[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47228-47229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22332]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration
[Docket No. RSPA-99-6157]


Pipeline Safety: Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Oil 
Pollution Act Facility Response Plans

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Availability of the environmental assessment for the Office of 
Pipeline Safety's Response Plan Review and Exercise Program.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality regulations and 
Department of Transportation policy, the Research and Special Programs 
Administration announces the availability of an Environmental 
Assessment for the Office of Pipeline Safety's (OPS) Response Plan 
Review and Exercise Program. The Environmental Assessment examines the 
effects of the program on the environment and on pipeline operators' 
ability to respond to oil spills affecting waters of the United States. 
The Research and Special Programs Administration is soliciting comments 
on this Environmental Assessment. These comments will be considered in 
evaluating it and in making decisions pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

ADDRESSES: Comments on the Environmental Assessment should be submitted 
to: Jim Taylor, Response Plans Officer, US Department of 
Transportation, Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of 
Pipeline Safety, Room 7128, 400 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590 or 
email [email protected]. A limited number of copies of the 
Environmental Assessment are available on request. Public reading 
copies of the Environmental Assessment will be available at the 
Department of Transportation Docket Center, Room PL-401, 400 7th 
Street, SW, Washington DC, 20590. The Dockets Facility is open from 10 
a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.


[[Page 47229]]


DATES: The Environmental Assessment will remain available for public 
comment through September 29, 1999. Written comments should be received 
no later than September 29, 1999. Late comments will be considered so 
far as practicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons with questions about the 
Environmental Assessment may contact Jim Taylor at (202) 366-8860 or 
email [email protected]. Persons with questions about viewing the 
Environmental Assessment in the DOT Docket Center may contact Dorothy 
Walker at (202) 366-9329 or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1990, the United States Congress passed 
Public Law 101-380, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), to improve the 
nation's ability to respond to, and limit the economic and 
environmental impact from, marine spills of oil and other pollutants. 
Section 4202 of the OPA modifies the planning and response system 
created under the authority of Section 311(j) of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (also known as the Clean Water Act). OPA required 
response plans for vessels and facilities that produce, store, 
transport, refine, and market oil.
    Just as oil tankers are required to submit oil spill response plans 
to the Coast Guard and refineries are required to submit such plans to 
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), oil pipelines are required 
to submit their facility response plans (FRP) to OPS for review and 
approval. To date, more than 1300 facility response plans have been 
submitted to OPS. They represent some 200 oil pipeline operators, and 
lines that vary from 3-inch gathering systems to 36-inch product lines 
to the 48-inch Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. OPS conducts a thorough 
review of the plans, with particular emphasis on the adequacy of the 
pipeline operator's response resources, incident command system, and 
ability to protect environmentally sensitive areas from harm. OPS also 
makes sure that pipeline operators' plans are consistent with both the 
National Contingency Plan and the local Area Contingency Plan, which 
are developed by the Coast Guard and EPA.
    In addition to reviewing operators' plans, OPS conducts exercises 
to test pipeline operators' ability to implement their facility 
response plans. To date, OPS has conducted sixty-nine Tabletop 
Exercises, scenario-driven discussions in which operators explain how 
they would implement their plans to respond to a worst-case spill. OPS 
has also conducted nine full-scale Area Exercises with pipeline 
operators in which they deploy people and equipment to the field in 
response to a simulated spill. In both Tabletop and Area Exercises, OPS 
makes every effort to have other Federal, State, and local 
environmental and emergency response agencies participate. Their 
participation makes exercises more realistic, and builds relationships 
between industry and public sector responders that make the response to 
real spills go more smoothly.
    The Environmental Assessment concisely describes OPS's recent 
review of the effectiveness of its Response Plan Review and Exercise 
Program, its proposed action to continue implementation of the current 
program, the alternative programmatic approaches considered, the 
environment affected by this action, the consequences to the 
environment of the alternatives considered, and a list of the agencies 
and organizations consulted.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 24, 1999.
Richard B. Felder,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 99-22332 Filed 8-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P