[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 3092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1322]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration


Pipeline Safety: Updates of Digital Mapping Data for Hazardous 
Liquid Pipeline High Consequence Areas (HCA)

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of advisory bulletin.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is issuing this advisory 
bulletin to owners and operators of hazardous liquid pipeline systems. 
OPS has updated and revised the High Consequence Area (HCA) digital 
mapping datasets based on revised U.S. Government data. The datasets 
are now available for download for ``High Population Areas,'' ``Other 
Populated Areas,'' and ``Commercially Navigable Waterways.'' Operators 
have one year from the date of this bulletin to incorporate these new 
high consequence areas into their baseline integrity management 
assessment plans. The digital mapping datasets for Ecological and 
Drinking Water Unusually Sensitive Areas (USA) are not being updated at 
this time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sam Hall, (202) 493-0591; or by e-
mail, [email protected]. Steve Fischer, (202) 366-6267; or by e-
mail, [email protected]. This document can be viewed at the 
OPS home page at http://ops.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Federal hazardous liquid pipeline safety regulations at 49 CFR 
195.452 require hazardous liquid pipeline operators to assess, 
evaluate, remediate and validate, through comprehensive analysis, the 
integrity of hazardous liquid pipeline segments that, in the event of a 
leak or failure, could affect populated areas, areas unusually 
sensitive to environmental damage and commercially navigable waterways. 
OPS has identified these High Consequence Areas in its National 
Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS).
    Updated digital mapping data to delineate high consequence areas 
for use in geographic information systems is now available for high 
population areas, other populated areas, and commercially navigable 
waterways. Population information updates are based on data from the 
U.S. Census Bureau's TIGER 2000 datasets. Updates for commercially 
navigable waterways are based on the 2002 version of the National 
Waterways Network as provided by the Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics. All updated data is available for download from the NPMS 
Web site at http://www.npms.rspa.dot.gov.
    Operators have one year from the date of this bulletin to 
incorporate these new High Consequence Areas into their baseline 
integrity management assessment plans as required by 49 CFR 195.412. 
The digital mapping datasets for Ecological and Drinking Water 
Unusually Sensitive Areas (USA) are not being updated at this time.

II. Advisory Bulletin (ADB-03-01)

    To: Owners and Operators of Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Systems.
    Subject: Updates of Digital Mapping Data for Hazardous Liquid 
Pipeline High Consequence Areas (HCA).
    Purpose: To advise owners and operators of hazardous liquid 
pipeline systems of the availability of updated and revised High 
Consequence Area digital mapping data for high population areas, other 
populated areas, and commercially navigable waterways.
    Advisory: Updated digital mapping data for high population areas, 
other populated areas, and commercially navigable waterways are now 
available to owners and operators of hazardous liquid pipeline systems. 
The updated data is available for download from the NPMS Web site at 
http://www.npms.rspa.dot.gov. Operators have one year from the date of 
this bulletin to incorporate these new High Consequence Areas into 
their baseline integrity management assessment plans as required by 49 
CFR 195.412. The digital mapping datasets for Ecological and Drinking 
Water Unusually Sensitive Areas (USA) are not being updated at this 
time.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 13, 2003.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 03-1322 Filed 1-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P