 17–
2071, at $64.20/hour), a first-line supervisor of
forestry workers (code 45–1011, at $33.34/hour),
and a manager (code 11–0000, at $88.94/hour)]
• $31.76/hour, salary plus benefits for an
information and record clerk (code 43–4000).
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$248.64
13 The Order in Docket No. RD16–4 does not
modify the following requirements. However, due
to normal fluctuations in industry, the number of
respondents (TOs and GOs), in the submittal to
OMB will be updated as follows.
• The Quarterly Reporting (Compliance 1.4) is
required of 102 respondents (94 GOs and 8 Regional
Entities), rather than 96 respondents.
• The requirements for Annual Vegetation
Inspection Document (M6), annual vegetation work
plan (M7), evidence of management of vegetation
(M1 and M2), confirmed vegetation condition (M4),
and corrective action (M5) are required of 94
respondents (rather than 88).
14 We estimate a total of 414 respondents (320
TOs and 94 GOs) are affected.
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
03MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 3, 2016 / Notices
Dated: April 26, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
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.
[FR Doc. 2016–10259 Filed 5–2–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER16–1398–001]
Dated: April 26, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Provision Power & Gas, LLC;
Supplemental Notice That Initial
Market-Based Rate Filing Includes
Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization
[FR Doc. 2016–10258 Filed 5–2–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding of
Provision Power & Gas, 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
385.214). Anyone filing a motion to
intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant.
Notice is hereby given that the
deadline for filing protests with regard
to the applicant’s request for blanket
authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of
future issuances of securities and
assumptions of liability, is May 16,
2016.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:53 May 02, 2016
Jkt 238001
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 10624–025]
French Paper Company; Notice of
Intent To File License Application,
Filing of Pre-Application Document
(Pad), Commencement of Pre-Filing
Process, and Scoping; Request for
Comments on the Pad and Scoping
Document, and Identification of Issues
and Associated Study Requests
a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to
File License Application for a New
License and Commencing Pre-filing
Process.
b. Project No.: 10624–025.
c. Dated Filed: February 26, 2016.
d. Submitted By: French Paper
Company.
e. Name of Project: French Paper
Project.
f. Location: The French Paper Project
is located on the St. Joseph River in the
City of Niles, Michigan. The project
does not occupy federal land.
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR part 5 of
the Commission’s Regulations.
h. Potential Applicant Contact: Shane
Fenske, Vice President of Operations,
French Paper Company, 100 French
Street, Niles, Michigan 49120; (269)
683–1100; fenske@frenchpaper.com.
i. FERC Contact: Jay Summers at (202)
502–8764 or email at jay.summers@
ferc.gov.
j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, state,
local, and tribal agencies with
jurisdiction and/or special expertise
with respect to environmental issues
that wish to cooperate in the
preparation of the environmental
document should follow the
instructions for filing such requests
described in paragraph o below.
Cooperating agencies should note the
PO 00000
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26545
Commission’s policy that agencies that
cooperate in the preparation of the
environmental document cannot also
intervene. See 94 FERC ¶ 61,076 (2001).
k. With this notice, we are initiating
informal consultation with: (a) The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service and/or NOAA
Fisheries under section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act and the joint
agency regulations thereunder at 50 CFR
part 402 and (b) the State Historic
Preservation Officer, as required by
section 106, National Historic
Preservation Act, and the implementing
regulations of the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.
l. With this notice, we are designating
French Paper Company as the
Commission’s non-federal
representative for carrying out informal
consultation, pursuant to section 7 of
the Endangered Species Act and section
106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act.
m. French Paper Company filed with
the Commission a Pre-Application
Document (PAD; including a proposed
process plan and schedule), pursuant to
18 CFR 5.6 of the Commission’s
regulations.
n. A copy of the PAD is available for
review at the Commission in the Public
Reference Room or may be viewed on
the Commission’s Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov), using the ‘‘eLibrary’’
link. Enter the docket number,
excluding the last three digits in the
docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support at
FERCONlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866)
208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659
(TTY). A copy is also available for
inspection and reproduction at the
address in paragraph h.
Register online at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
esubscription.asp to be notified via
email of new filing and issuances
related to this or other pending projects.
For assistance, contact FERC Online
Support.
o. With this notice, we are soliciting
comments on the PAD and
Commission’s staff Scoping Document 1
(SD1), as well as study requests. All
comments on the PAD and SD1, and
study requests should be sent to the
address above in paragraph h. In
addition, all comments on the PAD and
SD1, study requests, requests for
cooperating agency status, and all
communications to and from
Commission staff related to the merits of
the potential application must be filed
with the Commission.
The Commission strongly encourages
electronic filing. Please file all
documents using the Commission’s
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26543-26545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10259]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. RD16-4-000]
Proposed Agency Information Collection
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) invites
public comment in Docket No. RD16-4-000 on a proposed change to a
collection of information (FERC-725M) that the Commission is developing
for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (a)
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether
the information shall have practical utility; (b) 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; (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
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection must be
received on or before July 5, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by docket number, may be filed in the
following ways:
Electronic Filing through https://www.ferc.gov. Documents
created electronically using word processing software should be filed
in native applications or print-to-PDF format and not in a scanned
format.
Mail/Hand Delivery: Those unable to file electronically
may mail or hand-deliver an original of their comments to: Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
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: The Commission will submit the reporting and
recordkeeping requirements of proposed Reliability Standard FAC-003-4
(Transmission Vegetation Management) to OMB for review. Proposed
Reliability Standard FAC-003-4 replaces the requirements from the
previous version of the Reliability Standard (FAC-003-3),\1\ which is
approved under FERC-725M (Mandatory Reliability Standards: Generator
Requirements at the Transmission Interface, OMB Control No. 1902-0263).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Reliability Standard FAC-003-3 was approved in Order No. 785
in Docket No. RM12-16-000. Revisions to Reliability Standard for
Transmission Vegetation Management, Order No. 777, 142 FERC ] 61,208
(2013). The associated reporting and recordkeeping requirements in
FAC-003-3 were approved by OMB on Dec. 17, 2013, under FERC-725M.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type of Request: Three-year approval of the revised FERC-725M
information collection requirements with the stated changes to the
current reporting and record retention requirements.
Abstract: The Commission requires the information collected by the
FERC-725M to implement the statutory provisions of section 215 of the
Federal Power Act (FPA).\2\ On August 8, 2005, Congress enacted into
law the Electricity Modernization Act of 2005, which is Title XII,
Subtitle A, of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005).\3\ EPAct
2005 added a new section 215 to the FPA, which requires a Commission-
certified Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to develop mandatory
and enforceable Reliability Standards, which are subject to Commission
review and approval. Once approved, the Reliability Standards may be
enforced by the ERO subject to Commission oversight, or the Commission
can independently enforce Reliability Standards.\4\
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\2\ 16 U.S.C. 824o (2012).
\3\ Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-58, Title XII,
Subtitle A, 119 Stat. 594, 941 (codified at 16 U.S.C. 824o).
\4\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(e)(3).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On February 3, 2006, the Commission issued Order No. 672,
implementing section 215 of the FPA.\5\ Pursuant to Order No. 672, the
Commission certified one organization, the North American Electric
Reliability Corporation (NERC),
[[Page 26544]]
as the ERO.\6\ The Reliability Standards developed by the ERO and
approved by the Commission apply to users, owners and operators of the
Bulk-Power System as set forth in each Reliability Standard.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Rules Concerning Certification of the Electric Reliability
Organization; and Procedures for the Establishment, Approval, and
Enforcement of Electric Reliability Standards, Order No. 672, FERC
Stats. & Regs. ] 31,204, order on reh'g, Order No. 672-A, FERC
Stats. & Regs. ] 31,212 (2006).
\6\ North American Electric Reliability Corp., 116 FERC ]
61,062, order on reh'g and compliance, 117 FERC ] 61,126 (2006),
order on compliance, 118 FERC ] 61,190, order on reh'g, 119 FERC ]
61,046 (2007), aff'd sub nom. Alcoa Inc. v. FERC, 564 F.3d 1342
(D.C. Cir. 2009).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On March 14, 2016, NERC filed a petition for Commission approval of
proposed Reliability Standard FAC-003-4 (Transmission Vegetation
Management). NERC states in its petition that proposed Reliability
Standard FAC-003-4 reflects revisions to the current Minimum Vegetation
Clearance Distances (MVCDs) in Reliability Standard FAC-003-3 based on
additional testing regarding the appropriate gap factor to be used to
calculate clearance distances for vegetation. NERC explains that in
response to the Commission's directive as part of its approval of an
earlier version of the Reliability Standard, FAC-003-2, NERC contracted
with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to conduct this
testing.\7\ As NERC notes, when the Commission approved Reliability
Standard FAC-003-2, the Commission stated that ``it is important that
NERC develop empirical evidence that either confirms assumptions used
in calculating the MVCD values based on the Gallet equation, or gives
reason to revisit the Reliability Standard.'' \8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ NERC Petition at 7 (citing Order No. 777, 142 FERC ] 61,208
(2013)).
\8\ Order No. 777, 142 FERC ] 61,208 at P 3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NERC states in its petition that preliminary testing conducted by
EPRI indicated that the gap factor used to calculate MVCDs should be
adjusted. NERC further explains that proposed Reliability Standard FAC-
003-4 proposes higher and more conservative MVCD values, and therefore
maintains that these revisions will ``enhance reliability and provide
additional confidence by applying a more conservative approach to
determining the vegetation clearing distances.'' \9\ NERC states that
the revised clearances as reflected in Table 2 were moved into the text
of the proposed Reliability Standard, and that MVCD values were added
for elevations up to 15,000 feet, but that no other substantive changes
were made to the currently-effective Reliability Standard FAC-003-
3.\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ NERC Petition at 3.
\10\ Id. at 12, and n. 37 (describing certain non-substantive
edits to the standard and implementation plan as compared to the
currently-effective version of the standard).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type of Respondents: Transmission Owner (TO); and Generator Owner
(GO).
Estimate of Annual Burden.\11\ The burden and cost estimates below
are based on the number of transmission owners and generator owners as
reflected in NERC's current registry (i.e., updated since the
Commission's approval of earlier versions of FAC-003).
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\11\ 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. See 5 CFR 1320 for additional information on the definition
of information collection burden.
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Transmission owners and applicable generator owners have a one-time
burden to review and modify existing documentation, plans and
procedures, as well as an ongoing burden to retain records. Our
estimate of the number of respondents affected is based on the NERC
Compliance Registry as of February 25, 2016. According to the
Compliance Registry, NERC has registered 320 transmission owners and
940 generator owners within the United States, and we estimate that
approximately 10 percent (or 94) of the registered generator owners
have interconnection facilities that meet the requirements for
applicability under the new standard. The estimated annual burden and
cost of the new standard follow.\12\
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\12\ The estimates for cost per hour (for salary plus benefits)
are derived from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics' figures for May
2015 (at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm#11-0000 and
benefits [updated March 10, 2016] at https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm), as follows:
$62.16/hour for salary plus benefits [based on the
average for an electrical engineer (code 17-2071, at $64.20/hour), a
first-line supervisor of forestry workers (code 45-1011, at $33.34/
hour), and a manager (code 11-0000, at $88.94/hour)]
$31.76/hour, salary plus benefits for an information
and record clerk (code 43-4000).
\13\ The Order in Docket No. RD16-4 does not modify the
following requirements. However, due to normal fluctuations in
industry, the number of respondents (TOs and GOs), in the submittal
to OMB will be updated as follows.
The Quarterly Reporting (Compliance 1.4) is required of
102 respondents (94 GOs and 8 Regional Entities), rather than 96
respondents.
The requirements for Annual Vegetation Inspection
Document (M6), annual vegetation work plan (M7), evidence of
management of vegetation (M1 and M2), confirmed vegetation condition
(M4), and corrective action (M5) are required of 94 respondents
(rather than 88).
\14\ We estimate a total of 414 respondents (320 TOs and 94 GOs)
are affected.
FERC-725M, Changes Due to FAC-003-4 in Docket No. RD16-4-000
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Number of Number of Total annual
Requirements/ Measures \13\ respondents responses per Total number Average burden hours and Total annual burden cost per
\14\ respondent of responses cost per response hours and cost respondent
(1) (2) (1)*(2)=(3) (4)..................... (3)*(4)=(5)............ ($)
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Strategies, documentation, processes, 414 1 414 4 hrs.; $248.64......... 1,656 hrs.; $102,936.96 $248.64
& procedures (M3) [one-time]. [@$62.16/hr.].
Record Retention (Compliance 1.2) 414 1 414 1 hr.; $31.76........... 414 hrs.; $13,148.64 $31.76
[ongoing]. [@$31.76/hr.].
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Total Net Change, due to RD16-4.. 828 2,070 hrs.; $116,085.60
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[[Page 26545]]
Dated: April 26, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-10259 Filed 5-2-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
