Agency information collection activities; proposals, submissions, and approvals,

[Federal Register: May 8, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 88)]

[Notices]

[Page 26086-26087]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr08my07-56]

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC07-555-000; FERC-555]

Commission Information Collection Activities, Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Extension

May 1, 2007. AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described below.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due July 13, 2007.

ADDRESSES: For more information on the records retention requirements, the public can view the Commission's regulations on the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov/legal/maj-ord-reg.asp) or contacting the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Office of the Executive Director, ED-34, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. Comments may be filed either in paper format or electronically. Those parties filing electronically do not need to make a paper filing. For paper filing, the original and 14 copies of such comments should be submitted to the Secretary of the Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426 and refer to Docket No. IC07-555-000.

Documents filed electronically via the Internet must be prepared in WordPerfect, MS Word, Portable Document Format, or ASCII format. To file the document, access the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov and click on ``Make an E-filing'', and then follow the

instructions for each screen. First time users will have to establish a user name and password. The Commission will send an automatic acknowledgement to the sender's e-mail address upon receipt of comments.

All comments may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely via the Internet through FERC's homepage using the eLibrary link. For user assistance, contact FERCOlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll-free at (866) 208-3676. or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Miller may be reached by telephone at (202) 502-8415, by fax at (202)273-0873, and by e-mail at michael.miller@ferc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the requirements of FERC-555 ``Records Retention Requirements'' (OMB No. 1902-0098) is used by the Commission to carry out its responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions of sections 301, 304 and 309 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) (16 U.S.C. 825, 825c and 825h), sections 8, 10 and 16 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w), and section 20 of the Interstate Commerce Act (ICA, 49 U.S.C. 20).

The regulations for preservation of records establish retention periods, necessary guidelines and requirements to sustain retention of applicable records for the regulated public utilities, natural gas and oil pipeline companies subject to the Commission's jurisdiction. These records will be used by the regulated companies as the basis for their required rate filings and reports for the Commission. In addition, the records will be used by the Commission's audit staff during compliance reviews, by enforcement staff during investigations and for special analyses as deemed necessary by the Commission. The records retained by jurisdictional companies as directed by the Commission are the result of a mandatory requirement.

On January 8, 1999 the Commission issued AI99-2-000, an Accounting Issuance providing guidance on records storage media. Specifically, FERC gave each jurisdictional company the flexibility to select its own storage media. The storage media selected must have a life expectancy equal to the applicable record period unless the quality of the data transferred from one media to another with no loss of data would exceed the record period.

On January 27, 2000, FERC issued a final rule amending its records retention regulations for public utilities and licensees, and natural gas and oil pipeline companies. These changes included revising the general instructions, and shortening various records retention periods. The final rule's objective was to reduce or eliminate burdensome and unnecessary regulatory requirements.

It has been more than seven years since the issuance of the final rule and the accounting guidance, and jurisdictional companies have experienced more than sufficient time to implement these provisions. In responding to this notice, the Commission seeks information on whether jurisdictional companies have obtained substantial reductions in the recordkeeping burden for maintaining their records under the revised retention periods and the use of alternative storage media. Further, the Commission is interested in learning if and what savings were achieved by jurisdictional companies by freeing up storage space formerly used for retaining records. The Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR parts 125, 225, and 356.

Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the current expiration date, with no changes to the existing collection of data.

Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated as:

[[Page 26087]]

Number of

Number of Average burden respondents responses per hours per Total annual annually

respondent

response

burden hours (1)

(2)

(3) (1)x(2)x(3)

515

1

2,402

1,237,030

Estimated cost burden to respondents is $141,045. (1,237,030 hours/ 2080 hours per year times $122,137 per year average per employee = $ 72,638,045). The cost per respondent is $ 141,045).

The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide the information including: (1) Reviewing instructions; (2) developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing, maintaining, disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; (4) training personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5) searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the information.

The estimate of cost for respondents is based upon salaries for professional and clerical support, as well as direct and indirect overhead costs. Direct costs include all costs directly attributable to providing this information, such as administrative costs and the cost for information technology. Indirect or overhead costs are costs incurred by an organization in support of its mission. These costs apply to activities, which benefit the whole organization rather than any one particular function or activity.

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed 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 of the proposed 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) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses.

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary.

[FR Doc. E7-8701 Filed 5-7-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P