Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, DOE.

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 FE-329R, ``Regulations

Implementing the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978.''

DATES: Written comments must be submitted by June 1, 1998. 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 make a submission

as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Ms. Ellen Russell, Fossil Energy, FE-52,

Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585,

(Phone--(202) 586-9624) (e-mail [email protected]) and

FAX (202-586-6050).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or

copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Ms. Russell

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 (EIA) 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 EIA, 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 documents. This program

helps to prepare data requests in the desired format, minimize

reporting burden, develop clearly understandable reporting documents,

and assess the impact of collection requirements on respondents. 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).

A three-year extension of OMB's approval for the information

collection requirements contained in 10 CFR parts 500, 501, 503, and

504 regulations (OMB No. 1901-0297) is being requested. The owners/

operators of powerplants may self-certify the alternate fuel capability

of their powerplants. The Office of Fossil Energy uses the data to

verify that the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978

provisions are met.

II. Current Actions

This request is for a three-year extension of the current OMB

expiration date, with no changes to the regulations in 10 CFR 500, 501,

503, and 504.

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

A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the

proper performance of the functions of the agency and 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?

C. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to

average 20 hours per response. 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 operation and

maintenance, and purchase of services 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

[[Page 16255]]

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 26, 1998.

Jay H. Casselberry,

Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy

Information Administration.

[FR Doc. 98-8668 Filed 4-1-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P