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OMB Control No: 1902-0061	ICR Reference No: 202206-1902-006
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201904-1902-003
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-538
Title: FERC-538, Gas Pipeline Certificates: Section 7(a) Mandatory Initial Service
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: 08/10/2023
	Date Received in OIRA: 06/24/2022
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	08/31/2026	36 Months From Approved	08/31/2023
Responses	1	0	1
Time Burden (Hours)	240	0	240
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: Under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) (Public Law 75-688) (15 USC. 717-717w), upon application by a local distribution company or municipality, a natural gas pipeline company may be ordered by the Commission to extend or improve transportation facilities, to establish physical connections to serve, and sell natural gas to the applicant. As stated in Section 156 (18 CFR 156), filings pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(a) of the NGA are to contain all information necessary to advise the Commission fully concerning the service which the applicant has requested the Commission to direct the natural gas pipeline company to render. Included in the information to be provided as stated in 18 CFR 156.5 (1-16) are included (but not limited to): • A description of any improvement or extension of facilities which the natural gas pipeline company will be required to make in connection with the requested rendition of the service; • The applicant's present and proposed operations, construction, service, and sales, together with a description of any extension or improvement of facilities by the applicant which will be required in order to enable applicant to engage in the local distribution of natural gas. If the request is granted, the natural gas pipeline company must extend or improve transportation facilities and establish physical connection to serve the local distribution companies. The Commission uses the FERC-538 data to perform its regulatory functions. The Commission must determine whether the distributor applicant can economically construct and manage its facilities. A request is made by a person or municipality to have the Commission, by order, direct a natural gas company to extend or improve its transportation facilities, and sell natural gas to the municipality or person and, for such purpose, to extend its transportation facilities to communities immediately adjacent to such facilities or to territories served by the natural gas pipeline company. In addition, the Commission uses the flow data and market data to evaluate existing and future customer requirements on the system in order to determine if sufficient capacity will be available. Likewise, the Commission uses the cost of facilities and the rate data to evaluate the financial impact of the project to both the pipeline company and its customers. The information collection cannot be discontinued nor collected less frequently because of statutory requirements. The Commission is required to review applications concerning improvement or extensions of facilities and services for local distributors of natural gas. The consequences of not collecting this information are that the Commission would be unable to fulfill its statutory mandate under the NGA and its Rules of Practice and Procedure, and the distribution companies would be unable to request the Commission to direct pipelines to serve them.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 15 USC 717-717w 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:
	87 FR 21655	04/12/2022
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 37324	06/22/2022
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
FERC-538, Gas Pipeline Certificates: Section 7(a) Mandatory Initial Service

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved
Annual Number of Responses	1	1
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	240	240
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	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:

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $172,899

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: Chrystal Martin 202 502-6043

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