Notices. Notice of revised information collection and request for comments

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BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RD16-10-000] Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725e); Comment Request; Revision AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of revised information collection and request for comments. SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on a revision to the information collection, FERC-725E (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Western Electric Coordinating Council) which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)for a review of the information collection requirements. DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 5, 2017. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. RD16-10-000) by either of the following methods: • *eFiling at Commission's Web site: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp* • *Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier:* Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. *Instructions:* All submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with submission guidelines at: *http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp.* For user assistance contact FERC Online Support by email at *ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov,* or by phone at:

(866)208-3676 (toll-free), or

(202)502-8659 for TTY. *Docket:* Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in this docket or in viewing/downloading comments and issuances in this docket may do so at *http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at *DataClearance@FERC.gov,* telephone at

(202)502-8663, and fax at

(202)273-0873. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Title:* FERC-725E, Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Western Electric Coordinating Council. *OMB Control No.:* 1902-0246. *Type of Request:* Revision to the FERC-725E information collection requirements, as discussed in Docket No. RD16-10. *Abstract:* On March 23, 2016 (and supplemented on November 16, 2016), the North American Electric Reliability Corporation

(NERC)and Western Electricity Coordinating Council

(WECC)filed a joint petition to retire regional Reliability Standard TOP-007-WECC-1a—System Operating Limits (“SOL”). The purpose of the proposed retirement is to shift away from the path-centric model and allow entities in the Western Interconnection to align their operating practices with the framework established in the continent-wide TOP/IRO Reliability Standards approved in Order No. 817, 1 which, according to NERC and WECC, achieve the objective of operating within acceptable pre- and post-contingency reliability criteria ( *i.e.,* within SOLs and Interconnection Reliability Operating Limits (“IROL”). On March 10, 2017, the Commission approved the retirement of regional Reliability Standard TOP-007-WECC-1a. 2 1 The burdens related to Order No. 871 are included in FERC-725Z (Mandatory Reliability Standards: IRO Reliability Standards, OMB Control No. 1902-0276), and FERC-725A Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System, OMB Control No. 1902-0244). 2 The Delegated Letter Order is posted in FERC's eLibrary at *https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=14515285.* The remaining reporting requirements included in FERC-725E are not being revised. 3 3 In the current OMB-approved inventory for FERC-725E, the total remaining requirements are estimated annually at 7,038 burden hours for reporting and 771 burden hours for recordkeeping. *Type of Respondents:* Public utilities. *Estimate of Annual Burden * 4 *:* The Commission estimates the reduction in the annual public reporting burden for the FERC-725E (due to the retirement of regional Reliability Standard TOP-007-WECC-1a) as follows: 5 4 Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. For further explanation of what is included in the information collection burden, refer to 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3. 5 The reductions in burden and cost shown in the table are the same figures as those in the current OMB-approved inventory for the reporting and recordkeeping requirements, now being retired. FERC-725E, Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Western Electric Coordinating Council, Reductions Due to Docket No. RD16-10 Information collection requirements Number of respondents Annual number of responses per respondent Total number of responses Average burden hours & cost per response Total annual burden hours & total annual cost

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(5)Reporting Requirement—Transmission Operators that operate qualified transfer paths 6 9 3 27 40 hrs.; $2,908 1,080 hrs.; $78,516. Recordkeeping Requirement—Transmission Operators that operate qualified transfer paths 9 1 12 hrs.; $347 108 hrs.; $3,124. TOTAL REDUCTION (Due to Docket No. RD16-10) 1,188 hrs.; $81,640. *Comments:* Comments are invited on:

(1)Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2)the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3)ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and

(4)ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 6 This is based on burden estimates taken from the Order in Docket No. RR07-11-000, P. 130. Dated: March 31, 2017. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2017-06847 Filed 4-5-17; 8:45 am]