[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 56 (Friday, March 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13859-13860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5407]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-98-4470]


Pipeline Safety: Meetings of the Technical Pipeline Safety 
Standards Committee and the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety 
Standards Committee

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

ACTION: Notice of meeting and public workshop.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces public meetings of PHMSA's Technical 
Pipeline Safety Standards Advisory Committee (TPSSC) and Technical 
Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (THLPSSC). The 
committees will discuss regulatory issues independently and in joint 
session. Each committee will vote on one regulatory proposal. The 
THLPSSC will vote on a proposal to extend pipeline safety regulations 
to the unregulated hazardous liquid gathering lines and low-stress 
pipelines. The TPSSC will vote on a proposal to relax regulatory 
requirements governing public awareness programs conducted by operators 
of master meter systems and certain operators of petroleum gas systems. 
PHMSA will also conduct a public workshop to discuss the possible use 
of special permits to allow variance from the seven-year reassessment 
interval required as part of a gas transmission integrity management 
program.

DATES: The meetings will be on Wednesday, April 25 and Thursday, April 
26, 2007, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: The committees will meet at the Washington Marriott, 1221 
22nd Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037. The phone number for 
reservations at the hotel is 202-872-1500. Attendees staying at the 
hotel must make reservations as soon as possible.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information regarding 
this meeting contact Cheryl Whetsel at (202) 366-4431, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Meeting Details

    Members of the public may attend the meetings. Lodging is available 
at the Washington Marriott, 1221 22nd Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20037. The phone number for reservations is 202-872-1500. The hotel 
will give priority to the Committee members and to the State Pipeline 
Safety Representatives for rooms blocked under ``DOT Technical Advisory 
Committee Meetings.'' PHMSA will post any additional information or 
changes on its Web page (http://www.phmsa.dot.gov) approximately 15 
days before the meeting date.
    Members of the public who want to make an oral statement should 
notify Cheryl Whetsel before April 18. The presiding officer at the 
meeting may deny any request to present an oral statement and may limit 
the time of any presentation.
    Comments should reference Docket No. PHMSA-98-4470 and may be 
submitted in the following ways:
     DOT Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov. To submit comments on 
the DOT electronic docket site, click ``Comment/Submissions,'' click 
``Continue,'' fill in the requested information, click ``Continue,'' 
enter your comment, then click ``Submit.''
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management System: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: DOT Docket Management System; Room PL-401 
on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.
     E-Gov Web Site: http://www.regulations.gov. This site 
allows the public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice 
issued by any agency.
    Instructions: Identify the docket number, PHMSA-98-4470, at the 
beginning of your comments. If you submit your comments by mail, submit 
two copies. If you wish to receive confirmation that PHMSA received 
your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet 
users may submit comments at http://www.regulations.gov, and may access 
all comments received by DOT at http://dms.dot.gov by performing a 
simple search for the docket number.

    Note: All comments will be posted without changes or edits to 
http://dms.dot.gov,

[[Page 13860]]

including any personal information provided.

    Privacy Act Statement: Anyone may search the electronic form of all 
comments received for any of our dockets. You may review DOT's complete 
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
    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, please 
contact Cheryl Whetsel at (202) 366-4431 by April 18, 2007.

II. Committee Background

    The TPSSC and the THLPSSC are statutorily mandated advisory 
committees that advise PHMSA on proposed safety standards for gas and 
hazardous liquid pipelines. The TPSSC and the THLPSSC are established 
under section 10(a) (2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 
92-463, 5 U.S.C. App. 1) and the pipeline safety law (49 U.S.C. Chap. 
601). Each committee consists of 15 members--five each representing 
government, industry, and the public.
    The pipeline safety law requires PHMSA to seek the TPSSC's or the 
THLPSSC's advice on the reasonableness, cost-effectiveness, and 
practicability of each proposed pipeline safety standard. The pipeline 
safety law also requires PHMSA to submit the cost-benefit analysis and 
risk assessment information associated with the proposed standard to 
the appropriate committee. The committees evaluate the merits of the 
data and, when appropriate, provide recommendations on the adequacy of 
the analyses.

III. Preliminary Meeting Schedule

    On Wednesday, April 25, the THLPSSC will discuss and vote on a 
proposal to extend pipeline safety regulations to the unregulated 
hazardous liquid gathering lines and low-stress pipelines and, if 
available, on a supplemental proposal PHMSA is developing. The THLPSSC 
discussed the proposal and potential changes needed to address the 
requirements of the Pipeline Integrity, Protection, Enforcement and 
Safety Act of 2006 (PIPES Act) at its last meeting on February 12, 
2007. The committees will meet in joint session following conclusion of 
the THLPSSC meeting. Committees will discuss PHMSA's strategic plan and 
how PHMSA is including PIPES Act direction in moving forward on 
initiatives underway. Among the topics discussed will be underground 
damage prevention, including civil penalty enforcement authority; 
status of compliance with public awareness requirements; and 
development of criteria for community grants.
    On Thursday, April 26, PHMSA will conduct a public meeting to 
discuss how to handle anticipated requests for variance from the seven-
year reassessment interval required as part of a gas transmission 
integrity management program. The method under consideration is the use 
of PHMSA's authority to grant special permits allowing variance from 
regulatory requirements. Following conclusion of the public meeting, 
the TPSSC will discuss and vote on a proposal to relax regulatory 
requirements governing public awareness programs conducted by operators 
of master meter systems and certain operators of petroleum gas systems.

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

    Issued in Washington, DC on March 19, 2007.
Jeffrey D. Wiese,
Acting Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
 [FR Doc. E7-5407 Filed 3-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P