[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]
[[Page 34703]]
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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:
[[Page 34704]]
(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]
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