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 on the proposed three-year extension of approval for Form NWPA-830C, “Delivery Commitment Schedule.”

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before October 10, 2000. If you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments to Jim Finucane, Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels (EI-52), Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. 20585-0650. Alternatively, Mr. Finucane may be reached by phone at 202-426-1960, by e-mail jim.finucane@eia.doe.gov, or by FAX 202-426-1280.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the forms and instructions should be directed to Mr. Finucane at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

II. Current Actions

III. Request for Comments

I. Background

The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275, 15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the Department of Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91), 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to carry out a centralized, comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and related economic and statistical information. This information is used to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer term domestic demands.

The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides the general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to comment on collections of energy information conducted by or in conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA to prepare data requests that maximize the utility of the information collected, and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the public. Also, the EIA will later seek approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the collections under Section 3507(h) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Form NWPA-830C, “Delivery Commitment Schedule,” is designed to allow companies purchasing nuclear waste disposal services from the Department of Energy (DOE) to identify the number of assemblies, including their initial uranium loading, and the range of discharge dates along with the year that the purchaser proposes that the DOE take delivery. This is information is required at a point in time 63 months before expected transfer to the DOE.

II. Current Actions

This is a request for comments on EIA's proposal to request a three-year extension of approval to continue collecting information with Form NWPA-830C, “Delivery Commitment Schedule,” with no change to the existing collection.

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 comments.

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 be made 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 need clarification?

B. Can information be submitted by the due date?

C. The estimated burden on each respondent to complete Form NWPA-830C is an average of 1 hour. Burden includes the total time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose and provide the information. In your opinion, how accurate is this estimate?

D. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent incur start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with this information collection?

E. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

F. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the methods of collection.

As a Potential Data User

A. Is the information useful at the levels of detail indicated on the form?

B. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.

C. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they useful? If so, what are their weaknesses 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: Sections 3506(c)(2)(A) and 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).