[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 202 (Monday, October 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54447-54448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27718]
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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 concerning the proposed extension to the Form EIA-1605,
``Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases,'' (long version) and the
Form EIA-1605EZ, ``Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases,'' (short
version).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before December 19,
1997. 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 contact listed below of your intention to do so
as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Stephen E. Calopedis, Energy Information
Administration, Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting, EI-81,
Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585,
(202) 586-1156, e-mail: [email protected], and FAX: (202)
586-3045.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Stephen E.
Calopedis 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 Energy Information
Administration (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 prepare data requests in the desired format, minimize
reporting burden, develop clearly understandable reporting forms, and
assess the impact of collection requirements on respondents. 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).
The EIA developed these greenhouse gas forms pursuant to section
1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-486, 42 U.S.C.
13385) to reflect the guidelines set forth in Voluntary Reporting of
Greenhouse Gases under section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of
1992: General Guidelines (DOE/PO-0028). These forms are designed to
collect voluntarily reported data on greenhouse gas emissions, achieved
reductions of these emissions, and increased carbon fixation. Further,
the forms support the Climate Change Action Plan by collecting
information on commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to
sequester carbon in
[[Page 54448]]
future years, including the progress made toward meeting those
commitments. The Office of Management and Budget approved these forms
on May 26, 1995 (OMB No. 1905-0194).
You may wish to participate in the program to: (1) Establish a
public record of your emissions and reductions for any years from 1987
onwards; (2) demonstrate progress toward meeting commitments made under
voluntary programs to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases; (3) inform
the public about greenhouse gas emissions and reduction strategies; and
(4) contribute to educational exchanges on the most effective ways to
reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The EIA publishes an annual
report/review of the 1605(b) voluntary reporting of greenhouse gases
program. In addition, EIA has established a publicly available database
of the information reported each year, which serves as a clearinghouse
of information and case studies.
II. Current Actions
This action represents a request for the extension of the
expiration date with no other changes, of existing collections (Form
EIA-1605 and Form EIA-1605EZ). The request will include an extension
from the currently approved OMB expiration dates (May 31, 1998) to May
31, 2001, i.e., 3-year extension of the Forms EIA-1605 and EIA-1605EZ.
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. Is the proposed collection of information 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 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 for this collection is estimated to
average:
Form EIA-1605: 40 hours per response
Form EIA-1605EZ: 4 hours per response
Burden includes the total time, effort, or financial resources expended
to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide the information.
Please comment on (1) the accuracy of our estimate and (2) how the
agency could minimize the burden of the collection of information,
including the use of information technology.
D. EIA estimates that respondents will incur no additional costs
for reporting other than the hours required to complete the collection.
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 this data
collection?
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 form?
B. For what purpose would you use the data? Be specific.
C. Are there alternate sources of data and do you use them? If so,
what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?
D. For the most part, information is published by EIA in U.S.
customary units, e.g., cubic feet of natural gas, short tons of coal,
and barrels of oil. Would you prefer to see EIA publish more
information in metric units, e.g., cubic meters, metric tons, and
kilograms? If yes, please specify what information (e.g., coal
production, natural gas consumption, and crude oil imports), the metric
unit(s) of measurement preferred, and in which EIA publication(s) you
would like to see such information.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the request for a 3-
year extension of the forms. 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. 104-13).
Issued in Washington, DC, October 17, 1997.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 97-27718 Filed 10-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P