[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 24, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30241-30242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12690]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket ID PHMSA-2011-0125]


Pipeline Safety: Notice of Public Meetings on Managing Challenges 
With Pipeline Seam Welds and Improving Pipeline Risk Assessments and 
Recordkeeping

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: Recent pipeline incidents involving seam weld anomalies and 
gaps in data and recordkeeping are driving a stronger focus on better 
managing these challenges. PHMSA is holding important public meetings 
to discuss its review of inspection reporting and incident findings in 
these areas. In addition, these public meetings are part of PHMSA's 
efforts to address the Secretary of Transportation's ``Call to Action'' 
to address pipeline infrastructure risks, drive for more aggressive 
safety efforts and to be more transparent when executing these safety 
measures.
    These public meetings are designed to provide an open forum for 
exchanging information on the challenges associated with pipeline seam 
welds and improving pipeline risk assessments and recordkeeping. 
Specifically, these public meetings will facilitate individual, panel 
and working

[[Page 30242]]

group discussions for the following objectives:

Managing Challenges With Pipeline Seam Welds--July 20

    1. Further determining the nature and extent of the seam weld issue 
from industry and government data.
    2. Presenting perspectives on how anomalies in seam welds are 
identified and managed employing risk assessments, technology and 
standards or best practices.
    3. Presenting the scope of a recently awarded PHMSA research study 
on seam welds.
    4. Providing specifically designed working groups to further craft 
the scope for this PHMSA research study and other related topics.

Improving Pipeline Risk Assessments and Recordkeeping--July 21

    1. Provide a U.S. and International regulatory perspective on 
pipeline integrity risk assessments.
    2. Provide an operator overview of the challenging factors with 
conducting risk assessments, canvassing effective approaches, and case 
studies.
    3. Identify options with addressing interactive threats, legacy 
pipelines and approaches for dealing with recordkeeping gaps.

DATES: The public meeting on managing challenges with pipeline seam 
welds will be held on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
EDT. The public meeting on improving pipeline risk assessments and 
recordkeeping will be held on Thursday, July 21, 2011, from 8 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m. EDT. Please refer to these public meetings listed on http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/for more information.

ADDRESSES: These public meetings will be held at The Westin Arlington 
Gateway, 801 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22203, Phone: 703-717-
6200, Fax: 703-717-6260 or http://www.westinarlingtongateway.com/. 
Please contact the Westin to reserve a room using ``USDOT/PHMSA'' for 
the room block name at the rate of $157/night. This room rate is 
available for Tuesday night July 19 and Wednesday night July 20 until 
the reserved rooms at this rate are taken. A very limited number of 
rooms are available at this rate on July 21 until they are taken. 
Please also contact the Westin for information on facilities or 
services for individuals with disabilities, or to request special 
assistance during these public meetings.
    Comments may be submitted to the docket 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 Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground level of the U.S. 
Department of Transportation, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: Identify the docket number PHMSA-2011-0127 at the 
beginning of your comments. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. You should know that anyone is able to 
search the electronic form of all comments received into 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.). Therefore, you may want to review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477) or view the Privacy Notice at http://www.regulations.gov before submitting any such comments.
    Docket: For access to the docket or to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to Room W12-
140 on the ground level of the U.S. Department of Transportation, West 
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    If you wish to receive confirmation of receipt of your written 
comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped postcard with the 
following statement: ``Comments on PHMSA-2011-0127.'' The Docket Clerk 
will date-stamp the postcard prior to returning it to you via the U.S. 
mail. Please note that due to delays in the delivery of U.S. mail to 
Federal offices in Washington, DC, we recommend that persons consider 
an alternative method (Internet, fax, or professional delivery service) 
of submitting comments to the docket and ensuring their timely receipt 
at DOT.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities, or to seek special assistance at the meeting, please 
contact Robert Smith at 919-238-4759 by July 1, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Smith by e-mail at 
[email protected] or by phone at 919-238-4759.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Public Meetings Registration: Please visit http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/and click on these public meetings to 
register.

Preliminary Agenda for the Public Meeting on Managing Challenges With 
Pipeline Seam Welds

8 a.m. Good Morning/Welcome
8:10 a.m. Panel 1: What is the Nature/Extent of the Issue?
9:40 a.m. Break
9:55 a.m. Panel 2: Identifying/Managing Seam Weld Challenges
11:10 a.m. Presentation: Seam Weld Research Project and Input/
Refinement of this Targeted Research
12 p.m. Lunch--On your Own
1:30 p.m. (Concurrent Sessions)
    Working Group 1: Identifying Gaps in Risk Assessments
    Working Group 2: Identifying Gaps in Technology
    Working Group 3: Identifying Gaps with Assessment Methods
4 p.m. Adjournment

Preliminary Agenda for the Public Meeting on Improving Pipeline Risk 
Assessments and Recordkeeping

8 a.m. Good Morning/Welcome
8:10 a.m. Panel 1: U.S. & Canadian Regulatory Perspective on Risk 
Assessments
9:30 a.m. Panel 2: Pipeline Operator Perspective on Risk Assessments
    Break taken during panel 2
11:30 a.m. Lunch--On your Own
1 p.m. Panel 3: How Should Recordkeeping Gaps Influence Risk 
Assessments?
2:30 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. Panel 4: Identifying Interactive Threats and Understanding 
Options
4:30 p.m. Summary and Adjournment

    Webcasting: The public meeting on Managing Challenges with Pipeline 
Seam Welds will not be webcasted. The public meeting on Improving 
Pipeline Risk Assessments and Recordkeeping will be webcasted. Please 
refer to this event listed on http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/ for 
more information.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 18, 2011.
Jeffrey D. Wiese,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2011-12690 Filed 5-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P