Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 2 and 2-A; Comment Request; Extension, 23954-23955 [2020-09173]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 84 / Thursday, April 30, 2020 / Notices
intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions
to intervene are more fully described at
https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/
how-to/intervene.asp. Only intervenors
have the right to seek rehearing or
judicial review of the Commission’s
decision. The Commission may grant
affected landowners and others with
environmental concerns intervenor
status upon showing good cause by
stating that they have a clear and direct
interest in this proceeding which no
other party can adequately represent.
Simply filing environmental comments
will not give you intervenor status, but
you do not need intervenor status to
have your comments considered.
Additional information about the
Amendment is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC
website (www.ferc.gov) using the
eLibrary link. The eLibrary link also
provides access to the texts of formal
documents issued by the Commission,
such as orders, notices, and
rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a
free service called eSubscription that
allows you to keep track of all formal
issuances and submittals in specific
dockets. This can reduce the amount of
time you spend researching proceedings
by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document
summaries, and direct links to the
documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/
docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
Dated: April 24, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–09174 Filed 4–29–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. IC20–10–000]
Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC Form Nos. 2 and 2–A;
Comment Request; Extension
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of information collection
and request for comments.
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) is soliciting
public comment on the currently
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:56 Apr 29, 2020
Jkt 250001
approved information collection, FERC
Form No. 2 (Annual Report for Major
Natural Gas Companies) and FERC Form
No. 2–A (Annual Report for Non-Major
Natural Gas Companies).1
DATES: Comments on the collection of
information are due June 29, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
(identified by Docket No. IC20–10–000)
by either of the following methods:
• eFiling at Commission’s website:
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
efiling.asp
• Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Secretary of the Commission, at Health
and Human Services, 12225 Wilkins
Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Instructions: All submissions must be
formatted and filed in accordance with
submission guidelines at: https://
www.ferc.gov/help/submissionguide.asp. For user assistance, contact
FERC Online Support by email at
ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or by phone
at: (866) 208–3676 (toll-free).
Docket: Users interested in receiving
automatic notification of activity in this
docket or in viewing/downloading
comments and issuances in this docket
may do so at https://www.ferc.gov/docsfiling/docs-filing.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ellen Brown may be reached by email
at DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone
at (202) 502–8663.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC Form No. 2, Annual
Report for Major Natural Gas
Companies; OMB Control No. 1902–
0028.
FERC Form No. 2–A, Annual Report
for Non-Major Natural Gas Companies;
OMB Control No. 1902–0030.
OMB Control No.: 1902–0028, 1902–
0030.
Type of Request: Three-year extension
of the FERC Form No. 2 and FERC Form
No. 2–A information collection
requirements without a change to the
current reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Abstract: Pursuant to sections 8, 10
and 14 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA),
(15 U.S.C. 717g–717m), the Commission
is authorized to conduct investigations
and collect and record data, and to
prescribe rules and regulations
concerning accounts, records and
memoranda as necessary or appropriate
1 FERC Form Nos. 2 and 2–A are part of the
‘‘Forms Refresh’’ effort, which is a separate activity
and not addressed here. See Revisions to the Filing
Process for Commission Forms, 166 FERC ¶ 61,027
(2019) (started in Docket No. AD15–11–000 and
ongoing in Docket No. RM19–12–000). OMB issued
its decisions on the proposed changes in the Forms
Refresh Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in Docket
RM19–12–000 on March 14, 2019.
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Frm 00013
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
for purposes of administering the NGA.
The Commission may prescribe a
system of accounts for jurisdictional
companies and, after notice and
opportunity for hearing, may determine
the accounts in which particular outlays
and receipts will be entered, charged or
credited.
The Commission collects FERC Form
Nos. 2 and 2–A information as
prescribed in 18 CFR 260.1 and 18 CFR
260.2. These forms provide information
concerning a company’s current
performance, compiled using the
Commission’s Uniform System of
Account (USoA).2 FERC Form No. 2 is
filed by ‘‘Major’’ natural gas companies
that have combined natural gas
transported or stored for a fee that
exceeds 50 million Dekatherms in each
of the three previous calendar years.
FERC Form No. 2–A is filed by ‘‘NonMajor’’ natural gas companies that do
not meet the filing threshold for the
FERC Form No. 2, but have total gas
sales or volume transactions that
exceeds 200,000 Dekatherms in each of
the three previous calendar years.
The forms provide information
concerning a company’s financial and
operational information. The forms
contain schedules which include a basic
set of financial statements: Comparative
Balance Sheet, Statement of Income and
Retained Earnings, Statement of Cash
Flows, and the Statement of
Comprehensive Income and Hedging
Activities. Supporting schedules
containing supplementary information
are filed, including revenues and the
related quantities of products sold or
transported; account balances for
various operating and maintenance
expenses; selected plant cost data; and
other information.
The information collected assists the
Commission in the administration of its
jurisdictional responsibilities and is
used by Commission staff, state
regulatory agencies, customers, financial
analysts and others in the review of the
financial condition of regulated
companies. The information is also used
in various rate proceedings, industry
analyses and in the Commission’s audit
programs and as appropriate, for the
computation of annual charges. The
information is made available to the
public, interveners and all interested
parties to assist in the proceedings
before the Commission. For financial
information to be useful to the
Commission, it must be understandable,
relevant, reliable and timely. The Form
Nos. 2 and 2–A financial statements are
2 See 18 CFR part 201 (Uniform System of
Accounts Prescribed for Natural Gas Companies
Subject to the Provisions of the Natural Gas Act).
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 84 / Thursday, April 30, 2020 / Notices
prepared in accordance with the
Commission’s USofA and related
regulations, and provide data that
enables the Commission to develop and
monitor cost-based rates, analyze costs
of different services and classes of
assets, and compare costs across lines of
business. The use of the USofA permits
natural gas companies to account for
similar transactions and events in a
consistent manner, and to communicate
those results to the Commission on a
periodic basis. Comparability of data
Information
collection
(FERC Form
No.)
Annual
number of
responses per
respondent
Total number
of responses
Average burden & cost
per response
Total annual burden hours &
cost 5
Annual
cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
(2)
(1)*(2)=(3)
(4)
(3)*(4)=(5)
(5)÷(1)
1,671.66 hrs.; $133,733 ......
296 hrs.; $23,680 ................
167,166 hrs.; 13,373,280 ....
23,976 hrs.; 1,918,080 ........
100
81
1
1
100
81
133,733
23,680
figure in this column is rounded to the nearest dollar.
Comments: Comments are invited on:
(1) Whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden and cost of the collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility
and clarity of the information collection;
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of
the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Dated: April 24, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–09173 Filed 4–29–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
pipeline’s rates remain just and
reasonable, respond to Congressional
and outside inquires, and make
decisions in a timely manner.
Type of Respondent: Major and NonMajor Natural Gas Companies.
Estimate of Annual Burden 3: The
Commission estimates the annual public
reporting burden and cost 4 for the
information collection as shown in the
following table:
Number of
respondents
2 ...................
2–A ..............
5 Every
and financial statement analysis for a
particular entity from one period to the
next, or between entities, within the
same industry, would be difficult to
achieve if each company maintained its
own accounting records using dissimilar
accounting methods and classifications
to record similar transactions and
events.
In summary, without the information
collected in the forms, it would be
difficult for the Commission to ensure,
as required by the NGA, that a
23955
3 Burden is defined 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
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18:56 Apr 29, 2020
Jkt 250001
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. AD20–3–000]
Review of Cost Submittals by Other
Federal Agencies for Administering
Part I of the Federal Power Act; Notice
Requesting Questions and Comments
on Fiscal Year 2019 Other Federal
Agency Cost Submissions
In its Order On Rehearing
Consolidating Administrative Annual
Charges Bill Appeals And Modifying
Annual Charges Billing Procedures, 109
FERC ¶ 61,040 (2004) (October 8 Order),
the Commission set forth an annual
process for Other Federal Agencies
(OFAs) to submit their costs related to
Administering Part I of the Federal
Power Act. Pursuant to the established
process, the Chief of Financial
Operations, Financial Management
Division, Office of the Executive
Director, on October 4, 2019, issued a
letter requesting the OFAs to submit
their costs by December 31, 2019 using
the OFA Cost Submission Form.
Upon receipt of the agency
submissions, the Commission posted
the information in eLibrary, and issued,
on March 12, 2020, a notice announcing
the date for a technical conference to
review the submitted costs. On March
26, 2020 the Commission held the
technical conference. Technical
conference transcripts, submitted cost
collection burden, refer to 5 Code of Federal
Regulations 1320.3.
4 The Commission staff believes the FERC FTE
(full-time equivalent) average cost for wages plus
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
forms, and detailed supporting
documents are all available for review
under Docket No. AD20–3. These
documents are accessible on-line at
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. At this time, the Commission
has suspended access to the
Commission’s Public Reference Room,
due to the proclamation declaring a
National Emergency concerning the
Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID–19),
issued by the President on March 13,
2020. For assistance, contact the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
toll-free, (886) 208–3676 or TYY, (202)
502–8659.
Interested parties may file specific
questions and comments on the FY 2019
OFA cost submissions with the
Commission under Docket No. AD20–3,
no later than May 8, 2020. Once filed,
the Commission will forward the
questions and comments to the OFAs
for response.
Anyone with questions pertaining to
the technical conference or this notice
should contact Raven A. Rodriguez at
(202) 502–6276 (via email at
raven.rodriguez@ferc.gov).
Dated: April 24, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–09191 Filed 4–29–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
benefits is representative of the corresponding cost
for the industry respondents.. Based upon the
FERC’s 2019 average cost for salary plus benefits,
the average hourly cost is $80/hour.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 84 (Thursday, April 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23954-23955]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09173]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC20-10-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 2
and 2-A; Comment Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved
information collection, FERC Form No. 2 (Annual Report for Major
Natural Gas Companies) and FERC Form No. 2-A (Annual Report for Non-
Major Natural Gas Companies).\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ FERC Form Nos. 2 and 2-A are part of the ``Forms Refresh''
effort, which is a separate activity and not addressed here. See
Revisions to the Filing Process for Commission Forms, 166 FERC ]
61,027 (2019) (started in Docket No. AD15-11-000 and ongoing in
Docket No. RM19-12-000). OMB issued its decisions on the proposed
changes in the Forms Refresh Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in Docket
RM19-12-000 on March 14, 2019.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 29, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC20-10-
000) by either of the following methods:
eFiling at Commission's website: https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp
Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, at Health and Human Services,
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
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 [email protected], or by phone at: (866) 208-3676
(toll-free).
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
[email protected], telephone at (202) 502-8663.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC Form No. 2, Annual Report for Major Natural Gas
Companies; OMB Control No. 1902-0028.
FERC Form No. 2-A, Annual Report for Non-Major Natural Gas
Companies; OMB Control No. 1902-0030.
OMB Control No.: 1902-0028, 1902-0030.
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC Form No. 2 and
FERC Form No. 2-A information collection requirements without a change
to the current reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Abstract: Pursuant to sections 8, 10 and 14 of the Natural Gas Act
(NGA), (15 U.S.C. 717g-717m), the Commission is authorized to conduct
investigations and collect and record data, and to prescribe rules and
regulations concerning accounts, records and memoranda as necessary or
appropriate for purposes of administering the NGA. The Commission may
prescribe a system of accounts for jurisdictional companies and, after
notice and opportunity for hearing, may determine the accounts in which
particular outlays and receipts will be entered, charged or credited.
The Commission collects FERC Form Nos. 2 and 2-A information as
prescribed in 18 CFR 260.1 and 18 CFR 260.2. These forms provide
information concerning a company's current performance, compiled using
the Commission's Uniform System of Account (USoA).\2\ FERC Form No. 2
is filed by ``Major'' natural gas companies that have combined natural
gas transported or stored for a fee that exceeds 50 million Dekatherms
in each of the three previous calendar years. FERC Form No. 2-A is
filed by ``Non-Major'' natural gas companies that do not meet the
filing threshold for the FERC Form No. 2, but have total gas sales or
volume transactions that exceeds 200,000 Dekatherms in each of the
three previous calendar years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ See 18 CFR part 201 (Uniform System of Accounts Prescribed
for Natural Gas Companies Subject to the Provisions of the Natural
Gas Act).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The forms provide information concerning a company's financial and
operational information. The forms contain schedules which include a
basic set of financial statements: Comparative Balance Sheet, Statement
of Income and Retained Earnings, Statement of Cash Flows, and the
Statement of Comprehensive Income and Hedging Activities. Supporting
schedules containing supplementary information are filed, including
revenues and the related quantities of products sold or transported;
account balances for various operating and maintenance expenses;
selected plant cost data; and other information.
The information collected assists the Commission in the
administration of its jurisdictional responsibilities and is used by
Commission staff, state regulatory agencies, customers, financial
analysts and others in the review of the financial condition of
regulated companies. The information is also used in various rate
proceedings, industry analyses and in the Commission's audit programs
and as appropriate, for the computation of annual charges. The
information is made available to the public, interveners and all
interested parties to assist in the proceedings before the Commission.
For financial information to be useful to the Commission, it must be
understandable, relevant, reliable and timely. The Form Nos. 2 and 2-A
financial statements are
[[Page 23955]]
prepared in accordance with the Commission's USofA and related
regulations, and provide data that enables the Commission to develop
and monitor cost-based rates, analyze costs of different services and
classes of assets, and compare costs across lines of business. The use
of the USofA permits natural gas companies to account for similar
transactions and events in a consistent manner, and to communicate
those results to the Commission on a periodic basis. Comparability of
data and financial statement analysis for a particular entity from one
period to the next, or between entities, within the same industry,
would be difficult to achieve if each company maintained its own
accounting records using dissimilar accounting methods and
classifications to record similar transactions and events.
In summary, without the information collected in the forms, it
would be difficult for the Commission to ensure, as required by the
NGA, that a pipeline's rates remain just and reasonable, respond to
Congressional and outside inquires, and make decisions in a timely
manner.
Type of Respondent: Major and Non-Major Natural Gas Companies.
Estimate of Annual Burden \3\: The Commission estimates the annual
public reporting burden and cost \4\ for the information collection as
shown in the following table:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Burden is defined 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, refer to 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.
\4\ The Commission staff believes the FERC FTE (full-time
equivalent) average cost for wages plus benefits is representative
of the corresponding cost for the industry respondents.. Based upon
the FERC's 2019 average cost for salary plus benefits, the average
hourly cost is $80/hour.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual cost
Information collection (FERC Number of Annual number Total number Average burden & cost per Total annual burden hours & per
Form No.) respondents of responses of responses response cost \5\ respondent
per respondent ($)
(1) (2) (1)*(2)=(3) (4)......................... (3)*(4)=(5)................ (5)/(1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2............................ 100 1 100 1,671.66 hrs.; $133,733..... 167,166 hrs.; 13,373,280... 133,733
2-A.......................... 81 1 81 296 hrs.; $23,680........... 23,976 hrs.; 1,918,080..... 23,680
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Every figure in this column is rounded to the nearest dollar.
Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the Commission, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden and
cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Dated: April 24, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-09173 Filed 4-29-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
