FERC-556A, (NOPR in RM21-2 and RM20-20) Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) Status for a Small Power Production or Cogeneration Facility

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Form FERC Form No. 556 FERC Form No. 556 as modified by Final Rule in RM19-15 and AD16-16 Form and Instruction	New
Form FERC-556(before ch FERC-556A Form and Instruction	Removed
556A_NOPR_RM21-2__11-19-2020.docx Supporting Statement A	2020-11-19
form-556 for 556aICR.pdf Supplementary Document	2019-09-19
16 USC 2602.pdf Supplementary Document	2019-04-04
16 USC 824a3 (PURPA 1978).pdf Supplementary Document	2019-04-04
eCFR_18CFR292_131-80.docx Supplementary Document	2019-04-04

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
244587	FERC Form No. 556 as modified by Final Rule in RM19-15 and AD16-16 Form and Instruction	New
237770	FERC-556A Form and Instruction	Removed

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0316	ICR Reference No: 202011-1902-005
Status: Historical Inactive	Previous ICR Reference No: 201904-1902-001
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-556A
Title: FERC-556A, (NOPR in RM21-2 and RM20-20) Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) Status for a Small Power Production or Cogeneration Facility
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Comment filed on proposed rule	Conclusion Date: 01/05/2021
	Date Received in OIRA: 11/23/2020
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is filing comment and withholding approval at this time. The agency shall examine public comment in response to the proposed rulemaking and will include in the supporting statement of the next ICR—which is to be submitted to OMB at the final rule stage—a description of how the agency has responded to any public comments on the ICR, including comments on maximizing the practical utility of the collection and minimizing the burden.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date		36 Months From Approved
Responses	0	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	0	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: FERC-556A is a temporary (placeholder) information collection number. It's being used for the change proposed in the NOPR in Docket Nos. RM21-2 and RM20-20 because another ICR for FERC-556 is pending OMB review and only one item per OMB Control No. can be pending review at a time. Note that the updated FERC-556 is included the other pending ICR and in the IC here. FERC Form 556 (and this temporary info. collection no. FERC-556A) is required to implement Sections 201 and 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA). FERC is authorized, under those sections, to encourage cogeneration and small power production and to prescribe such rules as necessary in order to carry out the statutory directives. A primary statutory objective is efficient use of energy resources by cogeneration facilities, which make use of reject heat associated with commercial or industrial processes, and by small power production facilities, which use renewable resources and waste. PURPA, through establishment of various regulatory benefits, encourages the development of small power production facilities and cogeneration facilities that meet certain technical and corporate criteria. Facilities that meet these criteria are called Qualifying Facilities, or QFs. The Commission’s regulations in 18 CFR Part 292 specify: a) the certification procedures which must be followed by owners or operators of small power production and cogeneration facilities; b) the criteria which must be met; c) the information which must be submitted to FERC in order to obtain qualifying status; d) the PURPA benefits which are available to QFs to encourage small power production and cogeneration; and e) the requirements pertaining to PURPA implementation plans regarding the transaction obligations that electric utilities have with respect to QFs.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 2602 Name of Law: PURPA
   US Code: 16 USC 796, 824a-3 Name of Law: Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
1902-AF74	Proposed rulemaking	85 FR 67699	10/26/2020

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
FERC Form No. 556 as modified by Final Rule in RM19-15 and AD16-16	FERC Form No. 556	Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) Status fpr Small Power Producer or Cogeneration Facility
FERC-556A	FERC-556(before changes in NOPR in RM19-15)	FERC-556

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Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: In this NOPR in Docket Nos. RM21-2 and RM20-20, the Commission proposes no changes to the FERC Form No. 556, but proposes revising its PURPA regulations to allow more entities to use the FERC Form No. 556. This is included in this ICR under FERC-556A (temp. interim collection no.) due to another ICR for FERC-556 pending OMB review. (Only one ICR per OMB Control No. may be pending at a time.) (The Form 556 from the Final Rule in RM19-15 and AD16-16 is pending OMB review and is included in the ICR for FERC-556 and in the IC here.)

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $178,804

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 11/23/2020

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