[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 22 (Monday, February 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5338-5340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2449]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration


Pipeline Safety: Required Submission of Data to the National 
Pipeline Mapping System Under the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 
2002

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 natural gas transmission and 
hazardous liquid pipeline systems. The purpose of this bulletin is to 
advise pipeline operators of their responsibilities in complying with 
the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002. Specifically, this 
bulletin indicates the process for making new submissions of geospatial 
and operator contact information, updating previous submissions to the 
National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS), and providing future 
submissions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sam Hall, (202) 493-0591; or by email, 
[email protected]. Steve Fischer, (202) 366-6267; or by email at 
[email protected]. This document can be viewed at the OPS

[[Page 5339]]

home page at http://ops.dot.gov/new.htm. Additional information about 
the NPMS and the ``National Pipeline Mapping System Standards for 
Pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas Operator Submissions'' can be found 
at http://www.npms.rspa.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) is a geographic 
information system (GIS) database that contains the locations and 
selected attributes of hazardous liquid and natural gas transmission 
pipelines, break-out tanks, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities 
operating in onshore and DOT jurisdictional offshore territories of the 
United States. The NPMS was developed as a joint effort between the 
U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Special Programs 
Administration's OPS, other Federal and State agencies, and the 
pipeline industry. The NPMS originally consisted of pipeline and LNG 
facility data voluntarily submitted by pipeline operators. The data 
collected for the NPMS is necessary for regulatory oversight and for 
monitoring the security of the pipelines. Therefore, public access to 
the data is limited.
    The Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-355), 49 
U.S.C. 60132, ``National Pipeline Mapping System,'' enacted on December 
17, 2002, requires the following:
    (a) Information to be Provided--Not later than six months after the 
date of enactment of this section, the operator of a pipeline facility 
(except distribution lines and gathering lines) shall provide to the 
Secretary of Transportation the following information with respect to 
the facility:
    (1) Geospatial data appropriate for use in the National Pipeline 
Mapping System or data in a format that can be readily converted to 
geospatial data.
    (2) The name and address of the person with primary operational 
control to be identified as its operator for purposes of this chapter.
    (3) A means for a member of the public to contact the operator for 
additional information about the pipeline facilities it operates.
    (b) Updates--A person providing information under subsection (a) 
shall provide to the Secretary updates of the information to reflect 
changes in the pipeline facility owned or operated by the person and as 
otherwise required by the Secretary.
    In complying with this statutory requirement, please do the 
following:
    Subsection (a): Information To Be Provided--Submit all pipeline 
data and contact information in accordance with the guidelines set 
forth in the NPMS operator standards document entitled ``National 
Pipeline Mapping System Standards for Pipeline and Liquefied Natural 
Gas Operator Submissions'' dated 2003. A complete data submission 
includes the geospatial data, attribute data, and metadata for all 
liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hazardous liquid and natural gas 
transmission pipeline systems operated by a company. The standards 
document is available for download from the NPMS website at http://www.npms.rspa.dot.gov/submissions/standards.htm.
    Subsection (a)(1): If a complete data submission was made to the 
NPMS prior to December 17, 2001, and any pipeline system modifications 
have occurred since the last submission, submit complete data to the 
NPMS by June 17, 2003. If a complete data submission was made to the 
NPMS prior to December 17, 2001, and no pipeline system modifications 
have occurred, send an email to [email protected] stating that fact. 
If a complete data submission was made to the NPMS on or after December 
17, 2001, and if pipeline system modifications representing more than 
5% of the total system mileage to be submitted to the NPMS have 
occurred, submit new complete data by June 17, 2003. If changes to the 
data submitted on or after December 17, 2001, affect less than 5% of 
the total system mileage submitted to the NPMS, submit an email to 
[email protected] stating that fact by June 17, 2003. If only a 
partial data submission was made to the NPMS, before or after December 
17, 2001, submit complete data to the NPMS by June 17, 2003. For LNG 
facilities, if any modifications to previously submitted data have 
occurred, submit new complete data by June 17, 2003. System 
modifications include pipelines or LNG facilities added or removed from 
a pipeline system and changes to any of the NPMS attributes (e.g., 
operator name, system name, commodity, status, etc.).
    Pipeline operators may submit updated data in one of two ways 
depending on the format of their submission. For digital data, submit 
replacement data for an entire system. It is easier for pipeline 
operators submitting digital data to submit the entire pipeline system 
rather than making a partial update submission. In this case, all data 
that was previously submitted under the same operator ID will be 
updated with the new submission. For paper maps, submit replacement 
maps for those portions of a pipeline system that have changed. This 
option is available only for those pipeline operators who have to 
submit hard-copy maps.
    Subsection (a)(2): Regardless of prior complete or partial data 
submissions to the NPMS, provide pipeline operator contact information 
for the pipelines submitted to the NPMS. The pipeline operator should 
identify and submit to the NPMS, contact information that the Office of 
Pipeline Safety will make available to the public for its' use in 
contacting the operator. The format and procedures for submitting this 
contact information is available on the NPMS website and in the NPMS 
operator standards document.
    Subsection (a)(3): OPS is developing an Internet-based tool that 
will allow the public to identify pipeline operators within a specific 
geographic area. The information provided to the NPMS under subsection 
(a)(2) will allow the public to contact pipeline operators with 
questions regarding their pipelines. The Internet-based tool will 
display a list of operator contacts, within the geographic area 
specified by the user, but will not render a map of the pipelines.
    Subsection (b): Updates--Once a submission is made to comply with 
the June 17, 2003, statutory deadline, operators are required to make 
update submissions every twelve (12) months if any system modifications 
have occurred. If no modifications have occurred since the last 
complete submission (including operator contact information), send an 
email to [email protected] stating that fact. Include operator 
contact information with all updates. Pipeline operators may update 
previous NPMS submissions in one of two ways. For digital data, submit 
replacement data for an entire system. For paper maps, submit 
replacement maps for those portions of pipeline systems that have 
changed. This option is available only for those pipeline operators who 
have to submit paper maps.

II. Advisory Bulletin (ADB-03-02)

    To: Owners and Operators of Natural Gas Transmission and Hazardous 
Liquid Pipeline Systems.
    Subject: Required Submission of Data to the National Pipeline 
Mapping System Under the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002.
    Purpose: To advise pipeline operators of their responsibilities in 
complying with the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002. This 
bulletin describes the process for making new submissions of geospatial 
and operator contact information and updating previous

[[Page 5340]]

submissions to the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS).
    Advisory: Subsection (a): Submit geospatial and contact information 
in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the NPMS standards 
document entitled ``National Pipeline Mapping System Standards for 
Pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas Operator Submissions' dated 2003. 
The operators standards document is available for download from the 
NPMS website at http://www.npms.rspa.dot.gov/submissions/standards.htm.
    Subsection (a)(1): If a complete data submission was made to the 
NPMS prior to December 17, 2001, and any pipeline system modifications 
have occurred since the last submission, submit complete data to the 
NPMS by June 17, 2003. If a complete data submission was made to the 
NPMS prior to December 17, 2001, and no pipeline system modifications 
have occurred, send an email to [email protected] stating that fact. 
If a complete data submission was made to the NPMS on or after December 
17, 2001, and if pipeline system modifications representing more than 
5% of the total system mileage to be submitted to the NPMS have 
occurred, submit new complete data by June 17, 2003. If changes to the 
data submitted on or after December 17, 2001, affect less than 5% of 
the total system mileage submitted to the NPMS, submit an email to 
[email protected] stating that fact by June 17, 2003. If only a 
partial data submission was made to the NPMS, before or after December 
17, 2001, submit complete data to the NPMS by June 17, 2003. For LNG 
facilities, if any modifications since the last submission have 
occurred, submit new complete data by June 17, 2003.
    Subsection (a)(2): Regardless of prior geospatial submissions to 
the NPMS, submit contact information for the pipelines represented in 
geospatial data submitted to the NPMS. The format for submitting this 
contact information is available in the NPMS operator standards 
document. This contact information will be in the public domain.
    Subsection (a)(3): OPS is developing an Internet-based tool that 
will allow the public to identify pipeline operators within a specific 
geographic area. The information provided to the NPMS under subsection 
(a)(2) will allow the public to contact pipeline operators with 
questions regarding their pipelines. The Internet-based tool will 
display a list of operator contacts, within the geographic area 
specified by the user, but will not render a map of the pipelines.
    Subsection (b): Once a submission is made to comply with the June 
17, 2003, statutory deadline, operators are required to make update 
submissions every 12 months if any system modifications have occurred. 
If no modifications have occurred since the last complete submission 
(including operator contact information), send an email to 
[email protected] stating that fact. Include operator contact 
information with all updates.

    Issued in Washington, DC on January 24, 2003.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 03-2449 Filed 1-31-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P