Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection(s); Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection(s);

Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, Energy.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed modifications to the Petroleum

Marketing Division's survey forms:

EIA-14, ``Refiners' Monthly Cost Report,''

EIA-182, ``Domestic Crude Oil First Purchase Report,''

EIA-782A, ``Refiners'/Gas Plant Operators' Monthly Petroleum Product

Sales Report,''

EIA-782B, ``Resellers'/Retailers' Monthly Petroleum Product Sales

Report,''

EIA-782C, ``Monthly Report of Petroleum Products Sold into States for

Consumption,''

EIA-821, ``Annual Fuel Oil and Kerosene Sales Report,''

EIA-856, ``Monthly Foreign Crude Oil Acquisition Report,''

EIA-863, ``Petroleum Product Sales Identification Survey,''

EIA-877, ``Winter Heating Fuels Telephone Survey,''

EIA-878, ``Daily Motor Gasoline Price Survey,''

EIA-888, ``On-Highway Diesel Fuel Price Survey.''

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 26, 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.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Jacob Bournazian, Energy Information

Administration, EI-431, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy,

Washington, D.C. 20585, Telephone (202) 586-1256, fax (202) 586-4913,

e-mail address: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Requests for additional information or copies

of the form(s) and instructions should be directed to Jacob Bournazian

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 Petroleum Marketing data collections included herein were

approved by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget for a

period not in excess of three years pursuant to section 3507(d) of the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (Pub. L. No. 96- 511, title 44 U.S.C.,

chapter 35). EIA seeks an extension of these collections by the

Director with some relatively

[[Page 33106]]

minor modifications under section 3507(h) of the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, title 44 U.S.C., chapter 35).

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. No. 104-13)), conducts a pre-

survey consultation program to provide the general public and other

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

continuing reporting forms. 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 requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.

The Petroleum Marketing Program Surveys collect information on

costs, sales, prices, and distribution of crude oil and petroleum

products. The data are published in the Petroleum Marketing Monthly,

Petroleum Marketing Annual, Fuel Oil and Kerosene Sales Annual Report,

and the Weekly Petroleum Status Report. Data are also disseminated

electronically through the U.S. Department of Energy telephone hotline

on (202) 586-6966, the INTERNET on the Energy Information

Administration Home Page e-mail address: http://www.eia.doe.gov,

broadcast faxes of Motor Gasoline Watch and Distillate Watch, the

Energy Information Administration's electronic publishing system EPUB,

the Oil and Gas Information Resource System, and the Comprehensive Oil

and Gas Information Source.

II. Current Actions

In keeping with its mandated responsibilities, EIA proposes to seek

an extension for three years of the petroleum marketing data collection

forms. EIA also proposes the following modifications to the following

forms:

EIA-14, ``Refiners' Monthly Cost Report''

Delete the collection of cost and volume data on unfinished oil.

EIA-182, ``Domestic Crude Oil First Purchase Report''

No proposed changes.

EIA-782A, ``Refiners'/Gas Plant Operators' Monthly Petroleum

Product Sales Report''

No proposed changes.

EIA-782B, ``Resellers'/Retailers' Monthly Petroleum Product Sales

Report''

No proposed changes.

EIA-782C, ``Monthly Report of Petroleum Products Sold into States

for Consumption''

Delete the collection of projected sales data for all products.

EIA-821, ``Annual Fuel Oil and Kerosene Sales Report''

No proposed changes.

EIA-856, ``Monthly Foreign Crude Oil Acquisition Report''

The reporting by respondents of ``Transaction Number'' and

``Days of Credit'' will no longer be required.

EIA-863, ``Petroleum Product Sales Identification Survey''

Change collection of ``Oxygenated and/or Reformulated'' gasoline

sales to ``Reformulated'' gasoline sales. Change the data collection

cycle from every 3 years to every 4 years.

EIA-877, ``Winter Heating Fuels Telephone Survey''

Delete the collection of ``Inventory'' data for No. 2 heating

oil and propane.

EIA-878, ``Daily Motor Gasoline Price Survey''

Add collection of State and local gasoline taxes twice a year.

EIA-888, ``On-Highway Diesel Fuel Price Survey''

Add collection of State and local on-highway diesel fuel taxes

twice a year. Increase the sample size to generate estimates for

each subdistrict within the Petroleum Administration for Defense

District No. 1 (East Coast Region).

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. Please indicate to

which form(s) your comments apply.

General Issues

EIA is interested in receiving comments from persons regarding:

A. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for

the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have practical utility. Practical utility

is the actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking

into account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the

agency's ability to process the information it collects.

B. What enhancements can EIA make to the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent

A. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If

not, which instructions require clarification?

B. Can data be submitted in accordance with the due date specified

in the instructions?

C. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to

average:

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Burden

Form hours per

response

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EIA-14...................................................... 1.6

EIA-182..................................................... 4.3

EIA-782A.................................................... 15.0

EIA-782B.................................................... 2.5

EIA-782C.................................................... 2.1

EIA-821..................................................... 3.2

EIA-856..................................................... 6.0

EIA-863..................................................... 1.0

EIA-877..................................................... 0.1

EIA-878..................................................... 0.05

EIA-888..................................................... 0.05

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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 to respond to a collection of information; (5)

searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of

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 the collection of information,

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 data collection(s)? 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 for completing the form(s).

EIA estimates that there are no additional costs other than those that

the respondent incurs in keeping the information for its own uses.

E. Do you know of any other Federal, State, or local agency that

collects similar data? If you do, specify the agency, the data

element(s), and the methods of collection.

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As a Potential User

A. Can you use data at the levels of detail indicated on the form?

B. For what purpose would you use the data? Be specific.

C. Are there alternate sources of data and do you use them? If so,

what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?

D. For the most part, information is published by EIA in U.S.

customary units, e.g., cubic feet of natural gas, short tons of coal,

and barrels of oil. Would you prefer to see EIA publish more

information in metric units, e.g., cubic meters, metric tons, and

kilograms? If yes, please specify what information (e.g., coal

production, natural gas consumption, and crude oil imports), the metric

unit(s) of measurement preferred, and in which EIA publication(s) you

would like to see such information.

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, D.C. June 20, 1996.

Yvonne M. Bishop,

Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information

Administration.

[FR Doc. 96-16298 Filed 6-25-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P