Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-549B); Comment Request; Extension, 297-298 [2020-29167]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 2 / Tuesday, January 5, 2021 / Notices
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 29, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–29164 Filed 1–4–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. IC21–4–000]
Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC–549B); Comment
Request; Extension
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of information collection
and request for comments.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) is soliciting
public comment on the currently
approved information collection FERC–
549B (Gas Pipeline Rates: Annual
Capacity Reports and Index of
Customers), and is submitting the
information collection to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review. Any interested person may file
comments directly with OMB and
should address a copy of those
comments to the Commission as
explained below.
DATES: Comments on the collection of
information are due February 4, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written
comments on FERC–549B to OMB
through www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAMain, Attention: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer.
Please identify the OMB control number
(1902–0169) in the subject line. Your
comments should be sent within 30
days of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register.
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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17:09 Jan 04, 2021
Jkt 253001
Please submit copies of your
comments to the Commission
(identified by Docket No. IC21–4–000)
by any of the following methods:
• eFiling at Commission’s Website:
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
efiling.asp.
• U.S. Postal Service Mail: Persons
unable to file electronically may mail
similar pleadings to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE, Washington, DC 20426.
• Effective July 1, 2020, delivery of
filings other than by eFiling or the U.S.
Postal Service should be delivered to
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville,
Maryland 20852.
Instructions:
OMB submissions must be formatted
and filed in accordance with submission
guidelines at www.reginfo.gov/public/
do/PRAMain; Using the search function
under the ‘‘Currently Under Review
field,’’ select Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission; click ‘‘submit’’ and select
‘‘comment’’ to the right of the subject
collection.
FERC submissions must be formatted
and filed in accordance with submission
guidelines at: https://www.ferc.gov. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ellen Brown may be reached by email
at DataClearance@FERC.gov and
telephone at (202) 502–8663.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
October 26, 2020, the Commission
published a notice in the Federal
Register inviting public comments for
60 days on this information collection
(85 FR 67732). The public comment
period expired on December 28, 2020.
The Commission received no public
comments in response. As described
above, the Commission now invites
public comments for a period of 30
days.
Title: FERC–549B (Gas Pipeline Rates:
Capacity Reports and Index of
Customers).
OMB Control No.: 1902–0169.
Type of Request: Three-year extension
of the FERC–549B information
collection requirements with no
program changes.
Abstract: The requirements of FERC–
549B consist of an Index of Customers
(IOC) report and two capacity reports.
This information collection is
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297
authorized by 15 U.S.C. 717, 717c, and
717d, and by 18 CFR 284.13.
Reports on Firm and Interruptible
Services and on Capacity and Flow
Information Under 284.13(b) and
284.13(d)(1)
On April 4, 1992, in Order No. 636
(RM91–11–000), the Commission
established a capacity release
mechanism under which shippers could
release firm transportation and storage
capacity on either a short- or long-term
basis to other shippers wanting to obtain
capacity. Pipelines posted available firm
and interruptible capacity information
on their electronic bulletin boards
(EBBs) to inform potential shippers.
On August 3, 1992, in Order No. 636–
A (RM91–11–002), the Commission
determined through staff audits, that the
efficiency of the capacity release
mechanism could be enhanced by
standardizing the content and format of
capacity release information and the
methods by which shippers accessed
this information, which pipelines
posted to their EBBs.
On March 29, 1995, through Order
577 (RM95–5–000), the Commission
amended § 284.243(h) of its regulations
to allow shippers the ability to release
capacity without having to comply with
the Commission’s advance posting and
bidding requirements.
On February 9, 2000, in Order No. 637
(RM98–10–000), to create greater
substitution between different forms of
capacity and to enhance competition
across the pipeline grid, the
Commission revised its capacity release
regulations regarding scheduling,
segmentation and flexible point rights,
penalties, and reporting requirements.
This resulted in more reliable capacity
information availability and price data
that shippers needed to make informed
decisions in a competitive market as
well as to improve shipper’s and the
Commission’s ability to monitor the
market for potential abuses.
Peak Day Annual Capacity Report
Under 284.13(d)(2)
The regulation at 18 CFR 284.13(d)(2)
requires an annual peak day capacity
report of all interstate pipelines,
including natural gas storage only
companies. This report is generally a
short report showing the peak day
design capacity or the actual peak day
capacity achieved, with a short
explanation, if needed. The regulation
provides that an interstate pipeline must
make an annual filing by March 1 of
each year showing the estimated peak
day capacity of the pipeline’s system,
and the estimated storage capacity and
maximum daily delivery capability of
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298
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 2 / Tuesday, January 5, 2021 / Notices
storage facilities under reasonably
representative operating assumptions
and the respective assignments of that
capacity to the various firm services
provided by the pipeline.
This annual report is publicly
available, while other more specific
interstate pipeline and storage capacity
details are filed as Critical Energy
Infrastructure Information, such as the
Annual System Flow Diagram (FERC–
567), which is not publicly available.
Index of Customers Under 284.13(c)
In Order 581, issued September 28,
1995 (Docket No. RM95–4–000), the
Commission established the IOC
quarterly information requirement. This
order required the reporting of five data
elements in the IOC filing: The customer
name, the rate schedule under which
service is rendered, the contract
effective date, the contract termination
date, and the maximum daily contract
quantity, for either transportation or
storage service, as appropriate.
In a notice issued separately from
Order 581 in Docket No. RM95–4–000,
issued February 29, 1996, the
Commission, through technical
conferences with industry, determined
that the IOC data reported should be in
tab delimited format on diskette and in
a format prescribed in Appendix A of
the rulemaking. In a departure from past
practice, a three-digit code, instead of a
six-digit code, was established to
identify the respondent.
In Order 637, issued February 9, 2000
(Docket Nos. RM98–10–000 and RM98–
12–000), the Commission required the
filing of: The receipt and delivery points
held under contract and the zones or
segments in which the capacity is held,
the common transaction point codes,
the contract number, the shipper
identification number, an indication of
whether the contract includes
negotiated rates, the names of any
agents or asset managers that control
capacity in a pipeline rate zone, and any
affiliate relationship between the
pipeline and the holder of capacity. It
was stated in the order that the changes
to the Commission’s reporting
requirements would enhance the
reliability of information about capacity
availability and price that shippers need
to make informed decisions in a
competitive market as well as improve
shippers’ and the Commission’s ability
to monitor marketplace behavior to
detect and remedy anti-competitive
behavior. Order 637 required a pipeline
to post the IOC data quarterly on its
website instead of on the outdated
EBBs.
Types of Respondents: Interstate
pipelines subject to FERC regulation
under the Natural Gas Act, and those
entities defined as Hinshaw Pipelines
under the Natural Gas Policy Act.
Estimate of Annual Burden: The
Commission estimates the annual public
reporting burden 1 for the information
collection as shown in the following
table:
FERC–54B9B (GAS PIPELINE RATES: CAPACITY REPORTS AND INDEX OF CUSTOMERS)
Types of responses
Average
annual number
of respondents
Average
annual number
of responses
per
respondent
Average
annual total
number of
responses
A.
B
C
D
(Col. B × Col. C)
Capacity Reports under 284.13(b) &
284.13(d)(1).
Index of Customers under 18 CFR
284.13(c).
Peak Day Annual Capacity Report under
18 CFR 284.13(d)(2).
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Totals ...................................................
Total annual burden
hours & total annual
cost
Cost per
respondent
($)
E
F
(Col. D × Col. E)
G
(Col. E ÷ Col.)
$83,664
830
Average burden &
cost per response 2
168
6
1,008
145 hrs.; $83,664 ......
168
4
672
3 hrs.; $249 ...............
146,160 hrs.;
$12,131,280.
2,016 hrs.; $167,328
168
1
168
10 hrs.; $830 .............
1,680 hrs.; $139,440
........................
........................
1,848
...................................
149,856 hrs.;
$12,433,048.
996
74,036
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: December 29, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission.
TIME AND DATE: Thursday, January 7,
2021, 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
STATUS: The meeting will be open to the
public. Note: Because of the COVID–19
pandemic, the meeting will be held as
an audio-only conference. The public
may listen to the audio-only conference
by following the instructions that will
be posted on www.eeoc.gov 24 hours
before the meeting. Closed captioning
services will be available. The following
items will be considered at the meeting:
Final Rule Updating the Commission’s
Conciliation Procedures
Formal Opinion Letter Concerning
Individual Coverage Health
Reimbursement Arrangements Under
the ADEA
Final Rule Amending the Commission’s
Official Time Regulation for the
Federal Sector
Note: In accordance with the
Sunshine Act, the public will be able to
listen to the Commission’s deliberations
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 CFR
1320.3.
2 The current average cost for one FERC full-time
equivalent ($83.00 per hour for wages plus benefits)
is used as a proxy for industry’s hourly cost.
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[FR Doc. 2020–29167 Filed 1–4–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
COMMISSION
Sunshine Act Notice
AGENCY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 297-298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-29167]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC21-4-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-549B); 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, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or
FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved
information collection FERC-549B (Gas Pipeline Rates: Annual Capacity
Reports and Index of Customers), and is submitting the information
collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. Any
interested person may file comments directly with OMB and should
address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due February 4,
2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments on FERC-549B to OMB through
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB control number (1902-
0169) in the subject line. Your comments should be sent within 30 days
of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
Please submit copies of your comments to the Commission (identified
by Docket No. IC21-4-000) by any of the following methods:
eFiling at Commission's Website: https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
U.S. Postal Service Mail: Persons unable to file
electronically may mail similar pleadings to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
Effective July 1, 2020, delivery of filings other than by
eFiling or the U.S. Postal Service should be delivered to Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland
20852.
Instructions:
OMB submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with
submission guidelines at www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain; Using the
search function under the ``Currently Under Review field,'' select
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; click ``submit'' and select
``comment'' to the right of the subject collection.
FERC submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with
submission guidelines at: https://www.ferc.gov. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at
[email protected] and telephone at (202) 502-8663.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 26, 2020, the Commission
published a notice in the Federal Register inviting public comments for
60 days on this information collection (85 FR 67732). The public
comment period expired on December 28, 2020. The Commission received no
public comments in response. As described above, the Commission now
invites public comments for a period of 30 days.
Title: FERC-549B (Gas Pipeline Rates: Capacity Reports and Index of
Customers).
OMB Control No.: 1902-0169.
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-549B information
collection requirements with no program changes.
Abstract: The requirements of FERC-549B consist of an Index of
Customers (IOC) report and two capacity reports. This information
collection is authorized by 15 U.S.C. 717, 717c, and 717d, and by 18
CFR 284.13.
Reports on Firm and Interruptible Services and on Capacity and Flow
Information Under 284.13(b) and 284.13(d)(1)
On April 4, 1992, in Order No. 636 (RM91-11-000), the Commission
established a capacity release mechanism under which shippers could
release firm transportation and storage capacity on either a short- or
long-term basis to other shippers wanting to obtain capacity. Pipelines
posted available firm and interruptible capacity information on their
electronic bulletin boards (EBBs) to inform potential shippers.
On August 3, 1992, in Order No. 636-A (RM91-11-002), the Commission
determined through staff audits, that the efficiency of the capacity
release mechanism could be enhanced by standardizing the content and
format of capacity release information and the methods by which
shippers accessed this information, which pipelines posted to their
EBBs.
On March 29, 1995, through Order 577 (RM95-5-000), the Commission
amended Sec. 284.243(h) of its regulations to allow shippers the
ability to release capacity without having to comply with the
Commission's advance posting and bidding requirements.
On February 9, 2000, in Order No. 637 (RM98-10-000), to create
greater substitution between different forms of capacity and to enhance
competition across the pipeline grid, the Commission revised its
capacity release regulations regarding scheduling, segmentation and
flexible point rights, penalties, and reporting requirements. This
resulted in more reliable capacity information availability and price
data that shippers needed to make informed decisions in a competitive
market as well as to improve shipper's and the Commission's ability to
monitor the market for potential abuses.
Peak Day Annual Capacity Report Under 284.13(d)(2)
The regulation at 18 CFR 284.13(d)(2) requires an annual peak day
capacity report of all interstate pipelines, including natural gas
storage only companies. This report is generally a short report showing
the peak day design capacity or the actual peak day capacity achieved,
with a short explanation, if needed. The regulation provides that an
interstate pipeline must make an annual filing by March 1 of each year
showing the estimated peak day capacity of the pipeline's system, and
the estimated storage capacity and maximum daily delivery capability of
[[Page 298]]
storage facilities under reasonably representative operating
assumptions and the respective assignments of that capacity to the
various firm services provided by the pipeline.
This annual report is publicly available, while other more specific
interstate pipeline and storage capacity details are filed as Critical
Energy Infrastructure Information, such as the Annual System Flow
Diagram (FERC-567), which is not publicly available.
Index of Customers Under 284.13(c)
In Order 581, issued September 28, 1995 (Docket No. RM95-4-000),
the Commission established the IOC quarterly information requirement.
This order required the reporting of five data elements in the IOC
filing: The customer name, the rate schedule under which service is
rendered, the contract effective date, the contract termination date,
and the maximum daily contract quantity, for either transportation or
storage service, as appropriate.
In a notice issued separately from Order 581 in Docket No. RM95-4-
000, issued February 29, 1996, the Commission, through technical
conferences with industry, determined that the IOC data reported should
be in tab delimited format on diskette and in a format prescribed in
Appendix A of the rulemaking. In a departure from past practice, a
three-digit code, instead of a six-digit code, was established to
identify the respondent.
In Order 637, issued February 9, 2000 (Docket Nos. RM98-10-000 and
RM98-12-000), the Commission required the filing of: The receipt and
delivery points held under contract and the zones or segments in which
the capacity is held, the common transaction point codes, the contract
number, the shipper identification number, an indication of whether the
contract includes negotiated rates, the names of any agents or asset
managers that control capacity in a pipeline rate zone, and any
affiliate relationship between the pipeline and the holder of capacity.
It was stated in the order that the changes to the Commission's
reporting requirements would enhance the reliability of information
about capacity availability and price that shippers need to make
informed decisions in a competitive market as well as improve shippers'
and the Commission's ability to monitor marketplace behavior to detect
and remedy anti-competitive behavior. Order 637 required a pipeline to
post the IOC data quarterly on its website instead of on the outdated
EBBs.
Types of Respondents: Interstate pipelines subject to FERC
regulation under the Natural Gas Act, and those entities defined as
Hinshaw Pipelines under the Natural Gas Policy Act.
Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual
public reporting burden \1\ for the information collection as shown in
the following table:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 CFR 1320.3.
\2\ The current average cost for one FERC full-time equivalent
($83.00 per hour for wages plus benefits) is used as a proxy for
industry's hourly cost.
FERC-54B9B (Gas Pipeline Rates: Capacity Reports and Index of Customers)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average annual
Average annual number of Average annual Average burden & cost Total annual burden Cost per
Types of responses number of responses per total number of per response \2\ hours & total annual respondent ($)
respondents respondent responses cost
A. B C D E..................... F..................... G
(Col. B x Col. C) (Col. D x Col. E)..... (Col. E /
Col.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capacity Reports under 284.13(b) & 168 6 1,008 145 hrs.; $83,664..... 146,160 hrs.; $83,664
284.13(d)(1). $12,131,280.
Index of Customers under 18 CFR 168 4 672 3 hrs.; $249.......... 2,016 hrs.; $167,328.. 996
284.13(c).
Peak Day Annual Capacity Report 168 1 168 10 hrs.; $830......... 1,680 hrs.; $139,440.. 830
under 18 CFR 284.13(d)(2).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals.......................... .............. .............. 1,848 ...................... 149,856 hrs.; 74,036
$12,433,048.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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: December 29, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-29167 Filed 1-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
