[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 121 (Monday, June 23, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35437-35439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14117]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2007-28505]


Pipeline Safety: Requests for Special Permit

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal pipeline safety laws allow a pipeline operator to 
request PHMSA to waive compliance with any part of the Federal pipeline 
safety regulations by granting a special permit to the operator. PHMSA 
is publishing this notice to provide a list of special permit requests 
we have received from pipeline operators seeking relief from compliance 
with certain pipeline safety regulations. This notice seeks public 
comment on these requests, including comments on any environmental 
impacts. At the conclusion of the comment period, PHMSA will evaluate 
each request individually to determine whether to grant or deny a 
special permit.

DATES: Submit any comments regarding any of these special permit 
requests by July 23, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the docket number for the special 
permit request and may be submitted in the following ways:
     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.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management System: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: DOT Docket Management System; U.S. 
Department

[[Page 35438]]

of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590 between 
9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: You should identify the docket number for the special 
permit request you are commenting on at the beginning of your comments. 
If you submit your comments by mail, submit 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.

    Note: Comments are posted without changes or edits to http://
www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. 
There is a privacy statement published on http://
www.regulations.gov.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Lemoi by telephone at (404) 832-
1160; or, e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA has filed in the Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) requests for special permits we have received 
from pipeline operators seeking relief from compliance with certain 
pipeline safety regulations. Each request has been assigned a separate 
docket number in the FDMS. We invite interested persons to participate 
by reviewing these special permit requests and by submitting written 
comments, data or other views. Please include any comments on 
environmental impacts granting the special permit may have.
    Before acting on any special permit request, PHMSA will evaluate 
all comments received on or before the comment closing date. We will 
consider comments received after this date if it is possible to do so 
without incurring additional expense or delay. We may grant a special 
permit or deny a request based on the comments we receive.
    PHMSA has received the following special permit requests.

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             Docket No.                     Requester             Regulation(s)        Nature of special permit
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PHMSA-2008-0139....................  Aker Kvaerner IHI Gulf  49 CFR 193.2301.......  To authorize Aker Gulf to
                                      (Aker Gulf).                                    use automatic ultrasonic
                                                                                      examination to inspect
                                                                                      liquefied natural gas
                                                                                      (LNG) storage tank welds
                                                                                      in lieu of radiography
                                                                                      during construction of the
                                                                                      Gulf Clean Energy, LNG Re-
                                                                                      gasification Terminal in
                                                                                      Jackson County,
                                                                                      Mississippi.
PHMSA-2008-0140....................  Cascade Natural Gas     49 CFR 192.745........  To authorize Cascade to
                                      Corporation (Cascade).                          operate the KB Pipeline in
                                                                                      Cowlitz County,
                                                                                      Washington, and Columbia
                                                                                      County, Oregon, from May
                                                                                      1, 2008, to October 1,
                                                                                      2009, without partially
                                                                                      operating certain PBV
                                                                                      trunnion mounted ball
                                                                                      valves during the required
                                                                                      annual inspections.
                                                                                      Cascade will use alternate
                                                                                      inspection methods until a
                                                                                      root cause investigation
                                                                                      is completed on the
                                                                                      failure of a similar valve
                                                                                      in another pipeline
                                                                                      operator's system.
PHMSA-2008-0141....................  Northern Natural Gas    49 CFR 192.635(b).....  To authorize NNG to operate
                                      Company (NNG).                                  a 2-mile natural gas
                                                                                      transmission pipeline
                                                                                      segment near Harrisburg,
                                                                                      South Dakota, without
                                                                                      injecting odorant into the
                                                                                      gas.
PHMSA-2008-0143....................  Southern LNG, Inc.      49 CFR 193.2301.......  To authorize SLNG to use
                                      (SLNG).                                         ultrasonic examination to
                                                                                      inspect LNG storage tank
                                                                                      welds in lieu of
                                                                                      radiography during
                                                                                      expansion of the Elba
                                                                                      Island LNG storage
                                                                                      facility near Savannah,
                                                                                      Georgia.
PHMSA-2008-0154....................  Iroquois Gas            49 CFR 192.1, 11,       To authorize Iroquois to
                                      Transmission System     192.145, 192.201,       immediately increase the
                                      (Iroquois).             192.503, 192.505,       maximum allowable
                                                              192.611, and 192.619.   operating pressure (MAOP)
                                                                                      of its entire pipeline
                                                                                      system in the United
                                                                                      States from 1,440 psig to
                                                                                      1,480 psig and after
                                                                                      specific materials
                                                                                      upgrades to increase the
                                                                                      MAOP to 1,600 psig. This
                                                                                      would result in the system
                                                                                      operating up to 80% of the
                                                                                      specified minimum yield
                                                                                      strength (SMYS) in Class 1
                                                                                      locations, 67% SMYS in
                                                                                      Class 2 locations, and 56%
                                                                                      SMYS in Class 3 locations.
                                                                                      This request applies to
                                                                                      the 30-inch and 24-inch
                                                                                      diameter mainline from
                                                                                      Waddington, NY, to South
                                                                                      Commack, NY, and to Hunts
                                                                                      Point in New York City,
                                                                                      including all meter
                                                                                      stations, lateral
                                                                                      pipelines to customer
                                                                                      delivery points,
                                                                                      compressor stations and
                                                                                      all appurtenant pipeline
                                                                                      and station facilities.
                                                                                      Iroquois also requests the
                                                                                      Special Permit to apply to
                                                                                      facilities currently
                                                                                      certificated and proposed
                                                                                      to be in-service in 2008
                                                                                      and 2009 at locations in
                                                                                      Dover, NY, Brookfield, CT,
                                                                                      Newtown, CT and Milford,
                                                                                      CT.
PHMSA-2008-0156....................  TransCanada Pipelines   49 CFR 192.611........  To authorize TransCanada to
                                      Limited (TransCanada).                          operate 17 segments along
                                                                                      Line ``A'' in Boundary,
                                                                                      Bonner, Kootenai, Spokane,
                                                                                      Walla Walla, Umatilla,
                                                                                      Morrow, Deschutes, and
                                                                                      Klamath Counties in Idaho,
                                                                                      Oregon and Washington
                                                                                      without reducing the
                                                                                      operating pressure as a
                                                                                      result of changes from
                                                                                      Class 1 and Class 2 to
                                                                                      Class 3 locations.
PHMSA-2008-0157....................  TransCanada Pipelines   49 CFR 192.611........  To authorize TransCanada to
                                      Limited (TransCanada).                          operate two segments along
                                                                                      Line ``A'' in Boundary and
                                                                                      Kootenai Counties, Idaho,
                                                                                      without reducing the
                                                                                      operating pressure as a
                                                                                      result of changes from
                                                                                      Class 1 to Class 3
                                                                                      locations.

[[Page 35439]]

 
PHMSA-2008-0158....................  Texas Gas               49 CFR 192.611........  To authorize Texas Gas to
                                      Transmission, LLC                               operate 2 segments on 2
                                      (Texas Gas).                                    parallel gas pipelines in
                                                                                      Iberia Parish, LA, without
                                                                                      reducing operating
                                                                                      pressure as a result of
                                                                                      changes from Class 1 to
                                                                                      Class 3 locations.
PHMSA-2008-0159....................  Texas Gas               49 CFR 192.611........  To authorize Texas Gas to
                                      Transmission, LLC                               operate 4 segments on 3
                                      (Texas Gas).                                    parallel gas pipelines in
                                                                                      Graves County, KY, without
                                                                                      reducing operating
                                                                                      pressure as a result of
                                                                                      changes from Class 1 or
                                                                                      Class 2 to Class 3
                                                                                      locations.
PHMSA-2008-0163....................  Transwestern Pipeline   49 CFR 192.1, 11, and   To authorize Transwestern
                                      Company, L.L.C.         192.201.                to design, construct and
                                      (Transwestern).                                 operate the San Juan NPS
                                                                                      36 loop expansion project
                                                                                      (San Juan Stitches) near
                                                                                      Gallup, NM, at up to 80%
                                                                                      SMYS in Class 1 locations,
                                                                                      67% SMYS in Class 2
                                                                                      locations, and 56% SMYS in
                                                                                      Class 3 locations.
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    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 60118(c)(1) and 49 CFR 1.53.

    Issued in Washington, DC on June 17, 2008.
Alan Mayberry,
Director, Engineering and Emergency Support.
[FR Doc. E8-14117 Filed 6-20-08; 8:45 am]
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