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[Federal Register: April 4, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 65)]
[Notices]               
[Page 17870-17871]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04ap01-46]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC01-525-000, FERC 525]

 
Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

March 29, 2001.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of Section 
3506(c)(2)(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: Consideration will be given to comments submitted on or before 
June 4, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained from and written comments may be submitted to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer, CI-1, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Miller may be reached by 
telephone at (202) 208-1415, by fax at (202) 208-2425, and by e-mail at 
<A HREF="mailto:mike.miller@ferc.fed.us">mike.miller@ferc.fed.us</A>

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-525 ``Financial Audits'' (OMB No. 1902-0092) is 
used by the Commission to implement the statutory provisions of 
sections 4(b), 301(b), 302, 307 and 308 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), 
16 U.S.C. 792-8280, sections 6, 8(b), 9 and 10 of the Natural Gas Act 
(NGA), and sections 19 and 20 of the Interstate Commerce Act, 49 U.S.C. 
20. FERC-525 involves field audits of books and records of public 
utilities and licenses, natural gas companies and oil pipeline 
carriers.
    The Commission performs limited scope industry-wide audits to 
identify systematic problems and ensure that companies' financial 
records conform with the Commission's accounting, financial reporting, 
and other regulations established under the mandatory provisions of the 
statutes listed above.
    The Commission issued Order Nos. 636, 888 and 2000 for the purpose 
of restructuring the natural gas and electric industries in order to 
foster competition. The Commission also targets its audits to 
concentrate on judicial companies compliance with these orders. The 
Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR parts 41, 101, 104, 125, 141, 158, 201, 
225, 260, 351, 352, 356, 357.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
current expiration date.
    Burden Statement: Public Reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated as:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
      No. of                           Average burden
   respondents      No. of responses      hours per       Total annual
     annually        per respondent       response        burden hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)                            (2)                (3)   (1) x (2) x (3)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             50                  1                100             5,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated cost burden to respondents: 5,000 hours divided by 2080 
hours per year times $117,041 per year equals $281,349. The cost per 
respondent is equal to $5,627. 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 coats 
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 Commission'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

[[Page 17871]]

e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-8219 Filed 4-3-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M

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