[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 2, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47585-47586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19481]



[[Page 47585]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. RSPA-98-4957; Notice 19]


Pipeline Safety: Revision of Natural Gas Transmission and 
Gathering Pipeline Incident and Annual Report Forms

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments on revision of Information 
Collection OMB 2137-0522.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) is publishing its 
intention to revise forms RSPA F 7100.2--Incident Report For Gas 
Transmission and Gathering Systems and RSPA F 7100.2-1--Annual Report 
For Gas Transmission and Gathering Systems. The purpose of this notice 
is to allow the public 60 days from the date of this notice to comment 
on the proposed changes in the forms and the information collection 
burden.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before October 2, 
2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Little by telephone at 202-366-
4569, by fax at 202-366-4566, by mail at U.S. Department of 
Transportation, RSPA, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Room 7128, Washington, 
DC, 20590, or by e-mail to [email protected].

ADDRESSES: Copies of this proposed information collection and the 
revised forms, RSPA F 7100.2--Incident Report for Gas Transmission and 
Gathering Systems and RSPA F 7100.2-1--Annual Report for Gas 
Transmission and Gathering Systems, can be reviewed in this docket at 
http://dms.dot.gov.
    Address all comments concerning this notice to the Dockets 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Plaza 401, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001. You may submit written comments 
by mail or delivery to the Dockets Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590-0001. The Dockets facility is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. Comments should 
identify the docket number of this notice, RSPA-98-4957. You should 
submit the original and one copy. If you wish to receive confirmation 
of receipt of your comments, you must include a stamped, self-addressed 
postcard.

Electronic Access and Filing Addresses

    You may also submit or review comments electronically by accessing 
the Docket Management System's home page at http://dms.dot.gov. Click 
on ``Help & Information'' for instructions on how to file a document 
electronically. All written comments should identify the docket and 
notice numbers stated in the heading of this notice. Anyone desiring 
confirmation of mailed comments must include a self-addressed stamped 
postcard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The information collected pertaining to reportable natural gas 
transmission incidents provide an important tool for identifying safety 
trends in the gas pipeline industry. The National Transportation Safety 
Board (NTSB), the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector 
General, and the General Accounting Office have urged RSPA to revise 
the information collected on the natural gas transmission pipeline 
incident report form and annual report form. NTSB Safety Recommendation 
P-96-1 urges RSPA to:

develop within 1 year and implement within 2 years a comprehensive 
plan for the collection and use of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline 
accident data that details the type and extent of data to be 
collected, to provide the Research and Special Programs 
Administration with the capability to perform methodologically sound 
accident trend analyses and evaluations of pipeline operator 
performance using normalized accident data.


[[Page 47586]]


RSPA worked with representatives of the Interstate Natural Gas 
Association of America (INGAA) and the American Gas Association (AGA) 
to revise the natural gas transmission incident and annual report forms 
to make the information collected more useful to industry, government, 
and the public.
    Abstract: To ensure adequate public protection from exposure to 
potential natural gas transmission pipeline failures, RSPA collects 
information on reportable transmission pipeline incidents. Additional 
information is also obtained concerning the characteristics of an 
operator's pipeline system. This information is needed for normalizing 
the incident information in order to provide for adequate safety 
trending. The requirements for reporting incidents are found in 49 CFR 
Part 191. The regulations require submission of the natural gas 
transmission annual report form by March 15 of each year for the 
preceding year's operations. Reports on transmission incidents must be 
submitted to RSPA in writing within 30 days of occurrence.
    The reports to be revised are two of the four gas pipeline 
reporting forms authorized by Information Collection OMB 2137-0522, 
``Incident and Annual Reports for Gas Operators.'' The proposed 
revisions are part of an ongoing process to revise all incident and 
annual reports.
    Title: Incident Report for Gas Transmission and Gathering Systems 
(RSPA F 7100.1-1) and Annual Report For Gas Transmission and Gathering 
Systems (RSPA F 7100.2-1).
    OMB Number: 2137-0522.
    Estimate of Burden: The average burden hours per response is 
approximately 6 hours for the revised transmission incident report and 
3 hours for the revised transmission annual report.
    Respondents: Gas transmission pipeline operators.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 900 gas transmission pipeline 
operators.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent per Year: Incident 
Reports: 0.1; Annual Reports: 1.0.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The burden for each 
gas transmission pipeline operator is an average of 6 hours per 
incident report form and 3 hours per annual report form. For all 900 
gas transmission pipeline operators the burden estimate is 540 hours (6 
hours x 900 operators x 0.1 incidents) for incidents and 2,700 hours (3 
hours x 900 operators) for annual reports, for a total burden of 3,240 
hours per annum.
    Comments are invited on: (a) The need for the proposed collection 
of information for the proper performance of the functions of the 
agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden 
of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on July 27, 2000.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Acting Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 00-19481 Filed 8-1-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P