In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for 3
years. Upon resubmission, it is suggested the agency once again
re-assess estimated burden with a focus on whether this reduction
in estimated burden was accurate.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
06/30/2014
36 Months From Approved
06/30/2011
774
0
820
102,942
0
208,231
0
0
0
Under the Natural Gas Act (NGA)
(Public Law 75-688) (15 U.S.C. 717-717w) a natural gas company must
obtain FERC authorization to engage in the transportation of
natural gas in interstate commerce, to undertake the construction
or extension of any facilities, or to acquire or operate any such
facilities or extensions in accordance with Section 7(c) of the
NGA. A natural gas company must also obtain FERC approval under
Section 7(b) of the NGA prior to abandoning any jurisdictional
facility or service. Under the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA)
(Public Law 96-621) interstate pipelines must also obtain FERC
authorization for certain transportation arrangements. If a
certificate is granted, the natural gas company can engage in the
interstate transportation of natural gas and construct, acquire, or
operate facilities. Conversely, approval of an abandonment
application permits the pipeline to cease service and discontinue
the operation of such facilities. Authorization under NGPA Section
311(a) allows the interstate or intrastate pipeline applicants to
render certain transportation services. The natural gas companies
file the necessary information with FERC so that the Commission can
determine from the data if the requested certificate should be
authorized. The data required to be submitted in a normal
certificate filing consists of identification of the company and
responsible officials, factors considered in the location of the
facilities and the impact on the area for environmental
considerations. Also to be submitted are the following: Flow
diagrams showing the design capacity for engineering design
verification and safety determination; Gas reserve data for
appraisal of the feasibility of the project; Market data
presenting the economic basis for the proposed action; and Cost
of proposed facilities, plans for financing, and estimated revenues
and expenses related to the proposed facility for accounting and
financial evaluation. Because of the greater demand for natural gas
as seen in rapidly evolving market conditions, FERC established in
FY '99 a performance plan to process cases as efficiently as
possible. The Commission grouped certificate applications by the
level of effort required to respond to the applications and
established clear targets for the time it should take to process
each type of application. Among the four types of certificate
cases, three met or beat targets, and the fourth approximated the
target time. 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 in more heavily populated areas. When new pipelines
propose to serve markets currently served by existing pipelines,
FERC has to balance the benefits of alternative supplies of natural
gas with the environmental impact of a new project. Critical to the
Commission's efforts to balance benefits and environmental impacts
are the environmental conditions the Commission builds into the
certificates. (See FERC-577, Pipeline Certificates: Environmental
Impact Statements).
The total estimated annual
public reporting burden decrease from 208,231 to 102,942 was a
result of more comprehensive accounting of the types of filings
required under FERC-537. Previously the Commission had estimated
the burden for all of the requirements in one aggregate figure
(similar to Table 1 in question 12). While more respondents are
involved in all of the programs covered under this collection, many
only file short annual or semi-annual reports as opposed to the
more burdensome full requirement applications. This is a result of
the agency's increased reliance on monitoring natural gas industry
activities and permitting lesser activities to proceed under
blanket authorizations, rather than prior approval requirements for
each specific activity.
$6,550,687
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Sheila Lampitoc 202
502-6193
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:
(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;
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.
Statute.doc
Gas Pipeline Certificates: Construction, Acquisition and Abandonment, RM07-17-00 NOPR