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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:
1902-0075
ICR Reference No:
202012-1902-006
Status:
Historical Active
Previous ICR Reference No:
202006-1902-004
Agency/Subagency:
FERC
Agency Tracking No:
FERC-556
Title:
FERC-556, (Final Rule in RM21-2 & RM20-20) Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) Status for a Small Power Production or Cogeneration Facility
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:
03/15/2021
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)
Date Received in OIRA:
02/05/2021
Terms of Clearance:
In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, this information collection is approved. Because the agency sought comments only on the changes associated with the regulation, the existing expiration date remains the same for this collection.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
Expiration Date
11/30/2022
11/30/2022
11/30/2022
Responses
7,423
0
4,318
Time Burden (Hours)
26,282
0
20,032
Cost Burden (Dollars)
0
0
0
Abstract:
NOTE: This is a FInal Rule (RIN 1902-AF74). When the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) and corresponding information collection request were submitted to OMB for Docket Nos. RM21-2 & RM20-20 (RIN1902-AF74), OMB review was pending for the revisions to the FERC Form No. 556 implemented in Orders 872 & 872-A (in Docket Nos RM19-15 & AD16-16, under ICR 202006-1902-004). Only one item per OMB Control No. can be pending OMB review at a time. Therefore, we had to use a temporary (placeholder) information collection number (FERC-556A, OMB Control No. 1902-0316; ICR 201904-1902-001) in order to submit the NOPR in Dockets RM21-2 & RM20-20 to OMB on a timely basis. Due to ROCIS requirements (and to avoid an incorrect requirement for metadata showing an emergency request), the information for the NOPR and Final Rule are entered into the ROCIS metadata fields for the 60- and 30-day notices here.It also is required to indicate it's not related to a rulemaking but is in fact a Final Rule in Dockets RM21-2 and RM20-20. In Docket Nos. RM21-2 and RM20-20, the Commission proposes no changes to the FERC Form No. 556, but proposes revising its PURPA regulations to allow more entities to use the FERC Form No. 556. Because no ICR for FERC-556 is pending OMB review at this time, this ICR is correctly being submitted under FERC-556. FERC-556 in general. The data required under 18 CFR Section 131.80 and 18 CFR Part 292 are used by the Commission to determine whether a proposed certification for QF status meets the criteria for a qualifying small power production facility or a qualifying cogeneration facility under its regulations and is eligible to receive the benefits available to it under PURPA. In order to obtain QF status and obtain PURPA benefits, an owner or operator of a small power production or cogeneration facility must follow the process indicated in FERC Form 556 and select, at its option, either the procedure set forth in 18 CFR Section 292.207(a), which requires the submission to FERC of a self-certification or self-recertification, or the procedure set forth in 18 CFR Section 292.207(b), which requires the submission to FERC of an application for Commission certification or recertification. The information requirements for these two processes are largely the same (i.e., the submittal of a completed FERC Form 556 provides the information necessary to demonstrate compliance with FERC’s regulations). If FERC did not collect the FERC Form 556 information, there would be no basis for the Commission to determine whether a facility satisfies the requirements of QF status. Since revocation of the qualifying status of a small power production or cogeneration facility may occur if the facility fails to comply with any of the 18 CFR Part 292 criteria, private financial lenders to small power production and cogeneration power facilities occasionally require small power producers and cogenerators to follow 18 CFR Section 292.207(b) procedures (certification by FERC as opposed to self-certification) in order to reduce the risk of status revocation.
Authorizing Statute(s):
US Code:
16 USC 2601
Name of Law: Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) of 1978
US Code:
16 USC 792-828c
Name of Law: Federal Power Act (FPA)
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:
85 FR 67699
10/26/2020
30-day Notice:
Federal Register Citation:
Citation Date:
86 FR 8133
02/04/2021
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
Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) Status for a Small Power Production or Cogeneration Facility
Form No. 556, modified by rehearing Order 872-A
Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) Status for a Small Power Production or Cogeneration Facility
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
7,423
4,318
0
3,105
0
0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)
26,282
20,032
0
6,250
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:
Miscellaneous Actions
Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion:
No
Burden Reduction Due to:
Short Statement:
Note that the additional respondents, responses, burden and cost (and related changes to the averages) described are for potential additional respondents and the associated filings [responses]. There are no changes to the FERC Form No. 556 reporting requirements. In the final rule in Docket Nos. RM21-2 and RM20-20, the Commission makes no changes to the reporting requirements in FERC Form No. 556, but the Commission revises its PURPA Regulations to allow more entities to use the FERC Form No. 556. As a result, the changes in burden totals are due to potential additional respondents and their associated responses.
Annual Cost to Federal Government:
$695,791
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?
No
Agency Contact:
Nishi Parekh 202 502-8325
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:
02/05/2021
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