[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 137 (Tuesday, July 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 37268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17800]



[[Page 37268]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. RSPA-97-2426]


Pipeline Safety: National Pipeline Mapping System

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

ACTION: Notice; availability of operator and repository standards for 
National Pipeline Mapping System.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) finalized ``Standards for 
Pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas Operator Submissions'' and 
``Standards for the NPMS National and State Repositories'' in March 
1999. Copies of the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) operator 
and repository standards are available for viewing and downloading from 
the NPMS Web site at www.npms.rspa.dot.gov/submissions/standards.htm 
and from the Docket Management System's home page at http://dms.dot.gov. from the NPMS National Repository at (703) 317-6205.

ADDRESSES: Paper copies of the NPMS operator and repository standards 
are available from the NPMS National Repository at (703) 317-6205 or 
from the Dockets Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Plaza 
401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001. 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: Steve Fischer, OPS, (202) 366-6267 or 
Richard Huriaux, OPS, (202) 366-4565, regarding the subject matter of 
this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Pipeline Mapping System is a 
voluntary initiative that relies on pipeline operators to submit hard 
copy or digital pipeline data. The NPMS, when complete, will contain 
locational information for all natural gas and hazardous liquid 
transmission pipelines operating in the United States. The Office of 
Pipeline Safety (OPS) created NPMS standards that describe how an 
operator should prepare and submit pipeline data and how the NPMS 
repositories will process and maintain the pipeline data. The 
``Standards for Pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas Operator 
Submissions'' and ``Standards for the NPMS National and State 
Repositories'' were finalized in March 1999.
    The NPMS consists of a National Repository and fifteen state 
repositories, including Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, 
Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma, 
Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The state repositories 
process state pipeline data. The National Repository processes pipeline 
data for states without a state repository and integrates national and 
state data.
    The NPMS will serve as a decision support tool to enable OPS to 
understand the relationship between pipelines and their environments, 
to plan effective pipeline inspection programs, to effectively respond 
to gas and hazardous liquid releases, and to quickly and accurately 
respond to requests for pipeline information. The NPMS will also serve 
as a community education tool that will enable local officials to make 
better planning and emergency response decisions.

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 11, 2001.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 01-17800 Filed 7-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P