Document ID: FERC-2021-1224-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Rule
Title: OMB Control Numbers for Commission Information Collection Requirements
Posted Date: 2021-10-04T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 189 (Monday, October 4, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54610-54611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21153]

[[Page 54610]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 389

[Docket No. RM21-20-000; Order No. 878]

OMB Control Numbers for Commission Information Collection 
Requirements

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission amends its 
regulations to provide that Office of Management and Budget control 
numbers for Commission information collection requirements will be 
available on the Commission's website.

DATES: This rule will become effective December 3, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Hershfield, Office of the General 
Counsel, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8597, 
mark.hershfield@ferc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    1. Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 \1\ and Office 
of Management and Budget's (OMB) implementing regulations at 5 CFR Part 
1320, the Commission is required to display OMB control numbers and 
expiration dates of those control numbers on Commission information 
collections and forms. The Commission also provides OMB control numbers 
in its regulations at 18 CFR 389.101. This rule amends that regulation 
by providing that OMB control numbers for Commission information 
collections will henceforth no longer be provided in the Commission's 
regulations but instead will be provided on the Commission's website.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 44 U.S.C. 3501.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. Discussion

    2. The purpose of this rule is to ensure that the public has the 
most current OMB control numbers for Commission information 
collections. Providing the OMB control numbers on the Commission's 
website is the most efficient and timely way to provide that 
information to the public. Therefore, rather than continually revising 
18 CFR 389.101, the Commission will henceforth provide the public with 
the most up-to-date information on OMB control numbers at the 
Information Collections page at https://www.ferc.gov (https://www.ferc.gov/enforcement-legal/legal/information-collections). This 
rule accordingly revises 18 CFR 389.101 to direct the public to the 
Commission's website for OMB control numbers for Commission information 
collections.

III. Information Collection Statement

    3. OMB approves certain information collection requirements imposed 
by agency rule.\2\ However, this rule does not contain any new or 
additional information collection requirements. Therefore, compliance 
with OMB's regulations is not required.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ 5 CFR 1320.12.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Environmental Analysis

    4. The Commission is required to prepare an Environmental 
Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement for any action that may 
have a significant adverse effect on the human environment.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Regulations Implementing the National Environmental Policy 
Act, Order No. 486, 52 FR 47897, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 30,783 (Dec. 
17, 1987).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Part 380 of the Commission's regulations lists exemptions to the 
requirement to draft an Environmental Analysis or Environmental Impact 
Statement. Included is an exemption for procedural, ministerial, or 
internal administrative actions.\4\ Accordingly, this rulemaking is 
exempt from the requirement to draft such documents under that 
provision.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ 18 CFR 380.4(a)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

V. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    6. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA) \5\ generally 
requires a description and analysis of final rules that will have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
This rule concerns a modification of current Commission regulations and 
practices, by directing the public to where OMB control numbers are 
located. The Commission certifies that it will not have a significant 
economic impact upon participants in Commission proceedings. An 
analysis under the RFA is therefore not required.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ 5 U.S.C. 601-12. rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. Document Availability

    7. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
Internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov). At 
this time, the Commission has suspended access to the Commission's 
Public Reference Room due to the President's March 13, 2020 
proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning the Novel 
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
    8. The full text of this document is available on the Commission's 
Home Page, on eLibrary in PDF and Microsoft Word format for viewing, 
printing, and/or downloading. To access this document in eLibrary, type 
the docket number excluding the last three digits of this document in 
the docket number field.
    9. User assistance is available for eLibrary and the Commission's 
website during normal business hours from FERC Online Support at (202) 
502-6652 (toll free at 1-866-208-3676) or email at 
ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or the Public Reference Room at (202) 502-
8371, TTY (202) 502-8659. Email the Public Reference Room at 
public.referenceroom@ferc.gov.

VII. Effective Date

    10. The Commission is issuing this rule as a final rule without a 
period for public comment. Under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(A), notice-and-
comment rulemaking procedures are unnecessary for ``rules of agency 
organization, procedure, or practice.'' This rule is therefore exempt 
from notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures, because it concerns the 
Commission's procedures and practices. In particular, the rule alters 
the means by which the Commission will provide the control numbers 
assigned by OMB to the Commission's information collection 
requirements. The rule will not significantly affect regulated entities 
or the general public.
    11. This rule is effective December 3, 2021.

List of Subjects in 18 CFR Part 389

    Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    By the Commission.

    Issued:

Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Commission amends part 385, 
chapter I, title 18, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows:

PART 389--OMB CONTROL NUMBERS FOR COMMISSION INFORMATION COLLECTION 
REQUIREMENTS

0
1. The authority citation for part 389 continues to read as follows:

[[Page 54611]]

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

0
2. Revise Sec.  389.101 to read as follows:

Sec.  389.101  OMB control numbers assigned pursuant to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act.

    This part concerns Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control 
numbers assigned to information collection requirements. Current OMB 
control numbers are available at https://www.ferc.gov. For the most 
current information, interested persons should consult the Commission's 
website under ``Enforcement Legal'' and then ``Legal'' and then 
``Information Collections'' or directly at https://www.ferc.gov/enforcement-legal/legal/information-collections.

 [FR Doc. 2021-21153 Filed 10-1-21; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P