[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 1 (Thursday, January 2, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 155-156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-33109]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA)

[Docket No. RSPA-02-14079; Notice 1]


Pipeline Safety: Pipeline Communications (Natural Gas and 
Hazardous Liquid Pipelines)

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: RSPA/OPS invites the public to a meeting on pipeline 
communications, including current RSPA initiatives, the development of 
American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 1162, integrity 
management communications, and pipeline performance metrics. This 
meeting is a continuation of a meeting held on February 12-14, 2001, to 
discuss pipeline integrity management and integrity management 
communications.

DATES: The public meeting will be on January 29, 2003, from 9 a.m. to 7 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: Bellevue Community College, Carlson Theater, 3000 Landerholm 
Circle SE, Bellevue WA 98007-6484, (425) 564-2376. Driving directions 
and a map of the college can be found on Bellevue Community College's 
Web site: http://www.bcc.ctc.edu. To ensure sufficient seating, persons 
wishing to attend are encouraged to register for the meeting through 
the following Internet Web site: http://primis.rspa.dot.gov/meetings. 
The public will have an opportunity to make short statements on the 
topics under discussion. Members of the public who are unable to attend 
in person can view the meeting over the Internet and submit questions 
through the RSPA/OPS Web site: http://ops.dot.gov. In addition, a 
transcript will be available approximately 30 days after the meeting.
    Persons wishing to submit comments relating to the public meeting 
may do so 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 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except on Federal holidays. You should submit the 
original and one copy. Anyone who wants confirmation of receipt of 
their comments must include a stamped, self-addressed postcard. You may 
also submit comments to the docket electronically. To do so, log on to 
the Internet Web address http://dms.dot.gov and click on ``Help'' for 
instructions on electronic filing of comments. All written comments 
should identify the docket number RSPA-02-14079; Notice 1.
    Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities: For 
information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities 
or to request special assistance during the telephone conference calls, 
contact Christina Sames (tel: 202-366-4561; E-mail: 
[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Sames (tel: 202-366-4561; E-
mail: [email protected]). You can read comments and other 
material in the docket on the Internet at: http://dms.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    RSPA/OPS's communication initiatives are intended to improve safety 
and environmental protection and to provide better assurance to the 
public about the safety of pipelines.
    On February 14, 2001, RSPA/OPS held a public meeting to discuss 
pipeline integrity management and integrity management communications. 
Meeting attendees provided input on how State and local officials and 
the public could use and benefit from risk assessment information, how 
the consequences of potential pipeline failures should be 
characterized, how risk control actions should be described, and what 
operational information would be meaningful.
    Additional information on that workshop can be found in the Dockets 
Facility at the Internet Web Site listed above and under Docket RSPA-
00-7408.
    Since the February 2001 meeting, RSPA/OPS has been exploring 
communication requirements for all pipeline operators to share 
information with community and State officials and the public about 
risks from pipelines, how pipeline risks can be managed and controlled, 
and how we know the pipelines are being operated safely. RSPA/OPS has 
also begun several initiatives to provide the public and local 
officials with pipeline educational material, training material for 
emergency officials responding to a pipeline accident, public outreach 
on damage prevention, and community assistance and technical service 
inspectors to assist communities with current and upcoming integrity 
management regulations.
    The January 29, 2003, public meeting will be divided into three 
sessions. Each session will include presentations by RSPA/OPS, a panel 
discussion on that session's topic, and an open question and answer 
period. Panelists will include representatives from various 
communities, environmental organizations, first responders, city/county 
government, state government, and pipeline companies.
    Session 1 will address the need for communications in regard to the 
integrity management programs. The panelists will provide their 
viewpoints on what information should be exchanged between pipeline 
operators and community officials and how this information should be 
provided. This session will include a discussion of a new RSPA/OPS 
program to provide community assistance and technical services to State 
and local officials, to assist with community damage

[[Page 156]]

prevention efforts, and to address questions about the safety of 
pipelines, research and development, and other program activities.
    Session 2 will address pipeline performance metrics and will 
include a discussion on performance tracking and monitoring 
initiatives, RSPA/OPS data initiatives, and concepts in performance 
metrics on both a per company and industry aggregate basis. Panelists 
will discuss indicators that would be useful to judge the safety and 
reliability of a specific operator's program and the pipeline industry 
as a whole.
    Session 3 will focus on adequacy of an initiative to develop a 
national consensus standard for pipeline operators to use in developing 
public awareness programs. This standard has been developed by the oil 
and gas industry and observed by OPS and NAPSR. This consensus 
standard, American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 1162 (``RP 
1162''), and additional information on the project can be viewed on the 
following Internet Web Site: http://www.api.org/pipelinepublicawareness. RSPA/OPS is particularly interested in hearing 
the public's views on the completeness of RP 1162's sections on the 
information provided to local officials and on effectiveness measures. 
The session will also address additional RSPA/OPS communication 
initiatives, the development of RSPA/OPS online source of information 
about pipelines (``Pipeline 101''), the National Pipeline Mapping 
System, a collaborative project with the National Association of State 
Fire Marshals to develop a first responder training program, and a 
project with the National Academy of Science/Transportation Research 
Board on the study of measures to prevent encroachment on pipelines.
    All presentations and a meeting transcript will be available 
subsequent to the meeting in the docket at http://dms.dot.gov as well 
as at http://primis.rspa.dot.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 27, 2002.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 02-33109 Filed 12-31-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P