[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 69 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 17722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8815]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. RSPA-03-14448: Notice 3]


Pipeline Safety: Qualification of Pipeline Personnel

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA) 
Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) will conduct a public meeting to 
discuss progress in implementing the operator qualification (OQ) rule 
for gas and hazardous liquid pipelines. OPS will continue to develop 
the protocols and supplementary guidance materials, and provide 
continued opportunities for public comment. A record of previous public 
meetings on Qualification of Pipeline Personnel that were held in San 
Antonio, TX; Houston, TX; and Phoenix, AZ, are available in this docket 
(RSPA-03-14448).

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 23, 2003, 
beginning at 8:30 a.m., ending at 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Double Tree Hotel 
Atlanta-Buckhead, 3342 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30326 (telephone: 
404/231-1234, fax: 404/231-5236, Web: http://www.doubletreebuckhead.com. The deadline for making a hotel reservation 
is April 11, 2003, (refer to the U.S Department of Transportation (DOT) 
(Operation Qualification Group block for government rates).
    This meeting is free and open to the public. You may register 
electronically for this meeting at: http://primis.rspa.dot.gov/meetings. The program will continue to address the 13 issues generated 
by the first public meeting held in January 2003, and will be open for 
technical input. Discussion will include protocols and explanation of 
changes, supplementary guidance, definitions of terms, and development 
of a national consensus standard. Persons wishing to make a 
presentation or statement at the meeting should notify Janice Morgan, 
(202) 366-2392, no later than April 14, 2003.
    Although we encourage persons wishing to comment on operator 
qualification and inspection protocols to participate in the public 
meeting, written comments will be accepted. You may submit written 
comments on operator qualification and inspection issues by mail or 
delivery to the Dockets Facility, DOT, 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 at http://dms.dot.gov and 
select ``Help'' for instructions on electronic filing of comments. All 
written comments should identify the Docket Number RSPA-03-14448; 
Notice 3.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comments (or signing the comments, if submitted on 
behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review 
DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published 
on April 11, 2000 (volume 65, number 70; pages 9477-78), or you may 
visit http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may contact Richard Sanders at 
(405) 954-7214 or (405) 954-7219, regarding the agenda of this public 
meeting. General information about OPS programs may be obtained by 
accessing OPS's Internet home page at http://ops.dot.gov.
    Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities: For 
information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities 
or to request special assistance, contact Janice Morgan at (202) 366-
2392.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The operator qualification rule at 49 CFR 
192.801 (for gas pipelines) and at 49 CFR 195.501 (for hazardous liquid 
pipelines) requires every pipeline operator to have and follow a 
written qualification program that includes provisions to identify 
covered tasks and to ensure that all persons performing these tasks are 
qualified. By October 28, 2002, all gas and hazardous liquid pipeline 
operators should have completed the qualification of all individuals 
performing covered tasks on pipeline facilities.
    On April 23, 2003, OPS will conduct a public meeting to continue 
discussions on the progress in implementing the operator qualification 
rule for gas and hazardous liquid pipelines. The meeting will focus on 
development of the 13 OQ issues identified at previous public meetings 
on February 25, 2003, in Houston, TX, and March 25, 2003, in Mesa, AZ, 
and are as follows:
    1. Scope of Operator Qualification.
    2. Evaluation of Knowledge, Skills, and Physical Ability.
    3. Re-evaluation Intervals.
    4. Maintenance versus New Construction.
    5. Treatment of Emergency Response.
    6. Additional Covered Tasks.
    7. Extent of Documentation.
    8. Abnormal Operating Conditions.
    9. Treatment of Training.
    10. Criteria for Small Operators.
    11. Direction of Observation of Non-qualified People.
    12. Noteworthy Practices.
    13. Persons Contributing to an Incident or Accident.
    All persons attending the meeting will have an opportunity to 
comment on operator qualification compliance issues and to question the 
expert panel on the new operator qualification compliance protocols.


    Issued in Washington, DC on April 7, 2003.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 03-8815 Filed 4-9-03; 8:45 am]
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