Notice Reporting Costs for Other Federal Agencies' Administrative Annual Charges for Fiscal Year 2018; Billing Procedures for Annual Charges for the Costs of Other Federal Agencies for Administering Part I of the Federal Power Act, 35380-35381 [2019-15580]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 23, 2019 / Notices
organized by race/ethnicity, gender,
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subpopulations of students and to
monitor progress over time. The nature
of NAEP is that burden alternates from
a relatively low burden in national-level
administration years to a substantial
burden increase in state-level
administration years when the sample
has to allow for estimates for individual
states and some of the large urban
districts. The request to conduct NAEP
2019 and 2020 was approved in
September 2018 with the latest update
to the NAEP 2020 plan, consisting of the
Long Term Trend (LTT) assessment to
be conducted during the 2019–20 school
year, approved in June 2019 (OMB#
1850–0928 v.10–15). The LTT
assessments are based on nationally
representative samples of 9-, 13-, and
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NAEP since the early 1970s to provide
measures of students’ educational
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for analyses of national trends in
students’ performance in mathematics
and reading. NAEP 2019 data collection
has been concluded. This request
updates for the 2019–2020 LTT: (a)
Communication materials, (b)
instructions for entering student
information, and (c) the SD and ELL
section of the MyNAEP System, and
provides for the 2019–2020 LTT: (d) The
Spanish Bilingual Student
Questionnaires translated from the
approved in June 2019 (OMB# 1850–
0928 v.15) English-language versions of
the LTT Student Questionnaires.
Dated: July 17, 2019.
Kate Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Information Collection
Clearance Program, Information Management
Branch, Office of the Chief Information
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019–15557 Filed 7–22–19; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. AD19–5–000]
Notice Reporting Costs for Other
Federal Agencies’ Administrative
Annual Charges for Fiscal Year 2018;
Billing Procedures for Annual Charges
for the Costs of Other Federal
Agencies for Administering Part I of
the Federal Power Act
1. The Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (Commission) is required
to determine the reasonableness of costs
incurred by other Federal agencies
(OFAs) 1 in connection with their
participation in the Commission’s
proceedings under the Federal Power
Act (FPA) Part I 2 when those agencies
seek to include such costs in the
administrative charges licensees must
pay to reimburse the United States for
the cost of administering Part I.3 The
Commission’s Order on Remand and
Acting on Appeals of Annual Charge
Bills 4 determined which costs are
eligible to be included in the
administrative annual charges. This
order also established a process
whereby the Commission would
annually request each OFA to submit
cost data, using a form 5 specifically
designed for this purpose. In addition,
the order established requirements for
detailed cost accounting reports and
other documented analyses to explain
the cost assumptions contained in the
OFAs’ submissions.
2. The Commission has completed its
review of the forms and supporting
documentation submitted by the U.S.
Department of the Interior (Interior), the
U.S. Department of Agriculture
(Agriculture), and the U.S. Department
of Commerce (Commerce) for fiscal year
(FY) 2018. This notice reports the costs
the Commission included in its
administrative annual charges for FY
2019.
1 The OFAs include: The U.S. Department of the
Interior (Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land
Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park
Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of
the Solicitor, Office of Environmental Policy &
Compliance, Office of Hearings and Appeals, and
Office of Policy Analysis); the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service); the U.S.
Department of Commerce (National Marine
Fisheries Service); and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
2 16 U.S.C. 791a–823d (2012).
3 See id. 803(e)(1) and 42 U.S.C. 7178.
4 107 FERC 61,277, order on reh’g, 109 FERC
61,040 (2004).
5 Other Federal Agency Cost Submission Form,
available at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
forms.asp#ofa.
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4703
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Scope of Eligible Costs
3. The basis for eligible costs that
should be included in the OFAs’
administrative annual charges is
prescribed by the Office of Management
and Budget’s (OMB) Circular A–25—
User Charges and the Federal
Accounting Standards Advisory Board’s
Statement of Federal Financial
Accounting Standards (SFFAS) Number
4—Managerial Cost Accounting
Concepts and Standards for the Federal
Government. Circular A–25 establishes
Federal policy regarding fees assessed
for government services and provides
specific information on the scope and
type of activities subject to user charges.
SFFAS Number 4 provides a conceptual
framework for federal agencies to
determine the full costs of government
goods and services.
4. Circular A–25 provides for user
charges to be assessed against recipients
of special benefits derived from federal
activities beyond those received by the
general public.6 With regard to
licensees, the special benefit derived
from federal activities is the license to
operate a hydropower project. The
guidance provides for the assessment of
sufficient user charges to recover the full
costs of services associated with these
special benefits.7 SFFAS Number 4
defines full costs as the costs of
resources consumed by a specific
governmental unit that contribute
directly or indirectly to a provided
service.8 Thus, pursuant to OMB
requirements and authoritative
accounting guidance, the Commission
must base its OFA administrative
annual charge on all direct and indirect
costs incurred by agencies in
administering Part I of the FPA. The
special form the Commission designed
for this purpose, the ‘‘Other Federal
Agency Cost Submission Form,’’
captures the full range of costs
recoverable under the FPA and the
referenced accounting guidance.9
Commission Review of OFA Cost
Submittals
5. The Commission received cost
forms and other supporting
documentation from the Departments of
the Interior, Agriculture, and
Commerce. The Commission completed
a review of each OFA’s cost submission
forms and supporting reports. In its
examination of the OFAs’ cost data, the
6 OMB
Circular A–25 6.
Circular A–25 6.a.2.
8 SFFAS Number 4 7.
9 For the past few years, the form has excluded
Other Direct Costs to avoid the possibility of
confusion that occurred in earlier years as to
whether costs were being entered twice as Other
Direct Costs and Overhead.
7 OMB
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35381
Commission considered each agency’s
ability to demonstrate a system or
process which effectively captured,
isolated, and reported FPA Part I costs
as required by the Other Federal Agency
Cost Submission Form.
6. The Commission held a Technical
Conference on March 28, 2019 to report
its initial findings to licensees and
OFAs. Representatives for several
licensees and most of the OFAs
attended the conference. Following the
technical conference, a transcript was
posted, and licensees had the
opportunity to submit comments to the
Commission regarding its initial review.
7. Idaho Falls Group (Idaho Falls)
filed written comments,10 stating its
general support of the Commission’s
analysis but raising questions regarding
certain various individual cost
submissions. These issues are addressed
in the Appendix to this notice.
8. After additional review, full
consideration of the comments
presented, and in accordance with the
previously cited guidance, the
Commission accepted as reasonable any
costs reported via the cost submission
forms that were clearly documented in
the OFAs’ accompanying reports and/or
analyses. These documented costs will
be included in the administrative
annual charges for FY 2019.
9. Figure 1 summarizes the total
reported costs incurred by Interior,
Agriculture, and Commerce with respect
to their participation in administering
Part I of the FPA. Additionally, Figure
1 summarizes the reported costs that the
Commission determined were clearly
documented and accepted for inclusion
in its FY 2019 administrative annual
charges.
documented and supported could be
traced to detailed cost-accounting
reports, which reconciled to data
provided from agency financial systems
or other pertinent source
documentation. A further breakdown of
these costs is included in the Appendix
to this notice, along with an explanation
of how the Commission determined
their reasonableness.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Summary Findings of Commission’s
Costs Review
Points of Contact
10. As presented in Figure 1, the
Commission has determined that
$6,326,904 of the $6,455,528 in total
reported costs were reasonable and
clearly documented in the OFAs’
accompanying reports and/or analyses.
Based on this finding, 2% of the total
reported cost was determined to be
unreasonable. The Commission notes
the most significant issue with the
documentation provided by the OFAs
was the lack of supporting
documentation to substantiate costs
reported on the ‘‘Other Federal Agency
Cost Submission Form.’’
11. The cost reports that the
Commission determined were clearly
12. If you have any questions
regarding this notice, please contact
Norman Richardson at (202) 502–6219
or Raven Rodriguez at (202) 502–6276.
Dated: July 17, 2019.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019–15580 Filed 7–22–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
Summary of Reported & Accepted Costs
for Fiscal Year 2018
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 2698–110]
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Notice of
Application Accepted for Filing,
Soliciting Comments, Motions To
Intervene, and Protests
Take notice that the following
hydroelectric application has been filed
with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission and is available for public
inspection:
a. Type of Application: Temporary
variance from reservoir level (Article
401) requirements to conduct spillway
upgrade work.
b. Project No: 2698–110.
c. Date Filed: July 9, 2019.
d. Applicant: Duke Energy Carolinas,
LLC (licensee).
e. Name of Project: East Fork
Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: The project is located on
the East Fork of the Tuckasegee River in
Jackson County, North Carolina.
10 See Letter from Sharon L. White, Van Ness
Feldman, to the Honorable Kimberly D. Bose, FERC,
Docket No. AD19–5–000 (filed April 30, 2019).
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 23, 2019 / Notices
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35380-35381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15580]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. AD19-5-000]
Notice Reporting Costs for Other Federal Agencies' Administrative
Annual Charges for Fiscal Year 2018; Billing Procedures for Annual
Charges for the Costs of Other Federal Agencies for Administering Part
I of the Federal Power Act
1. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is
required to determine the reasonableness of costs incurred by other
Federal agencies (OFAs) \1\ in connection with their participation in
the Commission's proceedings under the Federal Power Act (FPA) Part I
\2\ when those agencies seek to include such costs in the
administrative charges licensees must pay to reimburse the United
States for the cost of administering Part I.\3\ The Commission's Order
on Remand and Acting on Appeals of Annual Charge Bills \4\ determined
which costs are eligible to be included in the administrative annual
charges. This order also established a process whereby the Commission
would annually request each OFA to submit cost data, using a form \5\
specifically designed for this purpose. In addition, the order
established requirements for detailed cost accounting reports and other
documented analyses to explain the cost assumptions contained in the
OFAs' submissions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The OFAs include: The U.S. Department of the Interior
(Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of
Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Office of the Solicitor, Office of Environmental Policy &
Compliance, Office of Hearings and Appeals, and Office of Policy
Analysis); the U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service);
the U.S. Department of Commerce (National Marine Fisheries Service);
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
\2\ 16 U.S.C. 791a-823d (2012).
\3\ See id. 803(e)(1) and 42 U.S.C. 7178.
\4\ 107 FERC 61,277, order on reh'g, 109 FERC 61,040 (2004).
\5\ Other Federal Agency Cost Submission Form, available at
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/forms.asp#ofa.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The Commission has completed its review of the forms and
supporting documentation submitted by the U.S. Department of the
Interior (Interior), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Agriculture),
and the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) for fiscal year (FY)
2018. This notice reports the costs the Commission included in its
administrative annual charges for FY 2019.
Scope of Eligible Costs
3. The basis for eligible costs that should be included in the
OFAs' administrative annual charges is prescribed by the Office of
Management and Budget's (OMB) Circular A-25--User Charges and the
Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board's Statement of Federal
Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) Number 4--Managerial Cost
Accounting Concepts and Standards for the Federal Government. Circular
A-25 establishes Federal policy regarding fees assessed for government
services and provides specific information on the scope and type of
activities subject to user charges. SFFAS Number 4 provides a
conceptual framework for federal agencies to determine the full costs
of government goods and services.
4. Circular A-25 provides for user charges to be assessed against
recipients of special benefits derived from federal activities beyond
those received by the general public.\6\ With regard to licensees, the
special benefit derived from federal activities is the license to
operate a hydropower project. The guidance provides for the assessment
of sufficient user charges to recover the full costs of services
associated with these special benefits.\7\ SFFAS Number 4 defines full
costs as the costs of resources consumed by a specific governmental
unit that contribute directly or indirectly to a provided service.\8\
Thus, pursuant to OMB requirements and authoritative accounting
guidance, the Commission must base its OFA administrative annual charge
on all direct and indirect costs incurred by agencies in administering
Part I of the FPA. The special form the Commission designed for this
purpose, the ``Other Federal Agency Cost Submission Form,'' captures
the full range of costs recoverable under the FPA and the referenced
accounting guidance.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ OMB Circular A-25 6.
\7\ OMB Circular A-25 6.a.2.
\8\ SFFAS Number 4 7.
\9\ For the past few years, the form has excluded Other Direct
Costs to avoid the possibility of confusion that occurred in earlier
years as to whether costs were being entered twice as Other Direct
Costs and Overhead.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commission Review of OFA Cost Submittals
5. The Commission received cost forms and other supporting
documentation from the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and
Commerce. The Commission completed a review of each OFA's cost
submission forms and supporting reports. In its examination of the
OFAs' cost data, the
[[Page 35381]]
Commission considered each agency's ability to demonstrate a system or
process which effectively captured, isolated, and reported FPA Part I
costs as required by the Other Federal Agency Cost Submission Form.
6. The Commission held a Technical Conference on March 28, 2019 to
report its initial findings to licensees and OFAs. Representatives for
several licensees and most of the OFAs attended the conference.
Following the technical conference, a transcript was posted, and
licensees had the opportunity to submit comments to the Commission
regarding its initial review.
7. Idaho Falls Group (Idaho Falls) filed written comments,\10\
stating its general support of the Commission's analysis but raising
questions regarding certain various individual cost submissions. These
issues are addressed in the Appendix to this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ See Letter from Sharon L. White, Van Ness Feldman, to the
Honorable Kimberly D. Bose, FERC, Docket No. AD19-5-000 (filed April
30, 2019).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. After additional review, full consideration of the comments
presented, and in accordance with the previously cited guidance, the
Commission accepted as reasonable any costs reported via the cost
submission forms that were clearly documented in the OFAs' accompanying
reports and/or analyses. These documented costs will be included in the
administrative annual charges for FY 2019.
Summary of Reported & Accepted Costs for Fiscal Year 2018
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN23JY19.000
9. Figure 1 summarizes the total reported costs incurred by
Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce with respect to their participation
in administering Part I of the FPA. Additionally, Figure 1 summarizes
the reported costs that the Commission determined were clearly
documented and accepted for inclusion in its FY 2019 administrative
annual charges.
Summary Findings of Commission's Costs Review
10. As presented in Figure 1, the Commission has determined that
$6,326,904 of the $6,455,528 in total reported costs were reasonable
and clearly documented in the OFAs' accompanying reports and/or
analyses. Based on this finding, 2% of the total reported cost was
determined to be unreasonable. The Commission notes the most
significant issue with the documentation provided by the OFAs was the
lack of supporting documentation to substantiate costs reported on the
``Other Federal Agency Cost Submission Form.''
11. The cost reports that the Commission determined were clearly
documented and supported could be traced to detailed cost-accounting
reports, which reconciled to data provided from agency financial
systems or other pertinent source documentation. A further breakdown of
these costs is included in the Appendix to this notice, along with an
explanation of how the Commission determined their reasonableness.
Points of Contact
12. If you have any questions regarding this notice, please contact
Norman Richardson at (202) 502-6219 or Raven Rodriguez at (202) 502-
6276.
Dated: July 17, 2019.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-15580 Filed 7-22-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
