[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 114 (Thursday, June 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32941-32942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11490]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2003-15864]


Request Public Comment and Office of Management and Budget 
Approval for a New Information Collection

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice requests public participation in the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) approval process for a new PHMSA information collection. 
This proposed information collection is a survey of hazardous liquid 
pipeline operators to obtain information on unregulated low-stress 
hazardous liquid pipeline characteristics. With this notice, PHMSA 
invites the public to submit comments over the next 60 days on ways to 
minimize the related burden.

DATES: Anyone may submit written comments on this proposed information 
collection activity by August 13, 2007. PHMSA will consider late-filed 
comments to the extent possible.

ADDRESSES: Reference Docket No. PHMSA-2003-15864 and submit in one of 
the following ways:
    (1) Submit electronic comments to the DOT Docket Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov or the e-GOV Web site http://www.regulations.gov;
    (2) Fax: 1-202-493-2251;
    (3) Mail: Docket Management System: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590;
    (4) Hand Delivery: DOT Docket Management System; 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. The Docket facility is open 9 a.m. 
to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lane Miller by phone at (405) 954-4969 
or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Instructions

    Identify the docket number, PHMSA-2003-15864, at the beginning of 
your comments and send two copies. 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: PHMSA posts all comments without changes or edits to 
http://dms.dot.gov including any personal information provided.

Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments received in 
response to any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting 
the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an 
association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement was published in the Federal Register on April 11, 2000 (65 
FR 19477), and is on the Web at http://dms.dot.gov.

II. Background

    The Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act of 
2006 (PIPES Act), enacted into law on December 29, 2006, reauthorizes 
PHMSA-administered pipeline safety programs for fiscal years 2007 
through 2010. Section 4 of the PIPES Act requires that PHMSA issue 
regulations by December 31, 2007, subjecting all low-stress hazardous 
liquid pipelines to the same standards and regulations as other 
hazardous liquid pipelines. PHMSA currently regulates low-stress 
pipelines located in populated areas and crossing navigable waterways. 
On May 18, 2007, PHMSA published a supplemental notice of proposed 
rulemaking proposing to apply all Federal hazardous liquid pipeline 
safety regulations to rural low-stress lines meeting certain criteria 
(72 FR 28008).
    Low-stress pipelines are pipelines operating at 20 percent or less 
of the specified minimum yield strength of the

[[Page 32942]]

line pipe. PHMSA does not have data on the total extent of unregulated 
hazardous liquid low-stress pipelines in the United States. To address 
this gap in the data and to obtain a more accurate understanding of the 
unregulated hazardous liquid low-stress pipelines, PHMSA is requesting 
OMB approval to conduct a one-time information collection survey.
    Operators of hazardous liquid pipelines will be surveyed about 
mileage (including interplant pipeline mileage), diameter, pipeline 
material, products transported, and location. The survey will be 
delivered electronically to each of the companies currently operating 
regulated hazardous liquid pipelines. PHMSA will also attempt to reach 
companies that own and/or operate currently unregulated pipelines 
exclusively by working with industry associations to announce and 
distribute the survey via electronic newsletters to association 
members. Respondents will be able to print an electronic version of the 
survey and mail a hard copy or complete the survey online. 
Participation in the survey will be optional.
    There are 288 pipeline operators that own and/or operate regulated 
hazardous liquids pipelines. This population may also own and/or 
operate unregulated hazardous liquid low-stress pipeline. The number of 
pipeline operators that own and/or operate unregulated pipeline mileage 
exclusively is unknown. Industry experts indicate that the companies 
operating regulated pipelines are likely to operate most, if not all, 
of the unregulated low-stress hazardous liquid pipelines. Based on a 
pre-test of the survey, PHMSA estimates 158 operators will complete the 
one-time survey (55 percent response rate).
    Section 1320.8(d), Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations requires 
PHMSA to provide interested members of the public and the affected 
agencies an opportunity to comment on information collection requests. 
Information collection includes all work related to preparing and 
disseminating information related to this proposed information 
collection request, including completing paperwork, gathering 
information, and conducting telephone calls. PHMSA invites comments on 
any aspect of this proposed information collection. The comments may 
address: (1) Whether the proposed collection is necessary for PHMSA's 
performance; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways for 
PHMSA to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the sought 
information; and (4) ways to minimize burden without reducing the 
quality of the collected information. PHMSA will summarize and/or 
include comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this proposed 
information collection.
    Respondents: 158.
    Frequency: This is a one time survey.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 16 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,528.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 8, 2007.
Florence L. Hamn,
Director of Regulations, Office of Pipeline Safety.
 [FR Doc. E7-11490 Filed 6-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P