[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1067-1068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-291]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration
[Docket No. RSPA-98-4034; Notice 15]


Pipeline Safety: Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America; 
Approved for Pipeline Risk Management Demonstration Program

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration, 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 Natural Gas Pipeline Company of 
America (NGPL) to participate in the Pipeline Risk Management 
Demonstration Program. OPS has also made a finding that NGPL's 
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-98-4034. 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 9 a.m. to 5 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 and environmental 
assessment. Contact the Dockets Unit, (202) 366-9322, for docket 
material. Comments may also be reviewed on line at the DOT Docket 
Management System website at http://dms.dot.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Project Authorization

    On December 31, 1998, OPS, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 60126, issued NGPL 
a Risk

[[Page 1068]]

Management Demonstration Project Order authorizing NGPL to conduct a 
risk management project on the pipeline system it operates, covering 
approximately 13,000 miles in 14 states. These states are Arkansas, 
Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, 
Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. OPS has 
determined, after a comprehensive review of NGPL's demonstration 
project, that the project is expected to provide superior safety and 
environmental protection.
    More detailed descriptions of all aspects of the NGPL demonstration 
project, including the OPS rationale for approving the project, are 
available in the following documents:
    (1) 63 FR 46497, ``Pipeline Safety: Intent To Approve Project and 
Environmental Assessment for the Natural Gas Pipe Line Company of 
America Pipeline Risk Management Demonstration Program'', September 1, 
1998.
    (2) ``Demonstration Project Prospectus: Natural Gas Pipeline 
Company'', available by contacting Elizabeth M. Callsen at 202-366-
4572. Includes a map of the NGPL pipeline system.
    (3) ``Natural Gas Pipeline Company--Application and Work Plan for 
DOT-OPS Risk Management Demonstration Program'', as modified by the 
December 18, 1998, letter from KN Energy, Inc. to OPS.
    (4) ``OPS Project Review Team Evaluation of Phillips Demonstration 
Project''.
    (5) ``Risk Management Demonstration Project Order'' for Natural Gas 
Pipeline Company, December 31, 1998.
    These documents and other information pertaining to the NGPL 
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 NGPL's 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 
parts 1500-1508), and Department of Transportation Order 5610.1c, 
Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts. OPS conducted an 
Environmental Assessment of NGPL's project (63 FR 46497, ``Pipeline 
Safety: Intent To Approve Project and Environmental Assessment for the 
Natural Gas Pipe Line Company of America Pipeline Risk Management 
Demonstration Program'').
    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 safety and environmental protection. All activities to 
be performed by NGPL as part of the demonstration project--including 
investigating risks, integrating risk information, identifying and 
allocating resources to manage risks, institutionalizing risk 
management within the company, and effectively communicating about 
risks with company employees, OPS, and other stakeholders--exceed what 
is currently required by pipeline safety regulations. This rationale is 
further discussed in the Environmental Assessment referenced above. 
When OPS determines that it plans to grant a regulatory exemption, it 
will amend the Environmental Assessment to analyze any environmental 
impacts of the proposed exemption.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 31, 1998.
Richard B. Felder,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 99-291 Filed 1-6-99; 8:45 am]
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