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 on the proposed extension to the ``Recordkeeping Requirements

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

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 16, 1999.

If you anticipate difficulty in submitting

[[Page 32033]]

comments within that period, contact the person identified below as

soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Mr. John D. Bullington, Office of General

Counsel, GC-90, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave., SW,

Washington, DC 20585-0103. Alternatively, he may be reached by phone at

(202) 586-7364, by e-mail, [email protected], or by FAX at

(202) 586-6191.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information

should be directed to Mr. Bullington at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

II. Current Actions

III. Request for Comments

I. Background

The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275,

15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the Department of Energy Organization (DOE)

Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), require the Energy

Information Administration (EIA) to carry out a centralized,

comprehensive, and unified energy data information program. This

program collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates

information on energy resource reserves, production, demand,

technology, and related economic and statistical information. This

information is used to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet

near and longer term domestic demands.

The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork

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

provides the general public and other Federal agencies with

opportunities to comment on collections of energy information conducted

by or in conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA

to prepare data requests that maximize the utility of the information

collected, and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the

public. Also, the EIA will later seek approval by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) of the collections under Section 3507(h) of

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

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). DOE

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 compliance with

the petroleum regulations.

The proposed extension of 10 CFR 210.1 will enable DOE 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 December 31, 1999 to December 31, 2002.

III. Request for Comments

Prospective respondents and other interested persons are invited to

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

are provided to assist in the preparation of comments.

General Issues

A. 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 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 be made to the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent

A. Are the instructions regarding the recordkeeping requirements

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

B. Can information be maintained as specified in the recordkeeping

requirements?

C. Public reporting burden for the recordkeeping requirements are

estimated to average 4 hours per respondent. The estimated burden

includes the total time, effort, or financial resources expended to

generate, maintain, retain, disclose and provide the information.

Please comment on (1) The accuracy of the agency's estimate and (2)

how the agency could minimize the burden of this requirement, including

the use of information technology.

D. The agency estimates respondents will incur no additional costs

other than the hours required to maintain the records. 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 these recordkeeping requirements?

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized

and/or included in the request for OMB approval. 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, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Issued in Washington, DC, June 8, 1999.

Jay H. Casselberry,

Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy

Information Administration.

[FR Doc. 99-15127 Filed 6-14-99; 8:45 am]

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