FERC-549, (RM12-17 Final Rule) NGPA Title III Transactions and NGA Blanket Certificate Transactions

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
FINAL RM12-17-000 Supporting Statement.docx Supporting Statement A	2013-08-06
USCODE-2010-title15-chap15B-sec717c.pdf Supplementary Document	2011-12-12
USCODE-2010-title15-chap60-subchapIII-partB-sec3372.pdf Supplementary Document	2011-12-12
USCODE-2010-title15-chap60-subchapIII-partB-sec3371.pdf Supplementary Document	2011-12-12
USCODE-2010-title15-chap15B-sec717f.pdf Supplementary Document	2011-12-12
CFR-2011-title18-vol1-sec284-123.pdf Supplementary Document	2011-12-12

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
200420	Market Based Rates (18 CFR 284.501-505)	Unchanged
200419	Code of Conduct (18 CFR 284.288 & 284.403)	Unchanged
200418	CID & Rates and Charges for Intrastate Pipelines (18 CFR 284.123(b),(e),(g),(h))	Modified
200417	Transportation by Interstate Pipelines (18 CFR 284.102(e))	Unchanged

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0086	ICR Reference No: 201308-1902-002
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201305-1902-002
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-549
Title: FERC-549, (RM12-17 Final Rule) NGPA Title III Transactions and NGA Blanket Certificate Transactions
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 09/30/2013
	Date Received in OIRA: 08/06/2013
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three years.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	09/30/2016	36 Months From Approved	08/31/2016
Responses	552	0	548
Time Burden (Hours)	2,331	0	2,283
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: FERC-549 is required to implement the statutory provisions governed by Sections 311 and 312 of the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA) (15 USC 3371-3372) and Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717f). The reporting requirements for implementing these provisions are contained in 18 Code of Federal regulations (CFR) Part 284. This final rule only approves changes in the 18 CFR 284.123 (Rates and Charges for Intrastate Pipelines) requirements and not to any of the other information collection parts of the FERC-549. In the final rule the Commission revises the Commission's periodic rate review requirement policy to allow intrastate pipelines with unchanged state-based rates to meet the rate review requirement by certifying that the state-approved rates continue to satisfy the requirements of the Commission's regulations for using a state-based rate. This revised policy is included in the new paragraphs under 18 CFR 284.123(g). In the final rule the Commission also allows entities to withdraw in its entirety a filing pursuant to 18 CFR 284.123 that has not been approved by filing a withdrawal motion with the Commission.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 15 USC 717f Name of Law: Natural Gas Act
   US Code: 15 USC 717c Name of Law: Natural Gas Act
   US Code: 15 USC 3371-3372 Name of Law: Natural Gas Policy Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
1902-AE61	Final or interim final rulemaking	78 FR 45850	07/30/2013

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 4

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
CID & Rates and Charges for Intrastate Pipelines (18 CFR 284.123(b),(e),(g),(h))
Code of Conduct (18 CFR 284.288 & 284.403)
Market Based Rates (18 CFR 284.501-505)
Transportation by Interstate Pipelines (18 CFR 284.102(e))

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	552	548	0	4	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	2,331	2,283	0	48	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The Commission as a part of this Final Rule is changing its policy with respect to five-year periodic rate review requirement for pipelines whose rates are based upon a state rate election under § 284.123(b)(1). The Commission will only require a pipeline with state-approved rates which have not changed since the previous five-year filing to certify that those rates continue to meet the requirements of § 284.123(b)(1) on the same basis on which they were approved. Concomitant with this policy change, the Commission will now require a pipeline with rates that are based upon a state rate election under § 284.123(b)(1) to file within thirty days of a change in its underlying state rates for approval of new rates under § 284.123. The pipeline may not wait to do this in conjunction with a filing under its five-year periodic rate review requirement. The Commission has observed that generally most pipelines file to revise rates based upon a state rate election whenever there is a change. The Commission estimates that this change in policy may result in three additional filings per year at 12 hours per filing. As noted in the NOPR and unchanged in the Final Rule, the Commission estimates that a single pipeline may, on an annual basis, use the new withdrawal filing requirements under § 284.123(h). This may result in an increase in burden of one filing and 12 hours per year for the new withdrawal filing requirements.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $1,324,819

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 08/06/2013

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