[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 52 (Friday, March 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15321-15322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6536]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

[Docket No. RSPA-00-8453; Notice 2]


Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company: Grant of Waiver and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

AGENCY: Office of Pipeline Safety, Research and Special Programs 
Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of grant of waiver and finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is approving a waiver of 
certain regulatory requirements relating to class location changes on 
four natural gas pipeline segments (the ``waiver segments'') operated 
by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (TGP) and is permitting TGP to carry 
out alternative risk control activities (the ``Activities'') in lieu of 
compliance with these requirements. The waiver segments are located on 
the parallel Lines 800-1, 500-1, 500-2, and 500-3, approximately 11.2 
miles downstream of Compressor Station 860, in Hickman and Dickson 
Counties, Tennessee. The waiver segments include a total of 15,006 feet 
of pipeline.
    Background: In 1997, OPS selected Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company 
(TGP) as a candidate for participation in the Risk Management 
Demonstration Program; subsequently, OPS and TGP held discussions as 
part of a consultation process. During the consultation, TGP identified 
a portion of its system (the ``waiver segments'') where it believed 
performing alternative risk control activities (the ``Activities'') in 
lieu of compliance with current pipeline safety regulations addressing 
class location changes would result in a comparable margin of safety 
and environmental protection. While OPS and TGP continued to consult, 
TGP applied \1\ for a waiver of the requirements of 49 CFR 192.611 for 
the waiver segments and implementation of the Activities in lieu of 
compliance.
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    \1\ Letter form D.K. Moore, Tennessee Gas Pipeline, to R.B. 
Felder, OPS, June 30, 1998.
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    Alternative Approach: Rather than replacing pipe or requalification 
testing, as required for each waiver segment under 49 CFR 192.611, TGP 
proposed to perform the following alternative risk control activities, 
with the objective of providing a margin of safety and environmental 
protection comparable to pipe replacement or requalification testing:


[[Page 15322]]


1. Internally inspect the waiver segments using geometry and magnetic 
flux leakage in-line inspection tools, which are not required under 
current regulations. These tools reliably identify indications of wall 
loss (e.g. corrosion), as well as dents and gouges from initial 
construction damage or third party excavators working along the 
pipeline right-of-way. These internal inspections have been performed 
and the OPS Southern Region has reviewed the inspection results.
2. Internally inspect an extended length of pipe (the ``extended 
segments'') bordering each waiver segment to further extend the 
benefits of the integrity analysis. The extended segments cover the 
distance between Compressor Station 860 and mainline valves 861-1, 560-
1, 560-2, and 560-3, a distance of approximately 18.2 miles on each 
pipeline.
3. Repair indications of corrosion, existing construction damage, and 
existing outside force damage identified by the internal inspection. 
TGP used more conservative investigation and repair criteria in the 
waiver and extended segments than is currently required by the pipeline 
safety regulations. The criteria call for investigation and repair of 
small dents and anomalies that are well below the threshold where 
pipeline integrity might be compromised.
4. Perform close-interval surveys on the waiver and extended segments, 
as an additional method to detect possible pipeline corrosion. Close-
interval surveys are not required on these segments under current 
regulations. TGP has performed close-interval surveys on approximately 
18.2 miles of pipe on each line .

    Notice 1: In response to TGP's application and justification for 
performing the Activities in lieu of current regulatory requirements, 
OPS issued a Notice of Intent to Consider Waiver and Environmental 
Assessment of Waiver, inviting persons to submit written comments (65 
FR 77422; December 11, 2000) (Notice 1). In that Notice, OPS explained 
its finding that TGP's implementation of the Activities in lieu of 
compliance with 49 CFR 192.611 is consistent with pipeline safety. OPS 
received no public comments in response to Notice 1.
    OPS Review: OPS has compared the expected risk reduction produced 
by the Activities to that which would be achieved by compliance with 49 
CFR 192.611 and concluded that the Activities will likely achieve a 
comparable margin of safety and environmental protection. Furthermore, 
because of the resources saved by not having to replace pipe in the 
waiver segments, TGP will be able to assess the integrity of additional 
portions of its system, which reduces the overall risks along the TGP 
pipeline system.
    OPS has determined that the conduct of the Activities in lieu of 
compliance with 49 CFR 192.611 is consistent with pipeline safety. The 
following factors were considered when making this determination:

1. The proposed Activities will provide a comparable margin of safety 
and protection for the environment and the communities in the vicinity 
of TGP's pipelines;
2. The four waiver segments have a good integrity history, with no 
leaks recorded during operation or hydrostatic testing.
3. TGP has internally inspected and conducted close-interval surveys on 
a total of 72.8 miles of pipe, including the waiver segments. These 
activities add protection against pipeline failures from corrosion, 
manufacturing and construction defects, and outside third-party damage 
along this full 72.8 mile length. Compliance with 49 CFR 192.611 would 
require replacement of pipe or requalification tests within the waiver 
segments only (less than 3 miles of pipe), with no added protection for 
the extended segments (approximately 69 miles of pipe). The TGP 
Activities provide added protection by including the extended segments.
4. TGP was selected as a candidate for the Risk Management 
Demonstration Program and has participated in a consultation process 
with OPS, which required a greater sharing of information with OPS 
related to the integrity TGP's pipeline.
    Action on Application for Waiver: In accordance with the foregoing 
and by this order, OPS finds that TGP's requested waiver is consistent 
with pipeline safety. Accordingly, TGP's application for waiver from 
compliance with the requirements of 49 CFR 192.611 is granted, provided 
that TGP carries out all the alternative risk control activities 
described in the ``Alternative Approach'' section of this Notice. No 
more than 90 days after OPS adopts any new final rule related to 
integrity management of natural gas pipelines, TGP will be required to 
assess the effects, if any, of the rule on this waiver and report its 
findings to OPS. OPS will review TGP's report, evaluate TGP's 
assessment, and determine whether the terms and effects of the waiver 
remain appropriate and consistent with pipeline safety. If the OPS 
evaluation finds that the waiver is no longer appropriate or no longer 
consistent with safety, then OPS will revoke the waiver and require TGP 
to comply with 49 CFR 192.611 and all other applicable regulations.

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

    OPS has reviewed the TGP waiver for conformity with section 
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4332), 
the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Sections 1500-
1508), and Department of Transportation (DOT) Order 5610.1c, Procedures 
for Considering Environmental Impacts. OPS conducted an Environmental 
Assessment of granting the TGP waiver (65 FR 77422, ``Pipeline Safety: 
Intent to Consider Waiver and Environmental Assessment of Waiver for 
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company,'' December 11, 2000).
    OPS received no public comment on the Environmental Assessment. 
Based on the analysis and conclusions of the Environmental Assessment, 
OPS has determined that no significant impacts on the environment are 
associated with granting this waiver. The Environmental Assessment is 
incorporated by reference into this FONSI.
    In summary, OPS believes that the Activities performed under the 
waiver by TGP in lieu of regulatory requirements are consistent with 
pipeline safety and environmental protection. Although the waiver is 
expected to provide net environmental benefits, these beneficial 
impacts are not expected to be significant, because of the minimal 
environmental impact associated with gas pipeline failures. In 
addition, if OPS denied the proposed waiver, TGP would be required to 
replace or requalify pipe in the waiver segments. Pipe replacement 
would likely introduce some adverse environmental impacts that are 
avoided with the proposed action. Denying the waiver request would 
likely result in TGP replacing pipe along portions of the waiver 
segments, thereby causing environmental disruption due to excavation 
activity.

    Issued in Washington, DC on March 12, 2001.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 01-6536 Filed 3-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P