[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 6 (Friday, January 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1614-1615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-391]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. RSPA-03-16841; Notice 1]


Pipeline Safety: Petition for Waiver; Columbia Gas Transmission 
Company

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to consider petition for waiver for extension 
of time.

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SUMMARY: The Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA) 
Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is considering Columbia Gas 
Transmission Company (Columbia) petition for a 12-month extension of 
time to comply with the provisions of 49 CFR 192.611(d), which require 
pipeline operators to confirm or revise the maximum allowable operating 
pressure (MAOP) within 18-months after a class location change.

DATES: Persons interested in submitting written comments on the waiver 
proposed in this notice must do so by February 9, 2004. Late-filed 
comments will be considered so far as practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by mailing or delivering an 
original and two copies 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 when the facility is closed. 
Alternatively, you may submit written comments to the docket 
electronically at the following Web address: http://dms.dot.gov.
    All written comments should identify the docket and notice numbers 
stated in the heading of this notice. Anyone who wants confirmation of 
mailed comments must include a self-addressed stamped postcard. To file 
written comments electronically, after logging on to http://dms.dot.gov, click on ``Comment/Submissions.'' You can also read 
comments and other material in the docket at http://dms.dot.gov. 
General information about our pipeline safety program is available at 
http://ops.dot.gov.
    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 comment (or signing the comment, 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 19477-78) or you may visit 
http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Reynolds by phone at 202-366-
2786, by fax at 202-366-4566, by mail at DOT, RSPA, OPS, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC, 20590, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Columbia petitioned RSPA/OPS for a waiver from compliance with 49 
CFR 192.611(d) for two segments of its natural gas transmission 
pipeline. Columbia is asking for an additional 12-months beyond the 18-
months allowed by Sec.  192.611(d) to continue to operate their Line MC 
pipeline at its current MAOP.
    Section Sec.  192.611(d) requires an operator to complete a class 
location change study whenever it believes an increase in population 
density may have caused a change in class location as defined in Sec.  
192.5. The operator must complete a study and confirm or revise its 
maximum authorized operating pressure within 18-months of the class 
location change. The operator is required to either reduce pressure or 
replace the pipe with thicker-walled pipe to lower pipe wall stress to

[[Page 1615]]

acceptable percentages of specified minimum yield strength (SMYS).
    In January 2002, Columbia confirmed that a section of its Line MC 
pipeline had changed from a Class 2 to a Class 3 location. To maintain 
the current MAOP of 899 psig, Columbia elected to replace 9,500 feet of 
this pipeline with new, heavier wall pipe. Two segments of the 
replacement project, totaling approximately 1,700 feet, involve stream 
crossings or wetland areas. The two segments are 1,506 feet and 200 
feet in length, respectively. Columbia must receive joint Maryland/
Federal environmental permits prior to replacing these two segments of 
pipe.
    Columbia anticipated that 7,800 feet of its replacement project 
would be complete by October 31, 2003. However, due to unforeseen 
delays in obtaining permits for pipe replacement in the stream 
crossings and wetland areas, Columbia was unable to complete the 
replacement of the remaining 1,700 feet of pipe prior to expiration of 
the 18-month period allowed by Sec.  192.611(d).
    Because Line MC must be in service at its MAOP to maintain gas 
supplies to downstream customers, Columbia plans to discontinue its 
pipeline replacement project at the start of the winter heating season. 
Columbia proposes to resume the replacement project in May 2004 and 
expects all 9,500 feet of its Line MC to be replaced not later than 
July 1, 2004. For this reason, Columbia requests a time extension to 
July 1, 2004 to comply with Sec.  192.611(d).
    As justification for the waiver, Columbia has submitted the 
following information on the integrity of its 30-inch Line MC pipeline:
    [sbull] In 1999 Columbia internally inspected its 30-inch pipeline 
using both geometry and high resolution magnetic flux leakage tools; no 
anomalies or dents were identified on the two streams and wetland 
crossing segments on Columbia's Line MC.
    [sbull] Cathodic protection test stations on these two segments of 
Line MC are above the minimum criteria.
    [sbull] There have been no leaks on these two segments of Line MC.
    [sbull] The existing pipe and coating on these two segments appear 
to be in satisfactory condition.
    [sbull] The existing pipe was manufactured using the double 
submerged arc welding process.
    [sbull] The existing pipeline was pressure tested twice; in1962 
during construction and again in 1974. The pipeline was tested above 
100% SMYS during both hydrostatic tests.

    Authority: 49 App. U.S.C. 60118(c) and 2015; and 49 CFR 1.53.

    Issued in Washington, DC on January 5, 2004.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 04-391 Filed 1-8-04; 8:45 am]
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