[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 223 (Thursday, November 19, 1998)] [Notices] [Page 64250] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-30924] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. IC99-2-001; FERC Form No. 2] Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments November 13, 1998.
Agency
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Action
Notice of submission for review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and request for comments.
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Summary
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) has submitted the energy information collection listed in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under provisions of Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13). Any interested person may file comments on the collection of information directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below. The Commission received public comments from a regulated entity and a Federal agency in response to an earlier notice issued June 18, 1998, 63 FR 34369 (June 24, 1998) and has replied to these comments in its submission to OMB.
Dates
Comments regarding this collection of information are best assured of having their full effect if received on or before December 21, 1998.
Addresses
Address comments to the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Desk Officer, 725 17th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20503. A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attention: Mr. Michael Miller, 888 First Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426.
For Further Information Contact
Michael Miller may be reached by telephone at (202) 208-1415, by fax at (202) 273-0873, and by e-mail at michael.miller@ferc.fed.us.
Supplementary Information
The energy information collection submitted to OMB for review contains:
1. Collection of Information: FERC Form No. 2 ``Annual Report of Major Natural Gas Companies.'' 2. Sponsor: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. 3. Control No.: OMB No. 1902-0028. The Commission is now requesting that OMB approve a three-year extension of the current expiration date, with no substantive changes to the existing collection. There is an increase in the reporting burden due to an increase in the number of companies filing this information. This increase reflects an adjustment to the Commission's regulatory burden for this information collection requirements. These are mandatory collection requirements. 4. Necessity of Collection of Information: Submission of the information is necessary to enable the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of Natural Gas Act (NGA), 15 U.S.C. 717. The NGA authorizes the Commission to prescribe rules and regulations concerning accounts, records and memoranda as appropriate for purposes of administering the NGA. The Commission may prescribe a system of accounts for jurisdictional companies, and after notice and hearing, may determine the account in which particular outlays and receipts will be entered, charged or credited. The FERC Form 2 data is used for the following: to assess the financial conditions of natural gas pipeline companies; verification of cost data in various rate proceedings and supply programs, in the audit program implemented by the Office of Finance, Accounting and Operations (formerly Office of Chief Accountant) and to compute annual charges. Major natural gas pipeline companies are defined as having combined gas transported or stored for a fee that exceeds 50 million Dekatherms. The reporting requirements are found at 18 CFR 260.1. 5. Respondent Description: The respondent universe currently comprises on average, 59 companies subject to the Commission's regulations. 6. Estimated Burden: 87,615 total burden hours, 59 respondents, 1 response annually, 1,485 hours per response (average). 7. Estimated Cost Burden to Respondents: 87,615 hours 2,080 hours x $109,888 per year = $4,628,768. Average cost per respondent = $78,454. Statutory Authority: Section 8, 10(9) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), 15 U.S.C. 717g, 717i. David P. Boergers, Secretary. [FR Doc. 98-30924 Filed 11-18-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-M