Energy Information Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EIA submitted an information collection request for extension as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension with changes to Form EIA-886 Annual Survey of Alternative Fuel Vehicles under OMB Control Number 1905-0191. Form EIA-886 collects information on the number and type of alternative fueled vehicles (AFVs) and other advanced technology vehicles that vehicle suppliers made available in the previous calendar year and plan to make available in the following calendar year; the number, type, and geographic distribution of AFVs in use in the previous calendar year; and the amount and distribution of each type of alternative transportation fuel (ATF) consumed in the previous calendar year.

EIA has submitted an information collection request as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension with changes to Form EIA- 846, ``Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey'' (MECS), OMB Control Number 1905-0169. Form EIA-846 collects data from the U.S. manufacturing sector on energy consumption, expenditures, shipments of energy offsite, end use consumption, building characteristics, participation in energy management programs, technologies, and fuel switching capacity.

EIA is requesting a three-year extension of EIA-882T, ``Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation, and Research.'' EIA-882T provides EIA with the authority to utilize qualitative and quantitative methodologies to pretest questionnaires and validate the quality of data collected on EIA's surveys. EIA uses EIA-882T to meet its obligation to publish, and otherwise make available independent, high-quality statistical data to federal government agencies, state and local governments, the energy industry, researchers, and the general public.

EIA submitted an information collection request for extension as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension with no changes to Form EIA- 111, ``Quarterly Electricity Imports and Exports Report,'' under OMB Control Number 1905-0208. The collection will collect U.S. electricity import and export data for the purpose of measuring the flow of electricity into and out of the United States from Canada and Mexico.

EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend with changes for three years with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Form EIA-846 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey. Form EIA-846 collects information on energy consumption, expenditures, and building characteristics from establishments in the manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy.

EIA has submitted an information collection request to OMB for extension under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension with changes of its Natural Gas Data Collection Program, under OMB Control No. 1905- 0175. The proposed collection will provide information on the supply and disposition of natural gas within the United States.

EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend without changes for three years with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Form EIA-111, Quarterly Electricity Imports and Exports Report. Form EIA-111 collects U.S. electricity import and export data for the purpose of measuring the flow of electricity into and out of the United States from Canada and Mexico.

EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend (with changes) for three years with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Form OE-417 Electric Emergency Incident and Disturbance Report, OMB Control Number 1901-0288. Form OE-417 enables the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to monitor emergencies and significant incidents that affect U.S. electric power systems. The information gathered allows DOE to conduct post-incident reviews examining significant interruptions of electric power or threats to the national electric system.

EIA has submitted an information collection request to OMB for extension under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension with changes of its Petroleum Marketing Program, OMB Control Number 1905-0174. The Petroleum Marketing Program collects and publishes data on the nature, structure, and efficiency of petroleum markets at national, regional, and state levels. Through integration of the program's ten surveys, EIA monitors petroleum volumes and prices as the commodity moves through various stages such as the importation of raw material, physical and financial transfer of material off extraction sites, refinement to finished products, transfer/distribution from refiners to retail outlets, and sales to ultimate consumers.

The EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend with changes for three years with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the surveys in the Natural Gas Data Collection Program Package under OMB Control No. 1905-0175. This program provides information on the supply and disposition of natural gas within the United States. The surveys covered by this information collection request include:

EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to submit an information collection request for the Petroleum Marketing Program, OMB Control Number 1905-0174, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). EIA is requesting a three-year extension to the program and soliciting comments on the proposed changes to Form EIA-182, Form EIA-863, Form EIA-878, Form EIA-888, and Form EIA-877. No changes are proposed for the remaining survey forms that comprise the Petroleum Marketing Program.

EIA is announcing revisions to the confidentiality pledge(s) it provides to its respondents under the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act. These revisions are required by the passage and implementation of provisions of the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 which permit and require the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide Federal civilian agencies' information technology systems with cybersecurity protection for their Internet traffic.

EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and with the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, intends to extend for 3 years, with changes, the following forms: Form EIA-63B, ``Photovoltaic Module Shipments Report,'' Form EIA-411, ``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program Report,'' Form EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Utility Sales and Revenue Report with State Distributions,'' (discontinued form to be replaced by Form EIA-861M), Form EIA-860, ``Annual Electric Generator Report,'' Form EIA-860M, ``Monthly Update to the Annual Electric Generator Report,'' Form EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report,'' Form EIA-861S, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report (Short Form),'' Form EIA-861M, ``Monthly Electric Power Industry Report'' (replaces Form EIA-826), Form EIA-923, ``Power Plant Operations Report,'' and Form EIA-930, ``Balancing Authority Operations Report.'' Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

As part of a Federal Government-wide effort to streamline the process to seek feedback from the public on service delivery, EIA has submitted a Generic Information Collection Request (Generic ICR): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery''' to OMB for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq.).

The EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend for three years with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Form FE-746R, ``Natural Gas Imports and Exports.'' Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The EIA invites public comment on the proposed three-year extension of the following Oil and Gas Reserves System Survey Forms that EIA is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995: Revision of Form EIA-23L, Annual Survey of Domestic Oil and Gas Reserves, Field Level Report; extension without changes of Form EIA-64A, Annual Report of the Origin of Natural Gas Liquids Production; and continued suspension of Form EIA-23S, Annual Survey of Domestic Oil and Gas Reserves, Summary Level Report. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

EIA has submitted the Forms EIA-457A, C, D, E, F and G, ``2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and reinstatement under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed collection is a periodic series of surveys of households and their energy suppliers with the purpose of collecting and reporting energy characteristics, consumption, and expenditures data of homes in the United States.

The EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend for three years with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Form EIA-851A ``Domestic Uranium Production Report (Annual),'' Form EIA-851Q ``Domestic Uranium Production Report (Quarterly),'' and Form EIA-858 ``Uranium Marketing Annual Survey.'' Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

EIA invites public comment on the proposed collection of information, Form EIA-63C, Densified Biomass Fuel Report, which EIA is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. When submitting comments regarding the reporting burden or costs of reporting this information, describe in detail any start-up costs you expect to incur such as new software, processes, or training. If you claim that you may incur start-up costs in reporting this requested information, describe how your current record keeping practices differ from the information to be collected on the proposed Form EIA-63C.

EIA intends to revise and extend for three years, Form EIA-914 ``Monthly Natural Gas Production Report,'' with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The revisions include increasing the number of states for which natural gas production will be collected. Gas production has increased dramatically in a few of the states outside the current EIA-914 statesfor example, Pennsylvania and Colorado, both of which now out-produce two of the original EIA-914 areas, New Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. Much of Colorado's new production is coalbed methane, while Pennsylvania's production is largely from the Marcellus shale formation. While production from unconventional sources has risen, production from more traditional formations has declined, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico and New Mexico, as the emphasis on oil production has increased. Pennsylvania and Colorado are representative of quite a few states that have demonstrated recent, large production increases. Thus, EIA considers it important to expand the number of states for which natural gas production data are collected. Additionally, EIA also proposes to add the collection of crude oil and lease condensate production data at the state level. Oil production in the United States has grown recently and, in some cases, dramatically after a long, gradual decline. However, tight formations have fueled a recent reversal of this trend. As recently as April 2005 North Dakota was the tenth-largest producer of crude oil in the United States with less than 2 percent of U.S. production, but due to developments in the Bakken formation, is now the third-largest producer and accounted for slightly more than 12 percent of U.S. production in November 2013. Similarly, Texas production, which declined for many years, dramatically increased over the last two years as the projects in the Eagle Ford formation came on-line and ramped up. Increased production from tight formations have more than offset natural declines in the Gulf of Mexico, California, Alaska, and elsewhere so that exporting U.S. oil production has become a seriously discussed topic. Further, EIA proposes to collect state-level crude oil and lease condensate production by API gravity category. We think that it's important to collect oil production by API gravity to inform the growing discussion about exporting crude oil. Proponents of exporting argue that there are large amounts of light crude oil presently produced in the United States, too much for U.S. refineries to process. Opponents of exporting argue that there is far less light crude oil being produced. Thus, collecting crude oil production by API gravity categories will inform the debate. The categories have not been determined yet. We expect that the final set of categories will include ``unknown,'' but we don't expect much production reported for this category. Lastly, EIA plans to explore the possibility of collecting sulfur content of U.S. crude oil and lease condensate production (either at the state level, or national level). Categories of sulfur content will be determined once the availability of these data becomes known. Comments are invited on the following issues: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) whether the proposed collection of crude oil and lease condensate by API gravity category is consistent with industry record-keeping practices, as well as general comments on potential respondents' ability to provide such information, (c) whether the potential respondents are able to provide a measure of the sulfur content by state, (d) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (e) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The EIA has submitted an information collection request to the OMB for extension under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension of Form FE-746R, ``Natural Gas Imports and Exports,'' OMB Control Number 1901-0294. The proposed collection will support DOE's Office of Fossil Energy (FE) in the collection of critical information on U.S. natural gas trade. Data collected include name of importer/exporter; country of origin/destination; international point of entry/exit; name of supplier; volume; price; transporters; U.S. geographic market(s) served; and duration of supply contract on a monthly basis. The data, published in Natural Gas Imports and Exports, are used to monitor North American gas trade, and to support various market and regulatory analyses performed by FE.

The EIA has submitted the Financial Reporting EIA-28 Survey package to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The Financial Reporting System, Form EIA-28 collects data used to analyze the energy industry's competitive environment as well as energy industry resource development, supply distribution, and profitability issues. This is a request to conduct a comprehensive voluntary evaluation of an existing data collection to inform a future redesign of the EIA-28. This future redesign will measure upstream oil and gas costs for exploration and production for U.S. companies' foreign and domestic operations. In order to successfully inform this redesign, EIA will assess the feasibility of collecting and measuring upstream oil and gas costs for exploration and production for U.S. energy companies' foreign and domestic operations. EIA will work to identify the policy goals and data needs of its stakeholders with respect to the collection and measurement of upstream oil and gas costs. The goal of this evaluation is to collect enough data to successfully inform the future redesign of the EIA-28.

EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and with the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, intends to extend for 3 years, with changes, the following forms: Form EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic Cell/Module Shipments Report,'' Form EIA-411, ``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program Report,'' Form EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Utility Sales and Revenue Report with State Distributions,'' Form EIA-860, ``Annual Electric Generator Report,'' Form EIA-860M, ``Monthly Update to the Annual Electric Generator Report,'' Form EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report,'' Form EIA-861S, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report (Short Form),'' and Form EIA-923, ``Power Plant Operations Report.'' In addition, EIA proposes to create the following new form: Form EIA-930, ``Balancing Authority Operations Report.'' Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

EIA is announcing the discontinuation of the natural gas wellhead price series. Beginning in January 2013, EIA will discontinue publishing wellhead prices, and will begin publishing a natural gas spot price at the Henry Hub and an NGL composite spot price at Mont Belvieu. Comments are invited on the proposed change. Please provide a description of your current use of the wellhead price data if applicable.

The EIA invites public comment on the comprehensive evaluation of an existing data collection, the Financial Reporting System, EIA-28, which EIA is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper evaluation of this form, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information that will occur as a result of this evaluation, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.