[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 203 (Thursday, October 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61902-61903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23588]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. RSPA-98-4470]


Pipeline Safety: Meetings of the Pipeline Safety Advisory 
Committees

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

ACTION: Notice; Meetings of the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards 
Committee and the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards 
Committee.

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SUMMARY: Meetings of the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee 
(TPSSC) and the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards 
Committee (THLPSSC) will be held on December 14 and 15, 2004, at the 
Marriott Washington, 1221 22nd Street, NW., Washington, DC. The Office 
of Pipeline Safety (OPS) will provide briefings on pending rulemakings 
and regulatory initiatives. The advisory committees will discuss and 
vote on proposed rulemakings.

ADDRESSES: Members of the public may attend the meetings at the 
Marriott Washington, 1221 22nd Street, NW., Washington, DC. The phone 
number for Marriott reservations is 1-800-228-9290. Reservations by 
attendees must be received on or before November 22. Priority is given 
to advisory committee members and State pipeline safety representatives 
for a limited block of rooms. Any additional information or changes 
will be posted on the OPS Web page approximately 15 days before the 
meeting date at http://ops.dot.gov.
    An opportunity will be provided for the public to make short 
statements on the topics under discussion. Anyone wishing to make an 
oral statement should notify Jean Milam, (202) 493-0967, not later than 
November 16, 2004, on the topic of the statement and the length of the 
presentation. The presiding officer at each meeting may deny any 
request to present an oral statement and may limit the time of any 
presentation.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Jean Milam at (202) 493-0967.
    Comments: You may submit written comments on the subject matter of 
the advisory committee meetings by mail or deliver to the Dockets 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You also may 
submit written comments to the docket electronically. To do so, log 
onto the following Internet Web address: http://dms.dot.gov. Click on 
``Help & Information'' for instructions on how to file a document 
electronically. All written comments should reference docket number 
RSPA-98-4470. Anyone who would like confirmation of mailed comments 
must include a self-addressed stamped postcard.
    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: Cheryl Whetsel, OPS, (202) 366-4431 or 
Richard Huriaux, OPS, (202) 366-4565, regarding the subject matter of 
this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The TPSSC and THLPSSC are statutorily 
mandated advisory committees that advise OPS on proposed safety 
standards for gas and hazardous liquid pipelines. These advisory 
committees are constituted in accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C. app. 1). The 
committees consist of 15 members--five each representing government, 
industry, and the public. The TPSSC and THLPSSC are tasked with 
determining reasonableness, cost-effectiveness, and practicability of 
proposed pipeline regulations.
    Federal law requires that OPS submit cost-benefit analyses and risk

[[Page 61903]]

assessment information on each proposed safety standard to the advisory 
committees. The TPSSC and/or THLPSSC evaluate the merits of the data 
and the methods used in these analyses and, when appropriate, provide 
recommendations on the adequacy of the cost-benefit analyses.
    In addition to the advisory committee meetings, OPS will soon 
publish a separate notice to announce four public meetings to be held 
during the week of December 13-17, 2004. These public meetings will 
include sessions on gas distribution system integrity management, the 
pipeline operator drug and alcohol program, updates to the operator 
personnel qualification program, and pipeline safety communications. 
These public meetings are being scheduled during the same week as the 
advisory committee meetings to afford members of the advisory 
committees, state pipeline safety representatives, and the general 
public the maximum opportunity to attend both the advisory committee 
meetings and the issue-specific public meetings.

Preliminary Meeting Schedule

    On Tuesday, December 14, 2004, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. e.s.t., a 
meeting of the THLPSSC will be held. The agenda includes briefings on 
the following:
    1. American Petroleum Institute (API) Petition--Changes to Liquid 
Integrity Management Program (IMP).
    2. Response Plans for Onshore Oil Pipelines.
    3. Direct Assessment for Hazardous Liquid Pipelines (scheduled for 
VOTE).
    On Wednesday, December 15, 2004, from 8:30 p.m. to 12 p.m. e.s.t., 
the THLPSSC and the TPSSC will meet in joint session. OPS will provide 
the committees with briefings on the following:
    1. Common Ground Alliance.
    2. Community and Technical Assistance State Damage Prevention 
Assessment Briefing.
    3. Pipeline Industry Implementation of Public Awareness Programs 
(scheduled for VOTE).
    4. Annual Update of Standards Incorporated by Reference (scheduled 
for VOTE).
    5. Transportation Research Board Report.
    6. Passage of Internal Inspection Devices.
    On Wednesday, December 15, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. e.s.t., a meeting 
of the TPSSC will be held. The following topics will be discussed:
    1. Gas Gathering Line Definition.
    2. Direct Assessment for Gas Pipelines.
    3. Protocols for Gas Integrity Management Program.
    4. Technical Studies by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and 
Department of Energy.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 60102, 60115.

    Issued in Washington, DC on October 18, 2004.
Richard D. Huriaux,
Director, Technical Standards, Office of Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 04-23588 Filed 10-20-04; 8:45 am]
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