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 Department of Energy Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. IC19-12-000]
 AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.
 ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.
 SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collection, FERC-592 (Standards of Conduct for Transmission Provider and Marketing Affiliates of Interstate Pipelines).
 DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due February 19, 2019.
 ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC19-12-000) by either of the following methods: *eFiling at Commission's website: http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​efiling.asp.*
                    *Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier:*
                         Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. *Instructions:*
                         All submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with submission guidelines at: 
                        *http://www.ferc.gov/​help/​submission-guide.asp.*
                         For user assistance contact FERC Online Support by email at 
                        *ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov,*
                         or by phone at: (866) 208-3676 (toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY. *Docket:*
                         Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in this docket or in viewing/downloading comments and issuances in this docket may do so at 
                        *http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​docs-filing.asp.*
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at 
                        *DataClearance@FERC.gov,*
                         telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at (202) 273-0873.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  *Title:*
                     Standards of Conduct for Transmission Provider and Marketing Affiliates of Interstate Pipelines. *OMB Control No.:*
                     1902-0157. *Type of Request:*
                     Three-year extension of the FERC-592 information collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting requirements. *Abstract:*
                     The Commission uses the information maintained and posted by the respondents to monitor the pipeline's transportation, sales, and storage activities for its marketing affiliate to deter undue discrimination by pipeline companies in favor of their marketing affiliates. Non-affiliated shippers and other entities (
                    *e.g.*
                     state commissions) also use information to determine whether they have been harmed by affiliate preference and to prepare evidence for proceedings following the filing of a complaint. 18 CFR Part 358 (Standards of Conduct) Respondents maintain and provide the information required by part 358 on their internet websites. When the Commission requires a pipeline to post information on its website following a disclosure of non-public information to its marketing affiliate, non-affiliated shippers obtain comparable access to the non-public transportation information, which allows them to compete with marketing affiliates on a more equal basis. 18 CFR 250.16, and the FERC-592 Log/Format This form (log/format) provides the electronic formats for maintaining information on discounted transportation transactions and capacity allocation to support monitoring of activities of interstate pipeline marketing affiliates. Commission staff considers discounts given to shippers in litigated rate cases. Without this information collection: The Commission would be unable to effectively monitor whether pipelines are giving discriminatory preference to their marketing affiliates; and
                non-affiliated shippers and state commissions and others would be unable to determine if they have been harmed by affiliate preference or prepare evidence for proceedings following the filing of a complaint. *Type of Respondents:*
                     Natural gas pipelines. *Estimate of Annual Burden:*[1]
                    
                     The Commission estimates the annual reporting burden and cost for the information collection as: FERC-592—Standards for Conduct for Transmission Providers Marketing Affiliates of Interstate Pipelines
Number of
                             respondents
Annual 
                             number 
                             of responses 
                             per 
                             respondent
Total number
                             of responses
Average burden & cost per response 2
Total annual burden hours & total annual cost
Cost per
                             respondent 
                             ($)(1)
(2)
(1) * (2) = (3)
(4)
(3) * (4) = (5)
(5) ÷ (1)FERC 592 3
85
1
85
116.62 hrs.; $9,212.98
9,913 hrs.; $783,127
9,212.98
 *Comments:*
                     Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; 
                    ( print page 64819)
                    and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Dated: December 12, 2018. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary.


# Footnotes

1.
    
                         “Burden” is defined as the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. For further explanation of what is included in the information collection burden, reference 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3. 2.
    
                         The estimates for cost per response are derived using the following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * $79.00/hour = Average cost/response. The figure is the 2018 FERC average hourly cost (for wages and benefits) of $79.00 (and an average annual salary of $164,820/year). Commission staff is using the FERC average salary because we consider any reporting requirements completed in response to the FERC-592 to be compensated at rates similar to the work of FERC employees. 3.
    
                         The requirements for this collection are contained in 18 CFR part 358 and 18 CFR part 250.16. Back to Citation


[FR Doc. 2018-27308 Filed 12-17-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P