[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 204 (Monday, October 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 61504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21140]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket: RSPA-98-4957]


Request for Public Comments and Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) Approval of an Existing Information Collection (2137-0601)

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

SUMMARY: This notice requests public participation in the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval process for the renewal of an 
existing PHMSA information collection. In compliance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) described below has been forwarded to OMB for 
extension of the currently approved collection. The ICR describes the 
nature of the information collection and the expected burden. PHMSA 
published a Federal Register Notice soliciting comments on the 
following information collection and received none. The purpose of this 
notice is to allow the public an additional 30 days from the date of 
this notice to submit comments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 23, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Fuentevilla, (202) 366-6199, 
by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed information collections; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques of 
other forms of information technology. PHMSA published a Federal 
Register Notice with a 60-day comment period for this ICR on August 11, 
2005 (70 FR 46915).
    Underwater pipelines are being abandoned at an increasing rate as 
older facilities reach the end of their useful life. This trend is 
expected to continue. In 1992, Congress responded to this issue by 
amending the Pipeline Safety Act (49 U.S.C. 60108(c)(6)(B)). The Act 
directs the Secretary of Transportation to require operators of an 
offshore pipeline facility, or a pipeline crossing navigable waters, to 
report the abandonment to the Secretary of Transportation in a way that 
specifies whether the facility has been abandoned properly according to 
applicable Federal and State requirements. PHMSA's regulations for 
abandonment reporting can be found at 49 CFR 192.727 and 195.402.
    This information collection supports the DOT strategic goal of 
safety by reducing the number of fatalities, injuries, and amount of 
property damage.
    As used in this notice, ``information collection'' includes all 
work related to preparing and disseminating information related to this 
recordkeeping requirement including completing paperwork, gathering 
information and conducting telephone calls.
    Type of Information Collection Request: Renewal of Existing 
Collection.
    Title of Information Collection: Pipeline Safety Reports of 
Abandoned Underwater Pipelines
    Respondents: Gas and hazardous liquid pipeline operators.
    Estimated Number of Respondents per Year: 10.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 60 hours.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 18, 2005.
Florence L. Hamn,
Director of Regulations, Office of Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 05-21140 Filed 10-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P