[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 5, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 10040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4481]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket: RSPA-98-4957]


Request for Public Comments and Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) Approval of an Existing Information Collection

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration, Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice seeks comments from the public regarding the need 
for RSPA to collect paperwork information from state agencies that 
maintain programs to regulate pipelines. The purpose of the paperwork 
requested from the state agencies is to ensure that these states are 
properly monitoring the operations of pipeline operators in their 
states, and to determine Federal grant amounts for these states. This 
notice is published (pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995) 
to measure the need for the paperwork collection from these state 
agencies, ways to minimize the burden on states that must respond, ways 
to enhance the quality of information collected, and to verify the 
accuracy of the RSPA's estimate of the burden (measured in work hours) 
on states. The RSPA published a notice on October 12, 2001 requesting 
public comment. No comments were received. This notice also seeks 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget to renew the existing 
approval of this paperwork collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 4, 2002 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments should identify the docket number of this notice, 
RSPA-98-4957. Comments can be mailed directly to Office of Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 726 Jackson Place, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503, ATTN: Desk Officer for DOT.
    Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the 
burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of information, 
including any of the following subjects: (1) The necessity and utility 
of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of 
the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology to minimize the information 
collection burden.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marvin Fell, Office of Pipeline 
Safety, RSPA, DOT, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590 (202) 
366-6205 or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Chapter 601, Title 49, United States Code 
(49 U.S.C.) authorizes DOT to regulate pipeline transportation. While 
DOT is primarily responsible for developing, issuing, and enforcing 
minimum pipeline safety regulations, Chapter 601, 49 U.S.C., provides 
for state assumption of all or part of the regulatory and enforcement 
responsibility for intrastate pipelines.
    Section 60105 of 49 U.S.C. set forth specific requirements a state 
must meet to qualify for certification status to assume regulatory and 
enforcement responsibility for intrastate pipelines, i.e., state 
adoption of minimum federal safety standards, state inspection of 
pipeline operators to determine compliance with the standards, and 
state provision for enforcement sanctions substantially the same as 
those authorized by Chapter 601, 49 U.S.C. A participating state must 
annually submit a section 60105(a) Gas Pipeline Safety Program 
Certification and/or a Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Program 
Certification to the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) signifying 
compliance with the terms of the certification.
    As used in this notice, `information collection' and `paperwork 
collection' are synonymous, and include all work related to preparing 
and disseminating information related to this recordkeeping requirement 
including completing paperwork, gathering information and conducting 
telephone calls.
    Type of Information Collection Request: Renewal of Existing 
Collection.
    Title of Information Collection: Certification and Agreement Forms 
for the Gas and Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Program.
    OMB Approval Number: 2137-0584.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Use: This collection is used by RSPA to ensure that State agencies 
attesting they have regulatory jurisdiction over pipeline safety have 
adopted and are complying with minimum Federal safety standards. This 
information is used to calculate grants to States.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 61.
    Respondents: State Agencies.
    Total Annual Hours Requested: 3,649.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 20, 2002.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 02-4481 Filed 3-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P