[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30020-30021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7955]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-06-24044; Notice 2]


Pipeline Safety: Grant of Waiver; Dominion Transmission, Inc.

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

ACTION: Grant of Waiver; Dominion Transmission, Inc.

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SUMMARY: Dominion Transmission, Inc. (DTI) requested a waiver of 
compliance from requirements for pipelines constructed after March 31, 
2000. This waiver will allow DTI to use the most recent, 2006 National 
Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) 59A, ``Standard for Production, 
Storage, and Handling of Liquefied Natural Gas'' and comply with 
PHMSA's liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility safety regulations.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    DTI requested a waiver from compliance of the regulatory 
requirements at 49 CFR 193.2301. This regulation requires each LNG 
facility constructed after March 31, 2000, to comply with 49 CFR part 
193 and standard 59A (NFPA 59A). NFPA 59A requires that welded 
containers designed for not more than 15 pounds per square inch gauge 
comply with the 1990 Eighth Edition, of the American Petroleum 
Institute standard 620 (API 620), ``Design and Construction of Large, 
Welded, Low-Pressure Storage Tanks (Appendix Q).'' API 620 requires 
that examinations be performed using radiography to detect the type of 
flaws most susceptible in the design and construction of large welded 
low-pressure storage tanks.
    DTI is proposing to use the 2006 Tenth Edition, Addendum 1, of API 
620, instead of the currently used, 1990 Eighth Edition. This will 
allow ultrasonic examination as well as radiography as an acceptable 
alternative non-destructive testing method. The ultrasonic examination 
consists of full semi-automated and manual examination using shear wave 
probes, and volumetric examination using a combination of creep wave 
probes and focused angled longitudinal wave probes.

Findings

    PHMSA considered DTI's waiver request and published a notice 
inviting interested persons to comment on whether a waiver should be 
granted (71 FR 13895; March 17, 2006). PHMSA received one comment in 
support of the waiver from the American Gas Association (AGA). AGA 
supports DTI's request for a waiver from 49 CFR 193.2301 and is 
confident that the 2006 Tenth Edition of API 620 will not reduce the 
integrity of the installation of large welded low-pressure storage 
tanks at LNG facilities.

Grant of Waiver

    In its May 2005, Report on Comments, the NFPA 59A Committee 
``accepted in principle'' the latest edition of API 620, Tenth Edition, 
Addendum 1. The Tenth Edition, Addendum 1, of API 620 adds ultrasonic 
examination as an acceptable method of examination. The proposed 
wording of the Tenth Edition, Addendum 1, of API 620 deletes 
``radiographic'' inspection and replaces it with ``complete'' 
examination. In the Tenth Edition of API 620, ``complete'' examination 
is defined as radiographic or ultrasonic examination.
    For the reasons explained above and in the Notice of March 17, 
2006,

[[Page 30021]]

PHMSA finds that the requested waiver is not inconsistent with pipeline 
safety and that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved. 
Therefore, DTI's request for waiver of compliance with Sec.  193.2301 
is granted for its LNG facility in Lusby, MD.

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

    Issued in Washington, DC on May 18, 2006.
Theodore L. Willke,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
 [FR Doc. E6-7955 Filed 5-23-06; 8:45 am]
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