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Please note that the OMB number and expiration date may not have been determined when this Information Collection Request and associated Information Collection forms were submitted to OMB. The approved OMB number and expiration date may be found by clicking on the Notice of Action link below.
View ICR - OIRA Conclusion
OMB Control No:
1902-0174
ICR Reference No:
201510-1902-004
Status:
Historical Active
Previous ICR Reference No:
201504-1902-008
Agency/Subagency:
FERC
Agency Tracking No:
FERC-549C
Title:
FERC-549C, (RM96-1-038) Standards for Business Practices of Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines
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:
12/09/2015
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)
Date Received in OIRA:
11/05/2015
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
12/31/2018
36 Months From Approved
07/31/2018
Responses
495
0
491
Time Burden (Hours)
46,943
0
57,803
Cost Burden (Dollars)
0
0
0
Abstract:
The business practice standards under FERC-549C are required to carry out the Commission’s policies in accordance with the general authority in Sections 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 14, 16, and 20 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (15 U.S.C. 717c-717w), and sections 311, 501, and 504 of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA) (15 U.S.C. 3301-3432). The Commission adopted these business practice standards in order to update and standardize the natural gas industry’s business practices and procedures as well as to improve the efficiency of the gas market and the means by which the gas industry conducts business across the interstate pipeline grid. In various orders since 1996 , FERC has adopted regulations to standardize the business practices and communication methodologies of interstate natural gas pipelines in order to create a more integrated and efficient pipeline industry. In general, when and if NAESB-proposed standards (e.g., consensus standards developed by the Wholesale Gas Quadrant (WGQ), an accredited standards organization under the auspices of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)) are approved by FERC, the Commission incorporates them by reference into its approval. The process of standardizing business practices in the natural gas industry began with a Commission initiative to standardize electronic communication of capacity release transactions. The outgrowth of the initial Commission standardization efforts produced working groups composed of all segments of the gas industry and ultimately, the Gas Industry Standards Board (GISB), a consensus organization open to all members of the gas industry was created. GISB was succeeded by the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB). NAESB is a voluntary non-profit organization comprised of members from the retail and wholesale natural gas and electric industries. NAESB’s mission is to take the lead in developing standards across these industries to simplify and expand electronic communication, and to streamline business practices. Core to its objective is to lead to a seamless North American marketplace for natural gas, as recognized by its customers, the business community, industry participants and regulatory bodies. NAESB has divided its efforts among four quadrants, including two retail quadrants, a wholesale electric quadrant, and the WGQ. The NAESB WGQ standards are a product of this effort. Industry participants seeking additional or amended standards (including principles, definitions, standards, data elements, process descriptions, technical implementation instructions) submit a request to the NAESB office, detailing the change, so that the appropriate process may take place to amend the standards.
Authorizing Statute(s):
US Code:
15 USC 717-717w
Name of Law: Natural Gas Act
US Code:
15 USC 3371
Name of Law: Natural Gas Policy Act
Citations for New Statutory Requirements:
None
Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:
Stage of Rulemaking:
Federal Register Citation:
Date:
1902-AF08
Final or interim final rulemaking
80 FR 67303
11/02/2015
Federal Register Notices & Comments
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR?
No
Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR:
2
IC Title
Form No.
Form Name
Implement. of new stds. & 1 added intraday nomination cycle (one-time [averaged over Yrs. 1-3] & ongoing, from Final Rule in RM14-2)
Standards for Business Practices of Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines
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
495
491
0
4
0
0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)
46,943
57,803
0
-10,860
0
0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)
0
0
0
0
0
0
Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion:
No
Burden Increase Due to:
Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion:
Yes
Burden Reduction Due to:
Changing Regulations
Short Statement:
In the Final Rule in RM96-1-038, the Commission is incorporating by reference changes to NAESB’s earlier standards applicable to the natural gas industry. These standards became mandatory enforceable requirements once the Commission took this action. The resulting burden change is primarily related to start-up to implement these standards and regulations. The proposed changes include: • modifying WGQ Standard 4.3.23 to add “Request to Purchase Releasable Capacity” as a subcategory of information contained in a transportation service provider’s information posting website • adding new WGQ Standard 5.3.73, containing requirements regarding requests to purchase capacity that is releasable • using proprietary codes to identify the location of points of receipt and delivery and requiring pipelines to post on their websites information on each of the proprietary points (and no longer using the current common code database which industry decided is not worth the expense and effort) that can be used to determine which points are interconnecting points between pipelines • approving NAESB’s approach of separately reporting both “Design Capacity” and “Operating Capacity” as part of the reporting data set, because they are not synonymous and this will provide shippers and the Commission with added information. Accordingly, the Commission proposes to incorporate by reference revised WGQ Standards 0.3.18, 0.3.20, and 0.3.21, and Dataset 0.4.2, as the revised standards and dataset meet the Commission’s past concerns and no longer conflict with section 284.13(d) of the Commission’s regulations.
Annual Cost to Federal Government:
$112,116
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
Agency Contact:
Gary Cohen 202 502-8321 gary.cohen@ferc.gov
Common Form ICR:
No
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:
11/05/2015
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