Agency Information Collection Activities; The Alternatives Process in Hydropower Licensing, 48673-48674 [2024-12461]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 111 (Friday, June 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48673-48674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12461]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

[245D0102DM DS61100000 DLSN00000.000000 DX61101]; OMB Control Number 
1094-0001]


Agency Information Collection Activities; The Alternatives 
Process in Hydropower Licensing

AGENCY: Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of the Secretary, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, 
Department of the Interior, is requesting comments on the proposed 
renewal of an information collection request related to the 
alternatives process in hydropower licensing. This notice is being 
issued in coordination with the Department of Commerce and the 
Department of Agriculture.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
August 6, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to: National Environmental Policy Act and Environmental 
Coordination Division, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, 
U.S. Department of the Interior, MS 2629-MIB, 1849 C Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20240; or by email to [email protected]. 
Please reference OMB Control Number 1094-0001 in the subject line of 
your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Shawn Alam, National Environmental Policy Act 
and Environmental Coordination Division by email at 
[email protected], or by telephone at 771-216-5846. 
Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of 
hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals 
outside the United States should use the relay services offered within 
their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in 
the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all 
information collections require approval under the PRA. We may not 
conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on 
new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This 
helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements 
and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public 
understand our information collection requirements and provide the 
requested data in the desired format.
    We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including using appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment

[[Page 48674]]

to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, 
we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Abstract: The OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, which implement 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., require 
that interested members of the public and affected agencies have an 
opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping 
activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8 (d)).
    On November 23, 2016, the Departments of Agriculture, the Interior, 
and Commerce published a final rule, at 7 CFR part 1, 43 CFR part 45, 
and 50 CFR part 221, to implement section 241 of the Energy Policy Act 
of 2005 (EP Act), Public Law 109-58, enacted on August 8, 2005, (81 FR 
84389). Section 241 of the EP Act added a new section 33 to the Federal 
Power Act (FPA), 16 U.S.C. 823d, that allows the license applicant or 
any other party to the license proceeding to propose an alternative to 
a condition or prescription that one or more of the Departments develop 
for inclusion in a hydropower license issued by the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (FERC) under the FPA. The final regulations 
require the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, 
and the Department of Commerce to collect the information that is 
covered under this ICR, 1094-0001.
    Under FPA section 33, the Secretary of the Department involved must 
accept the proposed alternative if the Secretary determines, based on 
substantial evidence provided by a party to the license proceeding or 
otherwise available to the Secretary, (a) that the alternative 
condition provides for the adequate protection and utilization of the 
reservation, or that the alternative prescription will be no less 
protective than the fishway initially proposed by the Secretary, and 
(b) that the alternative will either cost significantly less to 
implement or result in improved operation of the project works for 
electricity production.
    In order to make this determination, the regulations require that 
all of the following information be collected: (1) a description of the 
alternative, in an equivalent level of detail to the Department's 
preliminary condition or prescription; (2) an explanation of how the 
alternative: (i) if a condition, will provide for the adequate 
protection and utilization of the reservation; or (ii) if a 
prescription, will be no less protective than the fishway prescribed by 
the bureau; (3) an explanation of how the alternative, as compared to 
the preliminary condition or prescription, will: (i) cost significantly 
less to implement; or (ii) result in improved operation of the project 
works for electricity production; (4) an explanation of how the 
alternative or revised alternative will affect: (i) energy supply, 
distribution, cost, and use; (ii) flood control; (iii) navigation; (iv) 
water supply; (v) air quality; and (vi) other aspects of environmental 
quality; and (5) specific citations to any scientific studies, 
literature, and other documented information relied on to support the 
proposal.
    This notice of proposed renewal of an existing information 
collection is being published by the Department of the Interior, on 
behalf of all three Departments, and the data provided below covers 
anticipated responses (alternative conditions/prescriptions and 
associated information) for all three Departments.
    Title of Collection: 7 CFR part 1; 43 CFR part 45; 50 CFR part 221; 
The Alternatives Process in Hydropower Licensing.
    OMB Control Number: 1094-0001.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Business or for-profit entities
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 5.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 5.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 500 hours.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,500 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Once per alternative proposed
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number.
    The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Stephen G. Tryon,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2024-12461 Filed 6-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4334-63-P