View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

OMB Control No: 1902-0128	ICR Reference No: 201905-1902-018
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201610-1902-009
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-577
Title: FERC-577 (Natural Gas Facilities: Environmental Review and Compliance)
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 with change	Conclusion Date: 04/03/2020
	Date Received in OIRA: 01/15/2020
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	01/31/2023	36 Months From Approved	04/30/2020
Responses	25,232	0	25,232
Time Burden (Hours)	359,957	0	332,378
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: Environmental concerns play a significant role in the review of certificate construction applications. Pipelines are facing increased opposition from landowners as new projects are proposed, especially in more heavily populated areas. FERC has to balance the benefits of alternative supplies of natural gas with the environmental impact of a project. Critical to the Commission’s efforts to balance benefits and environmental impacts are the general and project-specific environmental conditions the Commission applies to jurisdictional facilities. Applicants have to conduct appropriate studies which are necessary to evaluate the impact of the construction and/or operation of the proposed jurisdictional facilities on human and natural resources and the measures which may be necessary to protect the values of the affected area. In 2013 , FERC added new sections in its regulations (18 CFR) under Sections 2.55(c) and 380.15(b)(1) whereby a natural gas company must notify affected landowners at least five days prior to coming onto their property. The notifications were to include: (1) a brief description of the activity to be conducted or facilities to be constructed/replaced and the effects that the activities are expected to have on the landowner’s property; (2) the name and phone number of the company representative that is knowledgeable about the project; and (3) a description of the Commission’s Dispute Resolution Service Helpline, as explained in Section 1b.21(g) of the Commission’s regulations, and the Dispute Resolution Service Helpline number. FERC defined “affected landowners” as owners of property interests, as noted in their most recent tax notice, whose property is directly affected (i.e. crossed or used) by the proposed activity, including all rights-of-way, facility sites, access roads, pipe and contractor yards, and temporary workspace. The Commission collects the bulk of the information under the FERC-577 in order to comply with applicable environmental statutes. The Commission needs to know about the consequences of companies’ activities to be able to ensure that FERC is complying with NEPA requirements. In particular, FERC wants to ensure that construction and operation activities are done in a manner that does not violate FERC’s findings that there are no significant adverse impacts. The FERC-577 cannot be discontinued or conducted less frequently.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 42 USC 4321 Name of Law: National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)
US Code: 15 USC 717 to 717w Name of Law: Natural Gas Act

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:
	84 FR 59374	11/04/2019
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 2126	01/14/2020
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
Gas Pipeline Certificates: Environmental Impact Statement
Landowner Notification

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate
Annual Number of Responses	25,232	25,232	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	359,957	332,378	27,579
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	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 has updated the total annual burden hours based on the number of applications filed in FY 2019; the updated figures reflect recently proposed Projects. The reasons for changes in the total burden are: • the increase in the number of respondents from 92 respondents in 2016 to 101 respondents in 2020 for the IC for Gas Pipeline Certificates: Environmental Impact Statement (triggering +144 responses and +27,867 hours) the decrease in the number of respondents from 165 in 2016 to 164 in 2020, triggering -144 responses and -288 hours.For FERC-577, the net change in no. of responses is 0; the net change in burden hours is +27,579.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $5,685,926

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: Sheila Simmonds 202 502-6193

View ICR - OIRA Conclusion