FERC-505A,(NOPR in RM19-6-000) Small Hydropower Projects and Conduit Facilities including License/Relicense, Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit Facility Determination
FERC-505A,(NOPR in
RM19-6-000) Small Hydropower Projects and Conduit Facilities
including License/Relicense, Exemption, and Qualifying Conduit
Facility Determination
New
collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
Pursuant to 5
CFR 1320.11(c) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, OMB files
this comment on this information collection request (ICR). In
accordance with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is withholding approval at this
time. The agency shall examine public comment in response to the
NPRM and will describe in the preamble of the final rule how the
agency has maximized the practical utility of the collection and
minimized the burden. The next submission to OMB must include the
draft final rule.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Due to separate unrelated activity
(pending at OMB) for the FERC-505, we are using a temporary
information collection number (FERC-505A) in this information
collection request for the related components in the NOPR in Docket
RM19-6-000. (Only one item per OMB Control No. may be pending at a
time at OMB.) Any reference to the FERC-505, in the scope of this
supporting statement, should apply to the FERC-505A temporary
information collection number. On October 23, 2018, the America’s
Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA) was signed into law. The
AWIA, among other things, requires the Commission to establish an
expedited process for issuing and amending licenses for qualifying
facilities at existing nonpowered dams and closed-loop pumped
storage projects. Under the expedited process, the Commission will
seek to ensure that a final decision on a license application will
be issued no later than two years after the Commission receives a
completed application for a license. Therefore, to comply with the
AWIA, the Commission is amending its regulations governing
hydroelectric licensing under the FPA by establishing an expedited
licensing process for qualifying facilities at existing non-powered
dams and for closed-loop pumped storage projects. As proposed, a
new part 7 would be added to the Commission’s regulations. As
directed by FPA sections 34 and 35, the Commission is proposing an
expedited licensing process for two types of hydropower projects –
qualifying facilities at existing, nonpowered dams and closed-loop
pumped storage projects. The proposed regulations, if enacted, will
be codified as part 7 of the Commission’s regulations. The addition
of a new part 7 to the Commission’s regulations would affect only
the number of entities that would file applications with the
Commission for these two project types, and would impose a new,
albeit slight, information collection requirement (i.e., filing the
request to use the expedited licensing process). The requirement
that an applicant file a request for authorization to use the
expedited process concurrently with its license application is
necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities
under the FPA, as amended by the AWIA. The information provided
will enable the Commission to review the features of the proposed
project and make a determination on whether the proposed project
meets the statutory criteria enumerated in the AWIA, as well as the
early consultation requirements that the Commission has determined
will help it seek to ensure that the proposed project’s license
application will be acted on no later than two years after the date
of application filing. Submission of the data is necessary to
fulfill the requirements of the FPA in order for the Commission to
make the required finding that a proposal is economically,
technically, and environmentally sound, and is best adapted to a
comprehensive plan for improving and developing a waterway or
waterways. The Commission is codifying the new requirements in the
RM19-6-000 NOPR in FERC-505A related to the expedited process
contained in new Parts 7.1-7.9 of the Commission’s
regulations.
US Code:
16
USC 791 Name of Law: Federal Power Act
PL: Pub.L. 115 - 207 34 and 35 Name of Law:
America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018
As directed by Congress in the
AWIA, the Commission proposes to revise its regulations (affecting
FERC-505A) to incorporate an expedited licensing process for two
types of hydroelectric projects: (1) qualifying facilities at
nonpowered dams, and (2) closed-loop pumped storage projects. The
expedited licensing process is an optional process that would
affect only those entities that file applications with the
Commission for these two project types along with a request to use
the expedited process. The associated increase in burden is slight
(i.e., filing the request to use the expedited licensing process).
As noted above, the requirement that an applicant file a request
for authorization to use the expedited process concurrently with
its license application is necessary for the Commission to carry
out its responsibilities under the FPA, as amended by the AWIA.
This information will enable the Commission to review the features
of the proposed project and make a determination on whether the
proposed project meets the statutory criteria enumerated in the
AWIA, as well as the early consultation requirements that the
Commission has determined will help it seek to ensure that the
proposed project’s license application will be acted on no later
than two years after the date of application filing.
$4,931
No
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Shana Wiseman 202 502-8736
shana.wiseman@ferc.gov
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.