69754 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 224 / Monday, November 20, 2000 / Notices

standards will be necessary to protect

the reliability of the bulk power system

in a restructured electricity industry.

The Administration’s proposed

comprehensive electricity restructuring

legislation—the Comprehensive

Electricity Competition Act (CECA)

(H.R.1828 and S.1047 in the U.S. House

of Representatives and the U.S. Senate

respectively)—includes a provision that

would amend the Federal Power Act

(FPA) (16 U.S.C. 791a, et seq.) to require

FERC to approve the formation of and

oversee a self-regulating reliability

organization that prescribes and

enforces mandatory reliability

standards. Several other bills introduced

in the 106th Congress included similar

proposals. Although the Senate

approved S. 2071, which authorizes

mandatory reliability standards, on June

30, 2000, the Committee on Commerce

of the House of Representatives failed to

act on this or any other electric

reliability-related legislation.

Because the 106th Congress is likely

to adjourn without enacting legislation

to improve the reliability of the electric

grid, DOE is considering using its

authority under section 403 of the DOE

Organization Act to initiate an electric

reliability rulemaking at FERC. To assist

DOE in its consideration of this issue,

we are requesting comments on the

following questions:

1. Is the existing arrangement of

voluntary compliance with industry

reliability rules sufficient to ensure

reliability of the bulk power

transmission system? If not, why not,

and has reliability been jeopardized by

violations of the existing bulk power

reliability standards?

2. What can FERC do under existing

authorities to address reliability

concerns?

3. If FERC has the authority to

establish and enforce reliability

standards, may FERC delegate such

authority to a self-regulating reliability

organization? Should it do so?

4. Are there elements in CECA, or

other electric reliability legislative

language, which can, with or without

modification, be used in a rulemaking?

5. What should the relationship be

between Regional Transmission

Organizations, as advanced in FERC

Order No. 2000, 65 FR 809 (January 6,

2000), FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31, 089

(2000), and an Electric Reliability

Organization as proposed in CECA?

6. How should the responsibilities

and roles of FERC and the States be

addressed in a rulemaking?

7. Recognizing the international

nature of the interconnected

transmission grid, how could

implementation of mandatory reliability

standards be coordinated with Canada

and Mexico?

In addition to the above, commenters

are encouraged to discuss, comment on,

and make suggestions on other electric

reliability issues that may be relevant to

DOE’s consideration of a rulemaking.

Comments submitted pursuant to the

Notice of Inquiry will be deemed public

and will not be treated as confidential.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on November

15, 2000.

Bill Richardson,

Secretary of Energy.

[FR Doc. 00–29600 Filed 11–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. IC01–512–000]

Notice of Proposed Information

Collection and Request for Comments

November 14, 2000.

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information

collection and request for comments.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(a) of

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(Pub. L. No. 104–13), the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission (Commission) is

soliciting public comment on the

specific aspects of the information

collection described below.

DATES: Consideration will be given to

comments submitted on or before

January 19, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the

proposed collection of information may

be submitted to the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael

Miller, Office of the Chief Information

Officer, CI–1, 888 First Street NE.,

Washington, DC 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Miller may be reached by

telephone at (202) 208–1415, by fax at

(202) 208–2425 and by E-mail at mike.

miller@ferc.fed.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Abstract: The FERC–512,

‘‘Application for Preliminary Permit’’

(OMB No. 1902–0073) is used by the

Commission to implement the statutory

provisions of Sections 4(f), 5 and 7 of

the Federal Power Act (FPA), 16 U.S.C.

Sections 791a et seq. & 3301–3432. The

purpose of obtaining a preliminary

permit is to maintain priority of the

application for a license for a

hydroelectric power facility while

examining and surveying to prepare

maps, plans, specifications and

estimates; conducting engineering,

economic and environmental feasibility

studies; and making financial

arrangements. The conditions under

which the priority will be maintained

are set forth in each permit. During the

term of the permit, no other application

for a preliminary permit or application

for a license submitted by another party

can be accepted. The term of a permit

is three years. The information collected

under the designation FERC–512 is in

the form of a written application for a

preliminary permit which is used by

Commission staff to determine the

qualifications of the applicant to hold a

preliminary permit, review the

proposed hydro development for

feasibility and to issue a notice of the

application to solicit public and agency

comments. The Commission

implements these mandatory filing

requirements in the Code of Federal

Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR 4.31–

.33, 4.81–82.

Action: The Commission is requesting

a three-year extension of the current

expiration date, with no changes to the

existing collection of data.

Burden Statement: Public reporting

burden for this collection is estimated

as:

Number of respondents

(1)

Annual responses per

respondent

(2)

Average burden hours per

response

(3)

Total annual

burden hours

(1)×(2)×(3)

45 ................................................................................................................................................. 1 73 3,285

Estimated cost burden to respondents

is $182,186; (i.e., 3,285 hours divided by

2,080 hours per full time employee per

year multiplied by $115,357 per year

equals $182,186). The cost per

respondent is $4,049.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 224 / Monday, November 20, 2000 / Notices 69755

The reporting 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 a collection of

information; (5) searching data sources;

(6) completing and reviewing the

collection of information; and (7)

transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the

information.

The estimate of cost for respondents

is based upon salaries for professional

and clerical support, as well as direct

and indirect overhead costs. Direct costs

include all costs directly attributable to

providing this information, such as

administrative costs and the cost for

information technology. Indirect or

overhead costs are costs incurred by an

organization in support of its mission.

These costs apply to activities which

benefit the whole organization rather

than any one particular function or

activity.

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether

the proposed 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 of

the proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (3)

ways to enhance the quality, utility and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (4) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who are to respond, including

the use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology

e.g. permitting electronic submission of

responses.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–29580 Filed 11–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. ER 363 000]

American Transmission Systems, Inc.;

Notice of Filing

November 13, 2000.

Take note that on November 3, 2000,

American Transmission Systems, Inc.,

tendered for filing proposed

amendments to its Open Access

Transmission Tariff designed to

implement the Ohio Retail Electric

Program. American Transmission

Systems, Inc., requests waiver of notice

to permit an effective date of January 1,

2001 for the amendments.

Copies of this filing have been served

on the transmission customers of

American Transmission Systems, Inc.,

Parties to FirstEnergy’s Ohio transition

plan case, and the utility commissions

in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Any person desiring to be heard or to

protest such filing should file a motion

to intervene or protest with the Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888

First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426, in accordance with Rules 211

and 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211

and 385.214). All such motions and

protests should be filed on or before

November 24, 2000. Protests will be

considered by the Commission to

determine the appropriate action to be

taken, but will not serve to make

protestants parties to the proceedings.

Any person wishing to become a party

must file a motion to intervene. Copies

of this filing are on file with the

Commission and are available for public

inspection. This filing may also be

viewed on the Internet at http://

www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call

202–208–2222 for assistance).

Comments and protests may be filed

electronically via the internet in lieu of

paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii)

and the instructions on the

Commission’s web site at http://

www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–29592 Filed 11–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. RP99–301–010]

ANR Pipeline Company; Notice of

Proposed Changes in FERC Gas Tariff

November 14, 2000.

Take notice that on November 2,

2000, ANR Pipeline Company (ANR)

tendered for filing as part of its FERC

Gas Tariff, Second Revised Volume No.

1, the following revised tariff sheet

proposed to become effective November

1, 2000:

Original Sheet No. 14R

ANR advises that the purpose of the

filing is to implement new negotiated

rate transactions that supplement the

previously approved restructured

portfolio of negotiated rate transactions

with Wisconsin Public Service

Corporation.

ANR states that a copy of this filing

is being mailed to the affected shippers

and to each of ANR’s FERC Gas Tariff,

Second Revised Volume No. 1 and

Original Volume No. 2 customers, and

interested state regulatory commissions.

Any person desiring to be heard or to

protest said filing should file a motion

to intervene or a protest with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426, in accordance with Sections

385.214 or 385.211 of the Commission’s

Rules and Regulations. All such motions

or protests must be filed in accordance

with Section 154.210 of the

Commission’s Regulations. Protests will

be considered by the Commission in

determining the appropriate action to be

taken, but will not serve to make

protestants parties to the proceedings.

Any person wishing to become a party

must file a motion to intervene. Copies

of this filing are on file with the

Commission and are available for public

inspection in the Public Reference

Room. This filing may be viewed on the

web at http://www.ferc.fed.us/online/

rims.htm (call 202–208–2222 for

assistance). Comments and protests may

be filed electronically via the internet in

lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR

385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions

on the Commission’s web site at http:/

/www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–29584 Filed 11–17–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M