[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 116 (Friday, June 16, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34998-35000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-9400]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration


Pipeline Safety: Submission of Public Awareness Programs

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

ACTION: Notice; Issuance of Advisory Bulletin.

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SUMMARY: This document tells certain pipeline operators how to submit 
their written public awareness programs for review. Regulations issued 
in 2005 provide details about the content of the programs and establish 
completion dates. The 2002 amendment to the pipeline safety law 
requires pipeline operators to submit these programs for review and 
PHMSA has a clearinghouse approach for reviewing interstate and many 
intrastate operators. This document ensures operators know where and 
when to submit their programs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Blaine Keener by phone at (202) 366-
0970, or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 amended 49 U.S.C. 60116 
to require pipeline operators to evaluate and update their existing 
public education programs and to submit the updated programs to PHMSA 
or the State pipeline safety agency that regulates the intrastate 
pipelines in the State. PHMSA issued a final rule on May 19, 2005 (70 
FR 28833) delineating what the updated programs, now called public 
awareness programs, must contain. You can find the final rule in the 
pipeline safety code at 49 CFR 192.616 and 49 CFR 195.440. The final 
rule requires most operators to develop public awareness programs by 
June 20, 2006 and to submit the programs for review upon request. There 
is an extended compliance time for certain very small petroleum gas and 
master meter operators. An operator distributing petroleum gas to fewer 
than 25 customers or distributing gas through a master meter to fewer 
than 25 customers has until June 20, 2007 to prepare a program. In 
addition, PHMSA is reconsidering the public awareness requirements 
applicable to all master meter operators and operators distributing 
petroleum gas by pipeline as a secondary business. We intend to 
initiate rulemaking in the near future to extend the date for 
compliance and provide alternative public awareness programs for these 
master meter and petroleum gas operators.
    This advisory bulletin provides guidance to operators of pipelines 
(other than operators distributing gas through master meters or 
distributing petroleum gas by pipeline as an incidental part of 
business) about submitting public awareness programs for initial 
review.
    PHMSA has decided to have a team review written public awareness 
programs of interstate operators centrally instead of through the 
pipeline safety inspection staff located in its five regions. PHMSA has 
offered, and most State agencies have elected, to have this team review 
public awareness programs of intrastate operators. The work of the 
Public Awareness Program Clearinghouse review team is guided by review 
criteria developed by pipeline safety staff from PHMSA and State 
pipeline safety agencies. The review team will compare programs with 
American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 1162 (RP 1162), on 
which the public awareness regulation is based. If the review team 
finds deviation from the baseline elements, the review team will refer 
the issue to the applicable PHMSA regional office or State pipeline 
safety agency. In addition to the baseline elements, RP 1162 contains 
supplemental program elements to enhance pipeline safety awareness in 
areas where operators determine increased risk. The review team will 
document operator use of supplemental elements to identify trends and 
foster improvements.
    There are exceptions to the centralized review process. The State 
pipeline safety agencies in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, 
Illinois, Maryland, Montana, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wyoming have 
decided to conduct independent reviews of the public awareness programs 
of at least some intrastate operators. Unless otherwise directed by the 
State pipeline safety agency, an operator described below submits its 
program to the address provided by October 8, 2006:
    A gas distribution operator in Connecticut:Mr. Philip Sher, 
Supervisor of Technical Analysis, Connecticut Department of Public 
Utility Control,10 Franklin Square,New Britain, CT 06051.
    A gas distribution pipeline operator in the District of Columbia: 
Ms. Delvone Nicholson-Meade, Program Manager, Pipeline Safety, District 
of Columbia Public Service Commission,1333 H Street, NW., Suite 700 
East Tower,Washington, DC 20005.
    A gas distribution pipeline operator serving less than 20,000 
customers in Illinois: Mr. Rex Evans, Manager, Pipeline Safety, 
Illinois Commerce Commission,527 E Capitol Avenue,Springfield, IL 
62701.
    An intrastate pipeline operator in Maryland: Mr. John Clementson, 
Assistant Chief Engineer, Maryland Public Service Commission,6 Saint 
Paul Street,Baltimore, MD 21202-6806.

[[Page 34999]]

    An intrastate gas pipeline operator in Montana:Mr. G. Joel Tierney, 
Utility Engineering Sp./Pipeline Safety Program Manager,Montana Public 
Service Commission,1701 Prospect Avenue,P.O. Box 202601,Helena, MT 
59620-2601.
    In South Dakota:
     A gas distribution pipeline operator serving less than 
20,000 customers, or
     An intrastate gas transmission pipeline operator:
    Mr. Martin Bettmann, Pipeline Safety Program Manager, South Dakota 
Public Utilities Commission,500 East Capitol Avenue,Pierre, SD 57501-
5070.
    In Virginia:
     A privately-owned gas distribution pipeline operator,
     An intrastate gas transmission operators; or
     An intrastate hazardous liquid pipeline operator:
    Mr. Massoud Tahamtani, Director, Division of Utility and Railroad 
Safety, Virginia State Corporation Commission,Tyler Building,P.O. Box 
1197,Richmond, VA 23218.
    An intrastate gas pipeline operator in Wyoming: Mr. David W. 
Piroutek, Engineering Supervisor, Wyoming Public Service 
Commission,2515 Warren Ave, Suite 300,Cheyenne, WY 82002-0230.

II. Advisory Bulletin ADB-06-02

    To: Owners and Operators of Gas and Hazardous Liquid Pipelines 
Required to Complete Written Public Awareness Programs by June 20, 
2006.
    Subject: Submission of Public Awareness Programs for Review.
    Purpose: The purpose is two-fold:
    (1) To inform persons distributing gas through a master meter and 
persons who distribute petroleum gas by pipeline as an incidental part 
of their business of PHMSA's intention to modify the requirements for 
public awareness programs applicable to them; and
    (2) To inform other operators, who are required to develop public 
awareness programs satisfying the requirements of 49 CFR 192.616 or 49 
CFR 195.440 by June 20, 2006, how to submit the written programs for 
review.

Advisory

Operators of Master Meter Systems and Some Petroleum Gas Systems
    If you distribute gas through a master meter or if you distribute 
petroleum gas by pipeline as an incidental part of your primary 
business, do not submit a written public awareness program to the 
Public Awareness Program Clearinghouse for review at this time. PHMSA 
intends to initiate a rulemaking in the near future to change the 
requirements for public awareness programs applicable to you.
Other Intrastate Operators in Certain States
    If you operate an intrastate pipeline (other than a master meter or 
petroleum gas system described in (1)), you have to develop a public 
awareness program by June 20, 2006 and submit the written program for 
review.
    The State pipeline safety agencies in Connecticut, the District of 
Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Montana, South Dakota, Virginia, and 
Wyoming have decided to conduct reviews independent of the Public 
Awareness Program Clearinghouse. Consult the preamble to this advisory 
for more information about which intrastate operators in these 
jurisdictions need to submit programs to the State agency. If you are 
in one of these categories, unless the State pipeline safety agency 
advises you differently, please submit your written public awareness 
programs to the addressee for the State agency listed in the preamble 
by October 8, 2006.
All Other Operators
    If you operate:
     An interstate gas pipeline;
     An interstate hazardous liquid pipeline; and
     An intrastate pipeline not filing with a State pipeline 
safety agency as described above, please submit your written public 
awareness program to PHMSA's Public Awareness Program Clearinghouse 
between August 8, 2006 and October 8, 2006.
How to Submit to the Public Awareness Program Clearinghouse
    General requirements: In order for PHMSA to accurately identify the 
pipeline operator submitting a public awareness program, an operator 
needs to use an Operator Identification Number (Op ID) when submitting 
its public awareness program. If you do not have one, request it at 
http://opsweb.rspa.dot.gov/cfdocs/opsapps/pipes/main.cfm. In some 
cases, a single public awareness program may cover several pipelines 
with different Op IDs. For each pipeline covered by a public awareness 
program, you need to provide basic information about the pipeline when 
you submit your written public awareness program:
    a. The Op ID and name of the operator.
    b. A person to contact, with e-mail and telephone number.
    c. The type or types of pipeline covered by the same Op ID.
     Gathering (gas or hazardous liquid)
     Petroleum gas distribution
     Natural gas distribution, municipally-owned
     Natural gas distribution, privately-owned
     Gas distribution, other
     Gas transmission, intrastate
     Gas transmission, interstate
     Hazardous liquid, intrastate
     Hazardous liquid, interstate
    d. For each type of intrastate pipeline, the State or States in 
which the pipeline is located.
    e. For each type of interstate pipeline, the PHMSA region or 
regions in which the pipeline is located.
    E-filing: PHMSA strongly encourages operators to submit public 
awareness programs through the Internet. We are modifying the Online 
Data Entry System (ODES) to accept public awareness programs. For 
operators unfamiliar with ODES, the system currently allows an operator 
to submit various reports required by pipeline safety regulations. In 
order to ensure the integrity of data submitted to ODES, an operator 
needs an Op ID and PIN. If you do not have a PIN, you may request it at 
the Web site above. Using ODES reduces the potential for human error 
and increases the efficiency of the process.
    On August 8, 2006, the Web site above will have a prominent link 
for submitting public awareness programs. The ODES user enters the Op 
ID and PIN. The link then transfers the user to the program submittal 
page. On this page, the ODES user provides basic information about the 
pipeline to allow the review team of the Public Awareness Program 
Clearinghouse to properly evaluate the program, communicate with the 
State pipeline safety agency or PHMSA regional office with inspection 
responsibility for the pipeline, and generate summary reports. The ODES 
user may enter multiple Op IDs when a single public awareness program 
covers pipelines operated by more than one operator.
    After entering the basic information, the ODES user uploads the 
file, or files, comprising the public awareness program. Adobe Acrobat 
format is preferred, but PHMSA can accept files created in any 
commercially available word processor or spreadsheet.
    Alternative to e-filing: In lieu of e-filing, an operator may mail 
a computer disk containing its public awareness program, and the basic 
information about the pipeline described above, to the following 
address:Public Awareness Program Clearinghouse, PHMSA, 400

[[Page 35000]]

7th, Street, SW., Room 2103,Washington, DC 20590.
    Finally, an operator may also submit the same information in paper 
form to the same address.

    Issued in Washington, DC on June 9, 2006.
Stacey Gerard,
Acting Assistant Administrator/Chief Safety Officer for Pipeline 
Safety.
 [FR Doc. E6-9400 Filed 6-15-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P