[Federal Register: October 20, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 202)]
[Notices]               
[Page 56011-56012]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20oc98-48]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC98-561-001; FERC-561]

 
Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

October 14, 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 one entity in response to an earlier notice issued 
June 23, 1998, 63 FR 35204 (June 29, 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 November 
19, 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-561 ``Annual Report of 
Interlocking Positions.''
    2. Sponsor: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
    3. Control No.: OMB No. 1902-0099. 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 rate of 
interlock changes per year. There has been an increase in the number of 
public utilities changing ownership and thus an increase in the number 
of officers and directors changing positions. This results in an 
increase in the number of changes made annually to the filing. This 
increase reflects an adjustment to the Commission's regulatory burden 
for this information collection requirement. 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 Title II, Section 211 of the Public Utility 
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, 16 U.S.C. 825d which amended Part III 
Section 305(c) of the Federal

[[Page 56012]]

Power Act. Submission of the list is necessary to fulfill the 
requirements of Section 211--Interlocking Directorates, which defines 
monitoring and regulatory operations concerning interlocking 
directorate positions held by utility personnel and possible conflicts 
of interest. The information is collected by the Commission to identify 
persons holding interlocking position between public utilities and 
possible conflicts of interest. Through this process, the Commission is 
able to review and exercise oversight of interlocking directorates of 
public utilities and their related activities. Specifically, the 
Commission must determine that individuals in utility operations 
holding two positions at the same time would not adversely affect the 
public interest. The Commission can employ enforcement proceedings when 
violations and omissions of the Act's provisions occur. The compliance 
with these requirements is mandatory. The reporting requirements are 
found at 18 CFR 46.6 and 131.31.
    5. Respondent Description: The respondent universe currently 
comprises on average, 1,600 respondents subject to the Commission's 
regulations.
    6. Estimated Burden: 800 total burden hours, 1600 respondents, 1 
response annually, 0.5 hours per response (average).
    7. Estimated Cost Burden to Respondents: 800 hours <divide> 2,088 
hours  x  $109,889 per year = $41,758. Average cost per respondent = 
$26.09.
    Statutory Authority: Title II, Section 211 of the Public Utility 
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, 16 U.S.C. 825d which amended Part III 
Section 305(c) of the Federal Power Act.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-28014 Filed 10-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M