[Federal Register: June 10, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 112)]
[Notices]
[Page 32697-32698]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10jn08-28]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC08-516A-001, FERC-516A]
Commission Information Collection Activities, Proposed
Collection; Comment Request; Submitted for OMB Review
June 3, 2008.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Notice.
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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 by July 11,
2008.
ADDRESSES: Address comments on the collection of information to the
Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer.
Comments to OMB should be filed electronically, c/o oira_
submission@omb.eop.gov and include the OMB Control No. (1902-0203) as a
point of reference. The Desk Officer may be reached by telephone at
202-395-7345. A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of the Executive Director, ED-34,
Attention: Michael Miller, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
Comments may be filed either in paper format or electronically. Those
persons filing electronically do not need to make a paper filing. For
paper filings, such comments should be submitted to the Secretary of
the Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street,
NE., Washington, DC 20426 and should refer to Docket No. IC08-516A-001.
Documents filed electronically via the Internet must be prepared in an
acceptable filing format and in compliance with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission submission guidelines. Complete filing
instructions and acceptable filing formats are available at (http://
www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide/electronic-media.asp). To file the
document electronically, access the Commission's Web site and click on
Documents & Filing, E-Filing (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
efiling.asp), 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
[[Page 32698]]
requirements of FERC-516A ``Small Generator Interconnection
Agreements'' (OMB No. 1902-0203) is used by the Commission to enforce
the statutory provisions of sections 205 and 206 of the Federal Power
Act (FPA), as amended by Title II, section 211 of the Public Utility
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) (16 U.S.C. 825d). FPA sections
205 and 206 require the Commission to remedy undue discriminatory
practices within interstate electric utility operations.
The Commission amended its regulations in 2005 with Order No. 2006
to require public utilities that own, control, or operate facilities
used for the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce to
amend their Open Access Transmission Tariffs (OATTs) to include a
Commission-approved pro forma interconnection procedures document and a
standard interconnection agreement for the interconnection of
generating facilities having a capacity of no more than 20 MW (Small
Generators).\1\
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\1\ Standardization of Small Generator Interconnection
Agreements and Procedures, Order No. 2006, 70 FR 34189 (May 12,
2005), FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,180 (2005).
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Prior to Order No. 2006, the Commission's policy had been to
address interconnection issues on a case-by-case basis. Although a
number of transmission providers had filed interconnection procedures
as part of their OATTs, many industry participants remained
dissatisfied with existing interconnection policies and procedures.
With an increasing number of interconnection-related disputes, it
became apparent that the case-by-case approach was an inadequate and
inefficient means to address interconnection issues. This prompted the
Commission to adopt, in Order No. 2006, a single set of procedures for
jurisdictional transmission providers and a single uniformly applicable
interconnection agreement for transmission providers to use in
interconnecting with Small Generators.
With the incorporation of these documents in their OATTs, there is
no longer a need for transmitting utilities to file case-by-case
interconnection agreements and procedures with the Commission. However,
on occasion, circumstances warrant non-conforming agreements or a
situation-specific set of procedures. These non-conforming documents
must be filed in their entirety with the Commission for review and
action.
The information collected is in response to a mandatory
requirement. The Commission implements these filing requirements in the
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR Part 35, Sec. 35.28(f).
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:
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Number of Average burden
Number of respondents annually responses per hours per Total annual
respondent response burden hours
(1) (2) (3) (1) x (2) x
(3)
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40 (filing of conforming agreements)............................ 1 25 1,000
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Totals...................................................... .............. .............. 1,238
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There was a one-time start-up cost to comply with Order No. 2006
requirements that was included when the Commission first sought
authorization for this information in 2005. The estimated burden of the
continued requirement to maintain the procedures and agreement
documents in transmission providers' OATTs is reflected herein as is
the filing of non-conforming interconnection procedures and agreements
that occur on occasion.
The estimated total cost to respondents is $75,222.78. [1,238 hours
divided by 2080 hours \2\ per year, times $126,384 \3\ equals
$75,222.78]. The average cost per respondent is $316.06.
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\2\ Number of hours an employee works each year.
\3\ Average annual salary per employee.
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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. E8-12938 Filed 6-9-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P