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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:
1902-0155
ICR Reference No:
201902-1902-008
Status:
Historical Active
Previous ICR Reference No:
201510-1902-001
Agency/Subagency:
FERC
Agency Tracking No:
FERC-546
Title:
FERC-546, Certificated Rate Filings: Gas Pipeline Rates
Type of Information Collection:
Extension without change of a currently approved collection
Common Form ICR:
No
Type of Review Request:
Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action:
Approved without change
Conclusion Date:
05/06/2019
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)
Date Received in OIRA:
02/26/2019
Terms of Clearance:
In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, this renewal request is approved.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
Expiration Date
05/31/2022
36 Months From Approved
05/31/2019
Responses
75
0
51
Time Burden (Hours)
37,500
0
2,350
Cost Burden (Dollars)
0
0
0
Abstract:
The following list outlines four circumstances under which the FERC-546 information collection requirements for certificated rates must be met: A company decides to: 1. Construct and operate a new jurisdictional pipeline ; 2. Expand its certificated pipeline capacity by constructing a lateral pipeline, adding compression or providing storage at incremental or cost-based rates; 3. Build a new liquefied natural gas facility; or 4. Provide gas storage and negotiate market based rates. Under the circumstances 1-3, the company must file its FERC-546 cost data along with an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity under the statutory requirements of NGA Section 7(c). For circumstance 4, the company must file its FERC-546 information with an application under NGA Section 4(f)5. The FERC-546 includes the following: • Supporting information for proposed initial rates (e.g. cost-based, market based, incremental rates); • Pro forma tariffs; • Motions to put proposed initial rates into effect subject to Commission findings on the related certificate; • Unexecuted precedent agreements; and Section 16 of the NGA grants the Commission administrative powers including the ability to define accounting, technical and trade terms, prescribe forms, statements, declarations or reports and to prescribe rules and regulations. Section 403 authorizes the Commission, as delegated through the Department of Energy Organization Act, to establish and review priorities for curtailments under the Natural Gas Act. The Commission reviews the FERC-546 materials in order to approve rates and tariff changes associated with an application for a certificate under NGA Section 7(c). Additionally, the Commission reviews FERC-546 materials in 4(f) storage applications to evaluate market power and decide whether to grant, deny, or condition market based rate authority for the applicant. The Commission also uses the FERC-546 information to monitor jurisdictional transportation, natural gas storage, and unbundled sales activities of interstate natural gas pipelines and Hinshaw pipelines. In addition to fulfilling the Commission’s obligations under the NGA, the FERC-546 enables the Commission to monitor activities, evaluate transactions, ensure competitiveness, and improved efficiency of the gas industry's operations. In summary, the Commission uses the FERC-546 information to: • Ensure adequate customer protections under section 4(f) of the NGA; • Review rate and tariff changes by natural gas companies for the transportation of natural gas and natural gas storage services; • Provide general industry oversight; and • Supplement documentation during its audits process. Failure to collect this information would prevent the Commission from being able to monitor and evaluate transactions and operations of interstate pipelines and perform its regulatory functions.
Authorizing Statute(s):
PL:
Pub.L. 109 - 58 312
Name of Law: Energy Policy Act 2005
US Code:
15 USC 717c-717o
Name of Law: Natural Gas Act (NGA)
US Code:
15 USC 3393
Name of Law: Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA)
Citations for New Statutory Requirements:
None
Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:
Stage of Rulemaking:
Federal Register Citation:
Date:
Not associated with rulemaking
Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:
Federal Register Citation:
Citation Date:
83 FR 55155
11/02/2018
30-day Notice:
Federal Register Citation:
Citation Date:
84 FR 4055
02/14/2019
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR?
No
Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR:
1
IC Title
Form No.
Form Name
Certificated Rate Filings: Gas Pipeline Rates
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
75
51
0
0
24
0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)
37,500
2,350
0
0
35,150
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:
No
Burden Reduction Due to:
Short Statement:
The Commission’s goal has been to increase natural gas availability for electric generation, decrease natural gas price volatility, and encourage development of natural gas storage capacity in the United States. These emphases have caused burden projections for the FERC-546 information collection to be significantly higher than previous levels. The 2015 renewal for the FERC-546 estimated 51 pipeline respondents would (industry-wide) submit 51 applications (across both pipeline respondents and storage operators) with FERC 546 information. While the number of potentially affected entities remains static, actual numbers for the FERC-546 filings and average burden per response were both significantly higher than previously proposed estimates due to increases in the natural gas industry’s infrastructure to transport numerous newly discovered supplies of shale gas. Commission staff, therefore, increased the burden estimates in the currently proposed clearance package in accordance with the aforementioned analysis of actual filings received for the FERC-546 information collection (burden estimate is explained in detail in Question #12). Commission staff made this adjustment to the total estimated burden via increases in both filing numbers (i.e. number of responses) and to the average respondent burden hours/response for both pipeline companies and storage operators (from 46.08 hours/response to 500 hours/response). The large increase in hourly burden per response is due to a recent, more thorough analysis of FERC-546 information collection and its actual affect upon industry respondents. Thus, the public reporting burden has increased for this information collection. However, the Commission made no program changes regarding burden imposed upon respondents and the FERC-546 requirements remain unchanged from previously approved clearance packages.
Annual Cost to Federal Government:
$128,546
Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods?
No
Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see
OMB Circular No. A-130
for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.
No
Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see
5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3)
)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.
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:
Michael Ji 202 502-8191
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:
02/26/2019
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