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 extension to Form NWPA-

830R A-G, ``Standard Contract for Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and/or

High-Level Radioactive Waste.''

DATE: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 12, 1997. 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 Kathy Gibbard, Energy Information

Administration Survey Manager, EI-531, Forrestal Building, U.S.

Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. 20585, (phone number (202) 426-

1129; e-mail address [email protected], and FAX number (202)426-

1280).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Requests for additional information or

copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Kathy Gibbard

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

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. No. 104-13, Title 44, U.S.C. Chapter 35).

The Form NWPA-830R A-G is designed to be as the service document

for entries into the Department of Energy's accounting records.

Electric utilities transmit data concerning payment of their

contribution to the

[[Page 11163]]

Nuclear Waste Fund, and specific data on disposal of nuclear waste.

II. Current Actions

In keeping with its mandated responsibilities, EIA proposes to

extend the information collection aspects of NWPA-830R A-G, ``Standard

Contract for Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and/or High-Level

Radioactive Waste,'' for three years from the current approved OMB

expiration date (05/31/97).

The proposed changes to the Form NWPA-830C, Appendix C--Delivery

Commitment Schedule, are summarized below:

Changes to Appendix C Form

(1) Section 3.0 Certifications--The referenced Item 1.3 in the

certification statement was replaced with Item 1.4.

(2) ``Unites States'' was replaced with ``United States'' to

correct a typographical error.

Changes to Appendix C Instructions

(1) 4. Where to Submit--The address was changed to conform with the

new DOE address for forms submission: Special Accounts Team, Office of

Financial Control and Reporting, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901

Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.

(2) Questions on the DCS--

The contact name was changed from Nancy Slater to Dave Zabransky.

Changes to Appendix G Form

(1) The Zip Code 20875 was replaced with 20874-1290.

(2) Section 2, Line 2.7--``Fee Date'' was replaced with ``Fee

Data''.

Changes to Appendix G General Information

(1) 3. Where to Submit--The forwarding address for remittance

advice (RA) submittals was changed to conform with the new DOE address

for submission of forms.

(2) 4. When to Submit--

The last sentence of this section: ``Payment is by electronic wire

transfer only.''

Was replaced with the following: ``Payment is by electronic wire

transfer or automated clearing house (ACH) electronic funds transfer

only.''

Changes to Appendix G Instructions

(1) Section 2.4--

``Ten-Year Treasury Note rate on the date the payment is made, to

be used if payments are being made using the 40 quarter option or if

lump sum payment is made after June 30, 1985.''

was replaced with:

``Ten-Year Treasury Note rate in effect on the date of the first

payment. To be used only if payments are being made using the 40

quarter option (Option 1).''

Changes to Annex A Form

(1) Section 2. Net Electricity Generated Calculation--Previously

asterisked footnotes will be enumerated and modified as follows:

(\1\) For a nuclear station with more than one reactor and

different ownerships for each reactor, a separate Annex A will be

required for each reactor.

(\2\) Utilities unable to meter individual units' use shall report

estimated unit use and shall explain in a footnote how the unit data

were estimated.

(2) The following footnote was added:

(\3\) Complete this item only if the DOE has approved a methodology

for calculating such offsets.

Changes to Annex A Instructions

(1) 0.5 Where to submit--The address was changed to conform with

the new DOE address for forms submission.

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 for the

proper performance of the functions of the agency? Does the information

have practical utility. Practical utility is defined as 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 by the due date specified in the

instructions?

C. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to

average 40 hours per respondent on Form NWPA-830G and Annex A; and 5

hours of reporting burden on Form NWPA-830C. Burden includes the total

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

retain, or disclose or provide 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 information technology.

D. EIA estimates that respondents will incur no additional costs

for reporting other than the hours required to complete the collection.

What is the estimated: (1) total dollar amount annualized for capital

and start-up costs and (2) recurring annual costs of operating and

maintaining and purchasing service costs associated with this data

collection?

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?

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. No. 104-13).

Issued in Washington, D.C. March 5, 1997.

Jay H. Casselberry,

Agency Clearance Officer Office, of Statistical Standards, Energy

Information Administration.

[FR Doc. 97-5994 Filed 3-10-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P