[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15988-15989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6067]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

[Docket No. PHMSA-04-19854]


Pipeline Safety: Meetings on Assuring Distribution Pipeline 
Integrity

AGENCY: Office of Pipeline Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) plans to conduct several 
work group meetings in 2005 to evaluate ways to enhance integrity of 
gas distribution pipeline systems. The work groups include 
representatives of OPS, state pipeline safety regulators, the gas 
distribution industry, the Gas Pipeline Technology Committee, the Fire 
Marshal's Association, and the public. The next meeting will be held 
March 29-31, 2005, in Dallas, Texas.

ADDRESSES: The March 29-31 meeting will be held at Hilton Suites Dallas 
North, 13402 Noel Road, Dallas, Texas 75240. The phone number for 
Hilton reservations is (972) 503-8701. The particular meeting rooms 
will be posted by the hotel each day.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Israni, OPS, (202) 366-4571; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OPS has implemented regulations over the 
last five years to address integrity management of hazardous liquid and 
gas transmission pipelines. OPS has now begun an effort to consider 
whether requirements should be imposed to enhance the integrity of gas 
distribution pipeline systems and, if so, how those requirements should 
be structured. OPS is working with a work group consisting of 
representatives of state pipeline safety regulators, the gas 
distribution industry, the Gas Pipeline Technology Committee, the Fire 
Marshal's Association, and the public. Members of this group plan to 
meet periodically in 2005 to evaluate various topics regarding the need 
for and nature of potential distribution integrity management 
requirements.
    Executive represents of the study group met in Dulles, VA on March 
16 and 17, 2005, to begin this effort. That group concluded that 
further investigation of potential approaches to assuring distribution 
integrity is needed. The executive group further concluded that the 
most useful approach is likely to include a combination of a high-
level, risk-based federal regulation with implementation guidance 
included in a consensus standard or a guidance document. States, which 
are principally responsible for regulating distribution system safety, 
could impose additional requirements beyond the federal regulation and 
could adopt all or portions of the guidance. The executive group also 
concluded that a program of public education could be important to 
reducing the frequency of damage caused by excavations near 
distribution pipelines and that research and development should be 
conducted to identify improved means of assessing the integrity of 
distribution pipelines.
    The continued evaluation of the potential need for distribution 
integrity management requirements and/or guidance will begin with 
meetings to be held at Hilton Suites Dallas North, 13402 Noel Road 
Dallas, Texas 75240, on March 29-31, 2005. Meetings on March 29 and 30 
will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and March 31 from 8:30 a.m. 
to 11 a.m. The participants will be formed into four study groups to 
evaluate strategic options, risk control practices, protection against 
outside force damage, and data issues related to understanding 
distribution integrity threats. The agenda for this meeting will 
include:

Joint Meeting

    Introduction & Planned Report to Congress.
    Mission, Action Plan and Options.
    Group Structure & Responsibilities.
    Charge to Sub Groups.
    Steering Committee Decisions and Direction.

[[Page 15989]]

    Industry Views on Plan, Options & Team Responsibilities.

Individual Study Groups

    Each sub group will discuss what it needs to do to accomplish its 
mission. Each will:
     Identify specific tasks that need to be accomplished.
     Identify inputs needed from other sub groups or other 
sources.
     Identify support needs to accomplish needed tasks.
     Develop a draft schedule for accomplishing its mission.
    The sub groups will report their findings in a joint session before 
the meeting is adjourned.
    OPS expects that this effort will involve a series of meetings by 
each sub group, and the Steering Committee. The date and time of future 
meetings will be set to suit the schedules of the participants. OPS 
will announce the time and place of future meetings on the Web site 
(http://ops.dot.gov). OPS will also post on that web site minutes of 
meetings, copies of nonproprietary documents considered during the 
meetings, and work group products.
    Interested persons may attend these meetings as observers. 
Observers will be given an opportunity to provide comments at the end 
of day.

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

Florence L. Hamn,
Director, Office of Regulations, Office of Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 05-6067 Filed 3-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-M