Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection;

comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed extension to the ``Recordkeeping

Requirements of DOE's General Allocation and Price Rules,'' ERA-766R.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted by August 20, 1996. If you

anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it difficult

to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should

advise the contact listed below of your intention to do so as soon as

possible.

ADDRESS: Send comments to Dan Bullington, General Counsel, GC-90, U.S.

Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC

20585-0103. Telephone (202) 586-7364, FAX (202) 586-0422.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Requests for additional information should be

directed to Dan Bullington at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

II. Current Actions

III. Request for Comments

I. Background

In order to fulfill its responsibilities under the Federal Energy

Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275) and the Department of

Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91), the Energy Information

Administration is obliged to carry out a central, comprehensive, and

unified energy data and information program. As part of this program,

EIA collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates data and

information related to energy resource reserves, production, demand,

and technology, and related economic and statistical information

relevant to the adequacy of energy resources to meet demands in the

near and longer term future for the Nation's economic and social needs.

The Energy Information Administration, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden (required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)), conducts a presurvey

consultation program to provide the general public and other Federal

agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing

requirements. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be

provided in the desired format, reporting burden is minimized,

reporting forms are clearly understood, and the impact of collection or

recordkeeping requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.

The recordkeeping requirements are authorized by section 203(a)(1)

of the Economic Stabilization Act (ESA) of 1970, as amended (Pub. L.

92-210, 85 State. 743) and by section 13(g) of the Federal Energy

Administration Act (FEAA) of 1974, as amended (Pub. L. 93-275).

The Economic Regulatory Administration (ERA) proposes to extend for

three years the limited recordkeeping requirements presently contained

in 10 CFR 210.1. The antecedent regulation was narrowed by amendment in

January 1985.

The record retention requirements of 10 CFR 210.1 do not mandate

the creation or retention of any new records. Instead, they require

firms to preserve only historical records relating to

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compliance with the petroleum regulations.

The proposed extension of 10 CFR 210.1 will enable the ERA to

continue its efforts to complete the enforcement program with respect

to prior petroleum price and allocation regulations.

II. Current Actions

This is an extension with no change of the existing requirements.

The requirements are proposed to be extended for a period of three

years, from October 31, 1996 to October 31, 1999.

III. Request for Comments

Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment

on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are

provided to assist in the preparation of responses.

General Issues

EIA is interested in receiving comments from persons regarding

whether the proposed recordkeeping requirements are necessary for the

proper performance of the functions of the agency.

As a Potential Respondent

A. Are the instructions regarding the recordkeeping requirements

clear and sufficient? If not, which instructions require clarification?

B. Can data be maintained as specified in the recordkeeping

requirements?

C. Public reporting burden for the recordkeeping requirements are

estimated to average 4 hours per respondent. Burden includes the total

time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate, maintain,

retain, or disclose or provide the information including: (1) Reviewing

instructions; (2) developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing

technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating,

verifying, processing, maintaining, disclosing and providing

information; (3) adjusting the existing ways to comply with any

previously applicable instructions and requirements; (4) training

personnel; (5) searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the

information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the

information.

Please comment on (1) the accuracy of our estimate and (2) how the

agency could minimize the burden of this requirement, including through

the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

D. What are the estimated (1) total dollar amount annualized for

capital and start-up costs, and (2) recurring annual dollar amount of

operation and maintenance and purchase of services costs associated

with this requirement? The estimates should take into account the costs

associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing

the information.

Estimates should not include purchases of equipment or services

made as part of customary and usual business practices, or the cost of

any burden hours. EIA estimates that there are no additional costs

other than those that the respondent incurs in keeping the information

for its own uses.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized

and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also

will become a matter of public record.

Statutory Authority: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13).

Issued in Washington, DC., June 13, 1996.

Yvonne M. Bishop,

Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information

Administration.

[FR Doc. 96-15871 Filed 6-20-96; 8:45 am]

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