Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed changes and extensions to Forms EIA-

851, ``Domestic Uranium Mining Production Report,'' and EIA-858,

``Uranium Industry Annual Survey,'' for the collection of 1997 data.

The Form EIA-254, ``Annual Report on Status of Reactor Construction,''

will be discontinued.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted within 60 days of the

publication of this notice. 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 Charles Johnson, Energy Information

Administration, EI-531, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy,

Washington, DC 20585, (phone number (202) 426-1178; e-mail address

[email protected], and FAX number (202) 426-1280).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or

copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Charles

Johnson 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. 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

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. Also, EIA will

later seek approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for

the collections under Section 3507(h) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of

1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, Title 44, U.S.C. Chapter 35).

The Form EIA-254 (discontinued with this notice) collects data on

nuclear power plants planned or under construction, including plant

ownership, design capacity, status, cost, and construction schedules

and milestone dates.

The Form EIA-851 collects data on uranium production at

conventional mills and nonconventional plants (byproduct recovery and

in-situ leach plants).

The Form EIA-858 collects data on uranium raw materials activities

(Schedule A) and uranium marketing (Schedule B).

Data collected on these forms provide a comprehensive statistical

characterization of the domestic nuclear industry in these areas:

uranium reserves, potential future requirements for uranium production

and enrichment facilities, uranium concentrate production, status of

industry's annual activities, and information about industry plans and

commitments.

Published data from these surveys are used by Congress, Federal and

State agencies, the uranium and electric-utility industries, and the

general public. Published data appear in the EIA publications,

``Nuclear Power Generation and Fuel Cycle Report,'' ``Uranium Industry

Annual,'' and the ``Annual Energy Review.'

II. Current Actions

The EIA-254 will be discontinued for 1997.

There are no changes to the data elements collected on the Form

EIA-851; however, a 3-year extension of the approved OMB expiration

date (12/31/97) is requested.

The only change to the Form EIA-858 (Schedule A and Schedule B) is

the elimination of the certification block on the cover sheet. A

request to extend the approval expiration date (12/31/97) for 3 years

will also be submitted to OMB.

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

A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary, taking into

account its accuracy, adequacy, and reliability, and the agency's

ability to process the information it collects in a useful and timely

fashion.

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 these collections are estimated to

average: Form EIA-851, 3 hours; and Form EIA-858, 25 hours. 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 the use of automated collection techniques

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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, maintenance, and purchase of service costs associated with

this data collection? 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. 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.

As a Potential User

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

EIA-851 and EIA-858?

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?

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. 104-13).

Issued in Washington, DC, February 12, 1997.

Lynda T. Carlson,

Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information

Administration.

[FR Doc. 97-4017 Filed 2-18-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P