[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 111 (Monday, June 10, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34703-34704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13629]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2013-0004]


Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities, Revision to 
Gas Distribution Annual Report

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: On February 13, 2013, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 
Administration (PHMSA) published a notice in the Federal Register of 
its intent to revise the gas distribution annual report (PHMSA F7100.1-
1) to improve the granularity of the data collected. In addition to 
making several minor changes to the report, PHMSA will also request a 
new OMB Control number for this information collection.
    PHMSA received two comments in response to that notice. PHMSA is 
publishing this notice to respond to the comments, provide the public 
with an additional 30 days to comment on the proposed revisions to the 
forms and the instructions, and announce that the revised Information 
Collections will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for approval.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 10, 2013 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the docket number 
PHMSA-2013-0004 by any of the following methods:
     Fax: 1-202-395-5806.
     Mail: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), 
Records Management Center, Room 10102 NEOB, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503, ATTN: Desk Officer for the U.S. Department of 
Transportation\PHMSA.
     Email: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, 
at the following email address: [email protected].
    Requests for a copy of the Information Collection should be 
directed to Angela Dow by telephone at 202-366-1246, by fax at 202-366-
4566, by email at [email protected], or by mail at U.S. Department of 
Transportation, PHMSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., PHP-30, Washington, 
DC 20590-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Blaine Keener by telephone at 202-366-
0970, by fax at 202-366-4566, by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1320.8(d), Title 5, Code of Federal 
Regulations requires PHMSA to provide interested members of the public 
and affected agencies an opportunity to comment on information 
collection and recordkeeping requests. This notice identifies a revised 
information collection request that PHMSA will submit to OMB for 
approval. The information collection is titled: ``Annual Report for Gas 
Distribution Pipeline Operators.''

Summary of Topic Comments/Responses

    During the two month response period, PHMSA received two comments 
from the following stakeholders:
     American Gas Association (AGA)--Trade Association.
     American Public Gas Association (APGA)--Trade Association.
    This 30-day notice responds to the comments, which may be found at 
http://www.regulations.gov, at docket number PHMSA-2013-0004. The 
docket also contains the form and instructions as amended in response 
to the comments. In general, the comments made by AGA and APGA were 
similar in content and summarized below.
    1. PHMSA proposed to add Part A, section 6 and require operators to 
enter information on the ``Type of Operator'' based on the structure of 
the reporting company. PHMSA proposed to allow these types of 
operators--Municipal, Privately Owned, and other (e.g., cooperatives, 
public utility districts). AGA and APGA had similar comments proposing 
that options for the operator type be consistent with those on Energy 
Information Agency Form EIA-176.
    Response: PHMSA believes that the request for consistency is 
appropriate, and has revised Part A, section 7 to incorporate the 
following operator types: Investor-owned, municipally-owned, privately-
owned, cooperative, and other.
    2. PHMSA proposed to add a material type in Part B, sections 1, 2, 
and 3 and require operators to report data about cast iron pipes that 
have been reconditioned. PHMSA used the term ``reconditioned cast 
iron'' in Part B1 and ``rehabilitated cast iron'' in Part B2 and B3. 
AGA and APGA had similar comments proposing that the term 
``reconditioned cast iron'' be used consistently in all three sections 
since that term is defined in the instructions.
    Response: PHMSA concurs with the comments, and has revised the form 
so the term ``reconditioned cast iron'' is used consistently in the 
form and instructions.
    3. Part C requires operators to identify the cause of leaks and 
hazardous leaks eliminated or repaired during the calendar year. PHMSA 
proposed to revise the ``Cause of Leak'' categories in Part C to align 
the leak causes in the gas distribution annual report with the incident 
causes from the gas distribution incident reporting form (PHMSA F 
7100.1, Incident Report--Gas Distribution System). AGA and APGA had 
similar comments proposing that PHMSA adopt more substantive changes to 
the leak cause definitions to improve clarity and make the definitions 
more consistent with how incident cause is reported on the gas 
distribution incident reporting form.
    Response: PHMSA concurs with the comments, and has expanded the 
instructions defining leak causes to be consistent with the gas 
distribution incident reporting form.
    4. Part D requires operators to provide information on ``Excavation 
Damage,'' and PHMSA proposed to add new data collection in ``Excavation 
Damage'' to include the four causes from Part I of the ``Damage 
Information Reporting Tool (DIRT)--Field Form.'' AGA and APGA had 
similar comments proposing that PHMSA clarify that it is seeking 
information on the ``apparent root cause'' of excavation damage and 
adopt more substantive changes to the instructions for Part D by 
incorporating the definitions developed by the Common Ground Alliance's 
DIRT program.
    Response: PHMSA concurs with the comments and has revised the form 
to clarify that PHMSA is seeking information on the ``apparent root 
cause'' of excavation damages. We have also revised the instructions to 
clarify the information to be reported.
    5. Part E requires operators to provide information on ``Excess 
Flow Valves'' (EFV) installed during the calendar year and the 
estimated number in the system at the end of the year. AGA and APGA had 
similar comments proposing that PHMSA clarify language on the form and 
in the instructions to reduce confusion over the data PHMSA is seeking 
on ``Estimated Number of EFVs in System at End of Year.''
    Response: PHMSA concurs with the comments and has revised the form 
to define that PHMSA is seeking information on the ``Estimated Total 
number of EFVs in the system.'' We have also revised the instructions 
to clarify the data to be reported.

Proposed Information Collection Revisions and Request for Comments

    The following information is provided for each revised information 
collection:

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(1) Title of the information collection; (2) OMB control number; (3) 
Type of request; (4) Abstract of the information collection activity; 
(5) Description of affected public; (6) Estimate of total annual 
reporting and recordkeeping burden; and (7) Frequency of collection. 
PHMSA will request a three-year term of approval for each information 
collection activity. PHMSA is only focusing on the revisions detailed 
in this notice and will request revisions to the following information 
collection activities.
    Title: Gas Distribution Annual Report.
    OMB Control Number: N/A.
    Current Expiration Date: N/A.
    Type of Request: New.
    Abstract: PHMSA is looking to revise the Gas Distribution Annual 
Report (PHMSA F 7100.1-1) to make several minor changes related to data 
collection.
    Affected Public: Gas distribution pipeline operators.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:
    Total Annual Responses: 1,440.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 23,040.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Comments are invited on:
    (a) The need for the proposed collection of information for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 4, 2013.
John A. Gale,
Director, Office of Standards and Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2013-13629 Filed 6-7-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P