35582 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 125 /Tuesday, June 30, 1998 / Notices

Command, which performs as its

principle function the enforcement of

criminal laws.

Information specifically authorized to

be classified under E.O. 12958, as

implemented by DoD 5200.1-R, may be

exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1).

Records maintained in connection

with providing protective services to the

President and other individuals under

18 U.S.C. 3506, may be exempt pursuant

to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(3).

Records maintained solely for

statistical research or program

evaluation purposes and which are not

used to make decisions on the rights,

benefits, or entitlement of an individual

except for census records which may be

disclosed under 13 U.S.C. 8, may be

exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(4).

Investigatory material compiled solely

for the purpose of determining

suitability, eligibility, or qualifications

for federal civilian employment,

military service, federal contracts, or

access to classified information may be

exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(5),

but only to the extent that such material

would reveal the identity of a

confidential source.

Testing or examination material used

solely to determine individual

qualifications for appointment or

promotion in the Federal service may be

exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(6),

if the disclosure would compromise the

objectivity or fairness of the test or

examination process.

An exemption rule for this system has

been promulgated in accordance with

requirements of 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(1), (2),

and (3), (c) and (e) and published in 32

CFR part 701, subpart G. For additional

information, contact the system

manager.

[FR Doc. 98–17316 Filed 6–29–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5000–04–F

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.

SUMMARY: The Energy Information

Administration (EIA) is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed

modifications and extensions of the

following Electric Power Forms:

EIA–411, ‘‘Coordinated Bulk Power

Supply Program Report;’’

EIA–412, ‘‘Annual Report of Public

Electric Utilities;’’

EIA–417R, ‘‘Electric Power Systems

Emergency Report;’’

EIA–759, ‘‘Monthly Power Plant

Report;’’

EIA–767, ‘‘Steam-Electric Plant

Operation and Design Report;’’

EIA–826, ‘‘ Monthly Electric Utility

Sales and Revenue Report with State

Distributions;’’

EIA–860, ‘‘Annual Electric Generator

Report;’’

EIA–861, ‘‘Annual Electric Utility

Report;’’

EIA–867, ‘‘Annual Nonutility Power

Producer Report;’’ and

EIA–900, ‘‘Monthly Nonutility Sales for

Resale Report.’’

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before August 31, 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 DOE contact listed below of

your intention to do so as soon as

possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to John G.

Colligan, Energy Information

Administration, Electric Power

Division, EI–53, U.S. Department of

Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20585–0650;

telephone (202) 426–1174; e-mail

jcolliga@eia.doe.gov; and FAX (202)

426–1311.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of forms and instruction sets

should be directed to John Colligan 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. 93–

275) and the Department of Energy

Organization Act (Pub. L. 95–91), the

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 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. 104–13, Title 44, U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Confidentiality Notice

The issue of the confidential

treatment of data collected on any of the

forms listed above is being addressed

and will be resolved as a separate matter

under other Federal Register notices.

Whatever final confidentiality

procedures are implemented will be

applied to each of the EIA survey forms

above as appropriate.

II. Current Actions

The EIA will request (a) a 3-year

extension, through December 31, 2001,

for all forms listed, and (b)

modifications to the specific forms as

described below. The proposed changes

the EIA is requesting through this action

reflect the current state of the electric

power industry.

Additional changes may be required,

prior to the new expiration date, in

order to be up-to-date with the rapidly

changing industry.

Form EIA–411, ‘‘Coordinated Bulk

Power Supply Program,’’ Propose

changing planning projections period

(Items 1, 2, and 4) from 10 years to 5

years. The form and instructions will be

modified to show this changes.

Form EIA–412, ‘‘Annual Report of

Public Electric Utilities,’’ Propose

changing the reporting threshold from

120,000 MWh to 150,000 MWh. The

instructions will be modified to show

this change.

Form EIA–417R, ‘‘Annual Summary

of Emergency Occurrences,’’ no change.

Form EIA–759, ‘‘Monthly Power Plant

Report,’’ no change.

Form EIA–767, ‘‘Steam-Electric Plant

Operation and Design Report,’’ no

change.

Form EIA–826, ‘‘Monthly Electric

Utility Sales and Revenue Report with

State Distributions.’’ Propose adding
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 125 /Tuesday, June 30, 1998 / Notices 35583

two new data tables: (1) the distribution

company will be asked to provide data

about the monthly bill if they are billing

the consumer for another energy service

provider; and (2) the energy service

provider will report data if billing is

done by them or a third party other than

the distribution company. The form and

instructions will be modified to show

these changes.

Form EIA–860, ‘‘Annual Electric

Generator Report,’’ two changes are

proposed: (1) the survey form

designation and name will be altered to,

Form EIA–860–A, ‘‘Annual Electric

Generator Report—Utility;’’ and (2) the

planning projection period (Schedule II

and Schedule III) will be changed from

10 years to 5 years. The form and

instructions will be modified to show

these changes.

Form EIA–861, ‘‘Annual Electric

Utility Report.’’ Three changes are

proposed: (1) Item 5 on Schedule II

indicating new plant intention(s) will be

deleted; (2) Schedule IV will require

energy service providers to report the

total dollars paid by the consumer(s)

whether or not the energy service

provider issues the bill; and (3) the

Demand Side Management (Schedule V)

threshold will be raised from 120,000

MWh to 150,000 MWh. The form and

instructions will be modified to show

these changes.

Form EIA–867, ‘‘Annual Nonutility

Power Producer Report.’’ Three changes

are proposed: (1) the form name and

number will be changed to, Form EIA–

860–B ‘‘Annual Electric Generator

Report—Nonutility’’; (2) Item 3(a)

estimated useful thermal output and

3(b) thermal output used will be added

to Schedule IVB. The form and

instructions will be modified to show

these changes.

Form EIA–900, ‘‘Monthly Nonutility

Sales for Resale Report.’’ Six changes

are proposed: (1) the survey name will

be changed to ‘‘Monthly Nonutility

Power Report;’’ three new data elements

on (2) fuel type, (3) gross generation

(kWh), and (4) fossil fuel consumption

will be added; and (5) sales for resale

and (6) sales to other end users will be

deleted. The form and instructions will

be modified to show these changes.

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. Are the proposed collections 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?

C. Public reporting burden estimates

for each form collection are shown

below. Burden includes the total time,

effort, or financial resources expended

to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose

or provide the information.

EIA–411, ‘‘Coordinated Bulk Power

Supply Program Report,’’—15.50 hrs.

per response (previous estimate was

20.7 hrs.)

EIA–412, ‘‘Annual Report of Public

Electric Utilities,’’—30.3 hrs. per

response (no change from previous

estimate)

EIA–417R, ‘‘Electric Power Systems

Emergency Report and Annual

Summary of Emergency

Occurrences,’’—2.89 hrs. per response

(no change from previous estimate).

Note: The frequency, magnitude, and

duration of emergency occurrences

are hard to predict, therefore making

reporting times hard to predict.

EIA–759, ‘‘Monthly Power Plant

Report,’’—1.4 hrs. per response (no

change from previous estimate)

EIA–767, ‘‘Steam-Electric Plant

Operation and Design Report,’’ 84 hrs.

per response for plants of 100 MW or

more, and 4 hrs. for plants from 10

MW but less than 100 MW. (no

change from previous estimate)

EIA–826, ‘‘Monthly Electric Utility

Sales and Revenue Report with State

Distributions,’’—1.5 hrs. per response

(previous estimate was 1.4 hrs.)

EIA–860, ‘‘Annual Electric Generator

Report,’’—15.0 hrs. per response

(previous estimate was 15.3 hrs)

EIA–861, ‘‘Annual Electric Energy

Industry Report,’’—7.5 hrs per

response (previous estimate was 7.9

hrs.)

EIA–867, ‘‘Annual Nonutility Power

Producer Report,’’—2.12 hrs. per

response (no change from previous

estimate)

EIA–900, ‘‘Monthly Nonutility Sales for

Resale Report,’’—.25 hrs. per response

(no change from previous estimate).

Please comment on (1) the accuracy of

our estimates and (2) how the agency

could minimize the burden of the

collections of information, including the

use of automated collection techniques

or other forms of information

technology.

D. EIA estimates that respondents will

incur no additional costs for reporting

other than the hours required to

complete the collections. 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

these data collections?

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 forms?

B. For what purpose would you use

the data? Be specific.

C. Identify any alternate sources of

data. 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, DC, June 24, 1998.

Lynda T. Carlson,

Director, Statistics and Methods Group,

Energy Information Administration.

[FR Doc. 98–17371 Filed 6–29–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP98–596–000]

Columbia Gulf Transmission

Company; Notice of Application

June 24, 1998.

Take notice that on June 5, 1998, as

supplemented on June 17, 1998,

Columbia Gulf Transmission Company

(Columbia Gulf), 2603 Augusta, Suite

125, Houston, Texas 77057–5637, filed

in Docket No. CP98–596–000, an

application pursuant to Sections 7(b)

and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA)