Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 6, 6T, 6-Q, and 6-QT); Comment Request; Extension, 67052-67055 [2021-25673]

Download as PDF khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES 67052 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 224 / Wednesday, November 24, 2021 / Notices receiver site to be installed at the terminus of the proposed East Loop in Jefferson County; • Compressor Station 12—upgrade an existing natural gas-fired compressor turbine (Unit 1207) from 15,000 horsepower (HP) to16,000 HP at FGT’s existing Compressor Station 12, located in Santa Rosa County; • Compressor Station 14—upgrade an existing natural gas-fired compressor turbine (Unit 1409) from 20,500 HP to 23,500 HP at FGT’s existing Compressor Station 14, located in Gadsden County; • Compressor Station 15—upgrade an existing natural gas-fired compressor turbine (Unit 1507) from 15,000 HP to 16,000 HP at FGT’s existing Compressor Station 15, located in Taylor County; and • Compressor Station 24—upgrade an existing natural gas-fired compressor turbine (Unit 2403) from 20,500 HP to 23,500 HP at FGT’s existing Compressor Station 24, located in Gilchrist County. The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability of the draft EIS to federal, state, and government representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; potentially affected landowners; other interested individuals and groups; and newspapers and libraries in the project area. The EIS is only available in electronic format. It may be viewed and downloaded from the FERC’s website (www.ferc.gov), on the natural gas environmental documents page https:// www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/ eis.asp). In addition, the EIS can be accessed by using the eLibrary link on the FERC’s website. Click on the eLibrary link (https://www.ferc.gov/ docs-filing/elibrary.asp), click on General Search, and enter the docket number in the ‘‘Docket Number’’ field (i.e., CP21–45). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502–8659. The EIS is not a decision document. It presents Commission staff’s independent analysis of the environmental issues for the Commission to consider when addressing the merits of all issues in this proceeding. Any person wishing to comment on the EIS may do so. Your comments should focus on the EIS’s disclosure and discussion of potential environmental effects, measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts, and the completeness of the submitted alternatives, information and analyses. The more specific your comments, the more useful they would be. To ensure VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:05 Nov 23, 2021 Jkt 256001 that the Commission has the opportunity to consider your comments prior to making its decision on this project, it is important that we receive your comments in Washington, DC on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 10, 2022. For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to file your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208–3676 or FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your comments are properly recorded. (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature on the Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. This is an easy method for submitting brief, text-only comments on a project; (2) You can also file your comments electronically using the eFiling feature on the Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ You must select the type of filing you are making. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’; or (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the following address. Be sure to reference the project docket number (CP21–45– 000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR part 385.214). Motions to intervene are more fully described at https://www.ferc.gov/howguides. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing or judicial review of the Commission’s decision. The Commission grants 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 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 status to have your comments considered. Additional information about the Project 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 all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. In addition, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription which 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/ ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription. Dated: November 18, 2021. Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2021–25678 Filed 11–23–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. IC22–4–000] Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 6, 6T, 6–Q, and 6–QT); Comment Request; Extension Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of information collections and request for comments. AGENCY: 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 collections, FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6T (Annual Report of Oil Pipeline Companies) and 6–Q and 6–QT (Quarterly Report of Oil Pipeline Companies). DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due January 24, 2022. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC22–4–000 and the form) by either of the following methods: • Electronic Filing: Documents must be filed in acceptable native applications and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture format. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM 24NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 224 / Wednesday, November 24, 2021 / Notices khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES • For those unable to file electronically, comments may be filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery: Æ Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only, Addressed to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. Æ Hand (including courier) delivery to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852. Instructions: All 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:1 Titles: FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6T (Annual Report of Oil Pipeline Companies), 6–Q and 6–QT (Quarterly Report of Oil Pipeline Companies). OMB Control Nos.: 1902–0022 (FERC Form No. 6), 1902–0206 (FERC Form No. 6–Q), 1902–0314 (FERC Form No. 6T), and 1902–0310 (FERC Form No. 6– QT). Type of Respondent: Oil pipelines. Type of Request: Three-year extensions of FERC Form Nos. 6, 6T, 6– Q, and 6–QT information collections with no changes to the current reporting and recordkeeping requirements.2 Abstract: Under the Interstate Commerce Act (ICA),3 the Commission is authorized and empowered to make 1 Due to expiration dates in 2019 for many of the Commission’s financial forms, the renewal work for several of the forms was in process or pending at OMB during the 2019 Forms Refresh rulemaking effort in Docket No. RM19–12–000. The simultaneous OMB processes required the assignment of alternate temporary information collection numbers (‘‘T’’) at the NOPR and/or final rule stages. Accordingly, FERC Form Nos. 6T and 6–QT represent the additional burden associated with final rule in RM19–12–000. Revisions to the Filing Process for Comm’n Forms, Order No. 859, 167 FERC ¶ 61,241 (2019). 2 For purposes of this notice, unless otherwise stated, FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6T are collectively referred to as ‘‘FERC Form No. 6’’ and FERC Form Nos. 6Q and 6–QT are collectively referred to as ‘‘FERC Form No. 6Q.’’ Because this renewal will incorporate the requirements and burden represented by the 6T and 6–QT into FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6Q, respectively, it is anticipated that the Commission will eventually seek to retire the 6T and 6–QT as duplicative. 3 49 U.S.C. Part 1, Section 20, 54 Stat. 916. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:05 Nov 23, 2021 Jkt 256001 investigations and to collect and record data to the extent the Commission may consider to be necessary or useful for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the ICA. The Commission must ensure just and reasonable rates for transportation of crude oil and petroleum products by pipelines in interstate commerce. FERC Form No. 6, Annual Report of Oil Pipeline Companies In 1977, the Department of Energy Organization Act transferred to the Commission from the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) the responsibility to regulate oil pipeline companies. In accordance with the transfer of authority, the Commission was delegated the responsibility to require oil pipelines to file annual reports of information necessary for the Commission to exercise its statutory responsibilities.4 The transfer included the ICC Form P, the predecessor to FERC Form No. 6.5 To reduce burden on industry, FERC Form No. 6 has three tiers of reporting requirements: 1. Each oil pipeline carrier whose annual jurisdictional operating revenues has been $500,000 or more for each of the three previous calendar years must file FERC Form No. 6 (18 CFR 357.2 (a)). Oil pipeline companies subject to the provisions of section 20 of the ICA must submit FERC Form No. 6–Q. (18 CFR 357.4(b)). Newly established entities must use projected data to determine whether FERC Form No. 6 must be filed. 2. Oil pipeline carriers exempt from filing FERC Form No. 6 whose annual jurisdictional operating revenues have been more than $350,000 but less than $500,000 for each of the three previous calendar years must prepare and file page 301, ‘‘Operating Revenue Accounts (Account 600),’’ and page 700, ‘‘Annual cost of Service Based Analysis Schedule,’’ of FERC Form No. 6. When submitting pages 301 and 700, each exempt oil pipeline carrier must include 4 Section 402(b) of the Department of Energy Organization Act (DOE Act), 42 U.S.C. 7172 provides that; ‘‘[t]here are hereby transferred to, and vested in, the Commission all functions and authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission or any officer or component of such Commission where the regulatory function establishes rates or charges for the transportation of oil by pipeline or established the valuation of any such pipeline.’’ 5 The ICC developed the Form P to collect information on an annual basis to enable it to carry out its regulation of oil pipeline companies under the Interstate Commerce Act. A comprehensive review of the reporting requirements for oil pipeline companies was performed on September 21, 1982, when the Commission issued Order 260 revising the former ICC Form P, ‘‘Annual Report of Carriers by Pipeline’’ and redesignating it as FERC Form No. 6, ‘‘Annual Report of Oil Pipeline Companies’’. PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 67053 page 1 of FERC Form No. 6, the Identification and Attestation schedule (18 CFR 357.2 (a)(2)). 3. Oil pipeline carriers exempt from filing FERC Form No. 6 and pages 301 and whose annual jurisdictional operating revenues were $350,000 or less for each of the three previous calendar years must prepare and file page 700, ‘‘Annual Cost of Service Based Analysis Schedule,’’ of FERC Form No. 6. When submitting page 700, each exempt oil pipeline carrier must include page 1 of FERC Form No. 6, the Identification and Attestation schedule (18 CFR 357.2 (a)(3)). The Commission uses the data in FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6–Q to perform audits and reviews on the financial condition of oil pipelines; assess energy markets; conduct oil pipeline rate proceedings and economic analysis; conduct research for use in administrative litigation; and administer the requirements of the ICA. Data from FERC Form No. 6 facilitates the calculation of the actual rate of return on equity for oil pipelines. The actual rate of return on equity is particularly useful information when evaluating a pipeline’s rates. The Commission also uses data on Page 301 of FERC Form No. 6 to compute annual charges which are then assessed against oil pipeline companies to recover the Commission’s annual costs as mandated by Order No. 472. The annual charges are required by Section 3401 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. Furthermore, the majority of state regulatory commissions use FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6–Q and the Commission’s Uniform System of Accounts (USofA) to satisfy their reporting requirements for those companies under their jurisdiction. In addition, the public uses the data in FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6– Q to assist in monitoring rates, the financial condition of the oil pipeline industry, and in assessing energy markets. FERC Form No. 6–Q, Quarterly Financial Report of Oil Pipeline Companies The Commission uses the information collected in FERC Form No. 6–Q to carry out its responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions of the ICA to include the authority to prescribe rules and regulations concerning accounts, records, and memoranda, as necessary or appropriate. Financial accounting and reporting provides necessary information concerning a company’s past performance and its future prospects. Without reliable financial E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM 24NON1 67054 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 224 / Wednesday, November 24, 2021 / Notices statements prepared in accordance with the Commission’s USofA and related regulations, it would be difficult for the Commission to accurately determine the costs that relate to a particular time period, service, or line of business. The Commission uses data from FERC Form No. 6–Q to assist in: (1) Implementation of its financial audits and programs; (2) continuous review of the financial condition of regulated companies; (3) assessment of energy markets; and (4) rate proceedings and economic analyses. Financial information reported on the quarterly FERC Form No. 6–Q provides the Commission, as well as customers, investors and others, an important tool to help identify emerging trends and XBRL, Order No. 859 and FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6–Q Previously, FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6– Q filers would transmit the information in the forms to the Commission using a 262 software application called Visual FoxPro (VFP). This application is no longer supported by its developer, Microsoft Corporation. As a result, in April 2015, the Commission issued an order announcing its intention to replace the VFP filing format for certain Commission forms (including FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6–Q) with an eXtensible Markup Language (XML)based filing format. On June 20, 2019, the Commission issued Order No. 859, which adopted XBRL as the standard for filing FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6–Q and certain other Commission forms.6 FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6–Q Estimates of Annual Burden 7 and Cost: 8 262 . . . . . . . 1.?,~?.9 J~,9,~~,?5.9 262 Total khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES $15,225 6 Revisions to the Filing Process for Comm’n Forms, Order No. 859, 167 FERC ¶ 61,241 (2019). 7 ‘‘Burden’’ is the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide information to or for a Federal agency. For further explanation of VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:05 Nov 23, 2021 Jkt 256001 what is included in the information collection burden, refer to Title 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3. The burden hours and costs are rounded for ease of presentation. 8 The cost is based on FERC’s 2021 Commissionwide average salary cost (salary plus benefits) of PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4725 Hours Total Burden Respondent Burden $87.00/hour. 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. E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM 24NON1 EN24NO21.056</GPH> Form 6-T issues affecting jurisdictional entities within the energy industry. It also provides timely disclosures of the impacts that new accounting standards, or changes in existing standards, have on jurisdictional entities, as well as the economic effects of significant transactions, events, and circumstances. The reporting of this information by jurisdictional entities assists the Commission in its analysis of profitability, efficiency, risk, and in its overall monitoring. Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 224 / Wednesday, November 24, 2021 / Notices 67055 .......... J. l..7..?.?99. . . . . . 150 . . JlQ,???}Q.9 786 $39,150 The quarterly filings are generally a subset of the annual filings. For this reason, the XBRL burden (‘‘6–QT’’) hours are ‘‘0’’ because the burden associated with the 6–QT is already incorporated into other burden numbers for FERC Form No. 6. Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collections of information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimates of the burden and cost of the collections of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collections; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Dated: November 18, 2021. Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2021–25673 Filed 11–23–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES [EPA–HQ–OPP–2021–0080; FRL–8795–05– OCSPP] Pesticide Product Registration; Receipt of Applications for New Uses (November 2021) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:05 Nov 23, 2021 Jkt 256001 EPA has received applications to register new uses for pesticide products containing currently registered active ingredients. Pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is hereby providing notice of receipt and opportunity to comment on these applications. DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 27, 2021. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number and the File Symbol of interest as shown in the body of this document, online at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is available at https://www.epa.gov/ dockets/about-epa-dockets. Due to the public health concerns related to COVID–19, the EPA/DC and Reading Room is closed to visitors with limited exceptions. The staff continues to provide remote customer service via email, phone, and webform. For the latest status information on the EPA/DC and docket access, visit https:// www.epa.gov/dockets. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Smith, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P), main telephone number: (703) 305– 7090; email address: BPPDFRNotices@ epa.gov, Anita Pease, Antimicrobials Division (7510P), main telephone number: (703) 305–7090; email address: ADFRNotices@epa.gov. The mailing SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Hours Total Burden Respondent Burden address for each contact person is: Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460–0001. As part of the mailing address, include the contact person’s name, division, and mail code. The division to contact is listed at the end of each application summary. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information A. Does this action apply to me? You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer. The following list of North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide to help readers determine whether this document applies to them. Potentially affected entities may include: • Crop production (NAICS code 111). • Animal production (NAICS code 112). • Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311). B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA? 1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD–ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD–ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD–ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a E:\FR\FM\24NON1.SGM 24NON1 EN24NO21.057</GPH> Total

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67052-67055]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25673]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC22-4-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 6, 
6T, 6-Q, and 6-QT); Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of information collections 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 collections, FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6T (Annual Report of Oil 
Pipeline Companies) and 6-Q and 6-QT (Quarterly Report of Oil Pipeline 
Companies).

DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due January 24, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC22-4-000 
and the form) by either of the following methods:
     Electronic Filing: Documents must be filed in acceptable 
native applications and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture 
format.

[[Page 67053]]

     For those unable to file electronically, comments may be 
filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery:
    [cir] Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only, Addressed to: Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First 
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
    [cir] Hand (including courier) delivery to: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
    Instructions: All 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Due to expiration dates in 2019 for many of the Commission's 
financial forms, the renewal work for several of the forms was in 
process or pending at OMB during the 2019 Forms Refresh rulemaking 
effort in Docket No. RM19-12-000. The simultaneous OMB processes 
required the assignment of alternate temporary information 
collection numbers (``T'') at the NOPR and/or final rule stages. 
Accordingly, FERC Form Nos. 6T and 6-QT represent the additional 
burden associated with final rule in RM19-12-000. Revisions to the 
Filing Process for Comm'n Forms, Order No. 859, 167 FERC ] 61,241 
(2019).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:\1\

    Titles: FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6T (Annual Report of Oil Pipeline 
Companies), 6-Q and 6-QT (Quarterly Report of Oil Pipeline Companies).
    OMB Control Nos.: 1902-0022 (FERC Form No. 6), 1902-0206 (FERC Form 
No. 6-Q), 1902-0314 (FERC Form No. 6T), and 1902-0310 (FERC Form No. 6-
QT).
    Type of Respondent: Oil pipelines.
    Type of Request: Three-year extensions of FERC Form Nos. 6, 6T, 6-
Q, and 6-QT information collections with no changes to the current 
reporting and recordkeeping requirements.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ For purposes of this notice, unless otherwise stated, FERC 
Form Nos. 6 and 6T are collectively referred to as ``FERC Form No. 
6'' and FERC Form Nos. 6Q and 6-QT are collectively referred to as 
``FERC Form No. 6Q.'' Because this renewal will incorporate the 
requirements and burden represented by the 6T and 6-QT into FERC 
Form Nos. 6 and 6Q, respectively, it is anticipated that the 
Commission will eventually seek to retire the 6T and 6-QT as 
duplicative.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Abstract: Under the Interstate Commerce Act (ICA),\3\ the 
Commission is authorized and empowered to make investigations and to 
collect and record data to the extent the Commission may consider to be 
necessary or useful for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of 
the ICA. The Commission must ensure just and reasonable rates for 
transportation of crude oil and petroleum products by pipelines in 
interstate commerce.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ 49 U.S.C. Part 1, Section 20, 54 Stat. 916.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

FERC Form No. 6, Annual Report of Oil Pipeline Companies

    In 1977, the Department of Energy Organization Act transferred to 
the Commission from the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) the 
responsibility to regulate oil pipeline companies. In accordance with 
the transfer of authority, the Commission was delegated the 
responsibility to require oil pipelines to file annual reports of 
information necessary for the Commission to exercise its statutory 
responsibilities.\4\ The transfer included the ICC Form P, the 
predecessor to FERC Form No. 6.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ Section 402(b) of the Department of Energy Organization Act 
(DOE Act), 42 U.S.C. 7172 provides that; ``[t]here are hereby 
transferred to, and vested in, the Commission all functions and 
authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission or any officer or 
component of such Commission where the regulatory function 
establishes rates or charges for the transportation of oil by 
pipeline or established the valuation of any such pipeline.''
    \5\ The ICC developed the Form P to collect information on an 
annual basis to enable it to carry out its regulation of oil 
pipeline companies under the Interstate Commerce Act. A 
comprehensive review of the reporting requirements for oil pipeline 
companies was performed on September 21, 1982, when the Commission 
issued Order 260 revising the former ICC Form P, ``Annual Report of 
Carriers by Pipeline'' and redesignating it as FERC Form No. 6, 
``Annual Report of Oil Pipeline Companies''.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To reduce burden on industry, FERC Form No. 6 has three tiers of 
reporting requirements:
    1. Each oil pipeline carrier whose annual jurisdictional operating 
revenues has been $500,000 or more for each of the three previous 
calendar years must file FERC Form No. 6 (18 CFR 357.2 (a)). Oil 
pipeline companies subject to the provisions of section 20 of the ICA 
must submit FERC Form No. 6-Q. (18 CFR 357.4(b)). Newly established 
entities must use projected data to determine whether FERC Form No. 6 
must be filed.
    2. Oil pipeline carriers exempt from filing FERC Form No. 6 whose 
annual jurisdictional operating revenues have been more than $350,000 
but less than $500,000 for each of the three previous calendar years 
must prepare and file page 301, ``Operating Revenue Accounts (Account 
600),'' and page 700, ``Annual cost of Service Based Analysis 
Schedule,'' of FERC Form No. 6. When submitting pages 301 and 700, each 
exempt oil pipeline carrier must include page 1 of FERC Form No. 6, the 
Identification and Attestation schedule (18 CFR 357.2 (a)(2)).
    3. Oil pipeline carriers exempt from filing FERC Form No. 6 and 
pages 301 and whose annual jurisdictional operating revenues were 
$350,000 or less for each of the three previous calendar years must 
prepare and file page 700, ``Annual Cost of Service Based Analysis 
Schedule,'' of FERC Form No. 6. When submitting page 700, each exempt 
oil pipeline carrier must include page 1 of FERC Form No. 6, the 
Identification and Attestation schedule (18 CFR 357.2 (a)(3)).
    The Commission uses the data in FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6-Q to perform 
audits and reviews on the financial condition of oil pipelines; assess 
energy markets; conduct oil pipeline rate proceedings and economic 
analysis; conduct research for use in administrative litigation; and 
administer the requirements of the ICA. Data from FERC Form No. 6 
facilitates the calculation of the actual rate of return on equity for 
oil pipelines. The actual rate of return on equity is particularly 
useful information when evaluating a pipeline's rates.
    The Commission also uses data on Page 301 of FERC Form No. 6 to 
compute annual charges which are then assessed against oil pipeline 
companies to recover the Commission's annual costs as mandated by Order 
No. 472. The annual charges are required by Section 3401 of the Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986.
    Furthermore, the majority of state regulatory commissions use FERC 
Form Nos. 6 and 6-Q and the Commission's Uniform System of Accounts 
(USofA) to satisfy their reporting requirements for those companies 
under their jurisdiction. In addition, the public uses the data in FERC 
Form Nos. 6 and 6-Q to assist in monitoring rates, the financial 
condition of the oil pipeline industry, and in assessing energy 
markets.

FERC Form No. 6-Q, Quarterly Financial Report of Oil Pipeline Companies

    The Commission uses the information collected in FERC Form No. 6-Q 
to carry out its responsibilities in implementing the statutory 
provisions of the ICA to include the authority to prescribe rules and 
regulations concerning accounts, records, and memoranda, as necessary 
or appropriate. Financial accounting and reporting provides necessary 
information concerning a company's past performance and its future 
prospects. Without reliable financial

[[Page 67054]]

statements prepared in accordance with the Commission's USofA and 
related regulations, it would be difficult for the Commission to 
accurately determine the costs that relate to a particular time period, 
service, or line of business.
    The Commission uses data from FERC Form No. 6-Q to assist in: (1) 
Implementation of its financial audits and programs; (2) continuous 
review of the financial condition of regulated companies; (3) 
assessment of energy markets; and (4) rate proceedings and economic 
analyses.
    Financial information reported on the quarterly FERC Form No. 6-Q 
provides the Commission, as well as customers, investors and others, an 
important tool to help identify emerging trends and issues affecting 
jurisdictional entities within the energy industry. It also provides 
timely disclosures of the impacts that new accounting standards, or 
changes in existing standards, have on jurisdictional entities, as well 
as the economic effects of significant transactions, events, and 
circumstances. The reporting of this information by jurisdictional 
entities assists the Commission in its analysis of profitability, 
efficiency, risk, and in its overall monitoring.

XBRL, Order No. 859 and FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6-Q

    Previously, FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6-Q filers would transmit the 
information in the forms to the Commission using a software application 
called Visual FoxPro (VFP). This application is no longer supported by 
its developer, Microsoft Corporation. As a result, in April 2015, the 
Commission issued an order announcing its intention to replace the VFP 
filing format for certain Commission forms (including FERC Form Nos. 6 
and 6-Q) with an eXtensible Markup Language (XML)-based filing format. 
On June 20, 2019, the Commission issued Order No. 859, which adopted 
XBRL as the standard for filing FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6-Q and certain 
other Commission forms.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ Revisions to the Filing Process for Comm'n Forms, Order No. 
859, 167 FERC ] 61,241 (2019).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

FERC Form Nos. 6 and 6-Q

    Estimates of Annual Burden \7\ and Cost: \8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ ``Burden'' is the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or 
provide information to or for a Federal agency. For further 
explanation of what is included in the information collection 
burden, refer to Title 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3. The 
burden hours and costs are rounded for ease of presentation.
    \8\ The cost is based on FERC's 2021 Commission-wide average 
salary cost (salary plus benefits) of $87.00/hour. 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.
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    The quarterly filings are generally a subset of the annual filings. 
For this reason, the XBRL burden (``6-QT'') hours are ``0'' because the 
burden associated with the 6-QT is already incorporated into other 
burden numbers for FERC Form No. 6.
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collections of 
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the Commission, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the 
burden and cost of the collections of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collections; and 
(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

    Dated: November 18, 2021.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-25673 Filed 11-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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