[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 28, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 10893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-4907]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[Docket No. P-94-1W; Notice 1]


Columbia Gulf Transmission Company; Petition for Waiver

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of petition for waiver.

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SUMMARY: Columbia Gulf Transmission Company (Columbia Gulf) has 
petitioned the Research and Special Programs Administration for a 
waiver from compliance with 49 CFR 192.612(b)(3), which requires that 
gas pipeline facilities in the Gulf of Mexico found to be exposed on 
the seabed or constituting a hazard to navigation be reburied so that 
the top of the pipe is 36 inches below the seabed for normal excavation 
or 18 inches for rock excavation.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 30, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to the Dockets Branch, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, 
20590. All comments and docket material may be reviewed in the Dockets 
Branch, room 8426, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday 
through Friday, except federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: L.E. Herrick, 202-366-5523 regarding 
the subject matter of this notice of proposed rulemaking, or the 
Dockets Unit, 202-366-5046, regarding copies of this notice or other 
material that is referenced herein.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During a DOT required survey Columbia Gulf 
discovered a 260 foot portion of 36-inch Bluewater Mainline 200 did not 
meet the 12-inch depth of cover requirements of 49 CFR 192.612. At the 
point where coverage is not sufficient, Columbia Gulf's pipeline 
crosses over a Trunkline Gas Company 16-inch pipeline and an Amoco 
Production Company abandoned 4-inch pipeline. Therefore, Columbia Gulf 
cannot comply with the lowering requirement without first lowering or 
crossing below the Trunkline and Amoco pipelines. This coincidental 
lowering would present the potential for damage to these lines which 
could cause environmental pollution.
    A waiver would allow Columbia Gulf to cover 813 feet along the 
subject pipeline segment with a concrete mesh blanket alternative to 
the 36-inch depth of cover requirement. The waiver would also extend 
the time limitation required for compliance with section 192.612.
    A ``concrete mesh blanket'' unit is an 8'  x  20' section 
constructed from 160 individually cast 17''  x  17''  x  9'' beveled 
concrete briquettes inter-connected with \3/4\'' polypropelene UV 
stabilized line. A total of 41 (8'  x  20'  x  9'') units of ``concrete 
mesh blanket'' will be required to cover the 813' of affected pipeline. 
Each of the 41 units will be hydrojetted flush with the seabed and 
permanently anchored with six screw anchors.
    The top of the 12 inch pipeline the mesh blanket is intended to 
cover is presently buried 6 inches below unconsolidated bottom in the 
Gulf of Mexico from Lat. 29 deg.30'21.46'', Long. 92 deg.22'54.08'' to 
Lat. 29 deg.30'13.4'', Long. 92 deg.22'53.98; Block 15, Vermillion 
area, approximately 8 miles South of Pecan Island, LA. The pipeline is 
coated with concrete.
    The application of the proposed blanket would effectively cover the 
pipeline to 15 inches (9'' mattress + 6'' cover). The required reburial 
is to 36 inches below the bottom or 18 inches below a rock bottom.
    RSPA proposes to grant the waiver with the provision that Columbia 
Gulf also install a rock shield over the pipeline before installation 
of the blanket. The rock shield must be of at least \3/8\ inches of 
thickness constructed of an appropriate material, such as ``Tuff N 
Nuff'' manufactured by Submar. With the addition of the rock shield 
RSPA believes there is no reason to anticipate a lesser level of safety 
than would be achieved by a 36'' pipeline burial. In view of these 
reasons and those stated in the foregoing discussion, it appears that a 
waiver of compliance with Sec. 192.612(c)(3) would not be inconsistent 
with pipeline safety, and as a consequence, RSPA proposes to grant the 
waiver.
    Interested parties are invited to comment on the proposed waiver by 
submitting in duplicate such data, views, or arguments as they may 
desire. RSPA specifically requests comments on the adequacy of the 
proposed concrete mat to reduce the hazard to navigation posed by the 
exposed pipeline and on any impact the mat may have on fishing vessel 
operations. Comments should identify the Docket and Notice numbers, and 
be submitted to the Dockets Unit, Room 8417, Research and Special 
Programs Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 
20590.
    All comments received before April 14, 1995 will be considered 
before final action is taken. Late filed comments will be considered so 
far as practicable. All comments and other docketed material will be 
available for inspection and copying in Room 8419 between the hours of 
8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday, except federal holidays 
before and after the closing date. No public hearing is contemplated, 
but one may be held at a time and place set in a Notice in the Federal 
Register if requested by an interested person desiring to comment at a 
public hearing and raising a genuine issue.
Richard D. Huriax,
Director, Regulatory Programs, Office of Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 95-4907 Filed 2-27-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P