[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 157 (Friday, August 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43742-43743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21841]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT
[Docket No. RSPA-98-3892; Notice 15]


Pipeline Safety: Phillips Pipe Line Company Approved for Pipeline 
Risk Management Demonstration Program

AGENCY: Office of Pipeline Safety, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of risk demonstration project approval and finding of no 
significant impact.

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SUMMARY: The Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA) 
Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) has issued a Risk Management 
Demonstration Project Order authorizing Phillips Pipe Line Company to 
participate in the Pipeline Risk Management Demonstration Program. OPS 
has also made a finding that Phillips' demonstration project will have 
no significant impacts on the environment.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this or any other demonstration project will be 
accepted in the Docket throughout the 4-year demonstration period. 
Comments should be sent to the Dockets Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Plaza 401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590-0001, or you can E-Mail your comments to 
[email protected]. Comments should identify the docket number 
RSPA-98-3892. Persons should submit the original comment document and 
one (1) copy. Persons wishing to receive confirmation of receipt of 
their comments must include a self-addressed stamped postcard. The 
Dockets Facility is located on the plaza level of the Nassif Building 
in Room 401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC. The Dockets 
Facility is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except on Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Callsen, OPS, (202) 366-
4572, regarding the subject matter of this notice. Contact the Dockets 
Unit, (202) 366-5046, for docket material. Comments may also be 
reviewed online at the DOT Docket Management System website at http://
dms.dot.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
    Project Authorization: On August 10, 1998, OPS, pursuant to 49 
U.S.C. 60126, issued Phillips a Risk Management Demonstration Project 
Order authorizing Phillips to conduct a risk management project on a 
60-mile pipeline segment of two pipelines of the Phillips-operated 
pipeline system. OPS has determined, after a comprehensive review of 
Phillips' demonstration project, that the project is expected to 
provide superior safety.
    More detailed descriptions of all aspects of the Phillips 
demonstration project, including the OPS rationale for approving the 
project, are available in the following documents:
    (1) 63 FR 36024, ``Pipeline Safety: Intent To Approve Project and 
Environmental Assessment for the Phillips Pipe Line Company Pipeline 
Risk Management Demonstration Program'', July 1, 1998.
    (2) ``Demonstration Project Prospectus: Phillips Pipe Line Company; 
Texas Gulf Coast Region'', available by contacting Elizabeth M. Callsen 
at 202-366-4572. Includes a map of the demonstration segments.
    (3) ``Phillips Pipe Line Company--Application for DOT-OPS Risk 
Management Demonstration Program'', available in Docket No. RSPA-98-
3892 at the Dockets Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Plaza 
401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001, (202) 366-5046.
    (4) ``OPS Project Review Team Evaluation of Phillips Demonstration 
Project''.
    (5) ``Risk Management Demonstration Project Order'' for Phillips 
Pipe Line Corporation, August 10, 1998.
    These documents and other information pertaining to the Phillips 
project are accessible to the public via the Pipeline Risk Management 
Information System (PRIMIS), on the OPS Home Page at http://
ops.dot.gov.
    Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI): OPS has reviewed 
Phillips' project for conformity with section 102(2)(c) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4332), the Council on Environmental 
Quality implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), and Department of 
Transportation Order 5610.1c, Procedures for Considering Environmental 
Impacts. OPS conducted an Environmental Assessment of Phillips' project 
(63 FR 36024, ``Pipeline Safety: Intent To Approve Project and 
Environmental Assessment for the Phillips Pipe Line Company Pipeline

[[Page 43743]]

Risk Management Demonstration Program'', July 1, 1998).
    OPS received no public comment on the Environmental Assessment.
    Based on the analysis and conclusions reached in the Environmental 
Assessment and the analyses conducted in the above-listed documents, 
OPS has found that there are no significant impacts on the environment 
associated with this action. The Environmental Assessment and the other 
above-listed documents are incorporated by reference into this FONSI. 
To summarize, the reason that the project will not have a significant 
effect on the human environment is that the project as now defined 
requires no regulatory exemption. This project is expected to 
demonstrate that risk management techniques can be successfully applied 
toward improving excavation safety. All activities to be performed by 
Phillips as part of the demonstration project, including performing 
excavation risk assessments, developing a work plan for each excavation 
project, taking appropriate emergency response precautions, 
appropriately coordinating with emergency response personnel, and 
quantitatively validating its overall approach, exceed what is 
currently required by pipeline safety regulations. This rationale is 
further discussed in the Environmental Assessment referenced above.

    Issued in Washington, DC on August 11, 1998.
Richard B. Felder,
Associate Administrator, Office of Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 98-21841 Filed 8-13-98; 8:45 am]
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