[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 141 (Wednesday, July 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42870-42871]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17250]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket ID PHMSA-RSPA-2004-19854]


Notice of Public Webinar on Implementation of Gas Pipeline 
Distribution Integrity Management Programs

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

ACTION: Notice of Public Webinar.

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SUMMARY: Gas distribution pipeline operators were required to have 
prepared and implemented distribution integrity management programs 
(DIMP) by August 2, 2011. Federal and state regulators have been 
inspecting those programs and their implementation since that date. 
This webinar will be an opportunity for the regulators to share their 
experience with implementation topics with the public and the regulated 
community. The webinar will also include discussion of analyses of the 
2013 submissions of data concerning mechanical fitting failures in gas 
distribution pipelines.

DATES: The webinar will be held on September 4, 2014, from 11:00 a.m. 
to 12:30 p.m. EDT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris McLaren by email at 
[email protected] or by phone at 281-216-4455.

ADDRESSES: Members of the public may attend this free webinar. To help 
assure that adequate space is provided, all attendees are required to 
register for the webinar at http://opsweb.phmsa.dot.gov/webinars. Upon 
registration, LiveMeeting information will be distributed. Due to the 
limited capacity, we encourage and request that parties at the same 
location share a LiveMeeting link for the video portion of the webinar 
and share a standard phone line for the teleconferenced voice portion 
of the webinar. Refer to the DIMP Web site for additional information 
on distribution integrity management: http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/dimp/index.htm.
    Copies of the presentations provided in the webinar will be 
available on the DIMP Web site within 30 days following the webinar.
    Comments: Members of the public may also submit written comments, 
either before, during, or after the webinar. Comments should reference 
Docket ID PHMSA-RSPA-2004-19854. Comments and questions can be 
submitted during the webinar through LiveMeeting. Instructions 
describing how to submit questions will be given at the beginning of 
the webinar. Comments may be submitted before or after the webinar in 
the following ways:
     DIMP Web site: http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/dimp/comment.htm. This site allows the public to enter questions and 
comments about DIMP before or after the webinar. Instructions for 
submitting comments are provided on that Web site.
     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. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management System, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, Washington, 
DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Dot Docket Management System, Room W12-140, 
on the ground floor of the 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 ID at the beginning of your 
comments. If you submit your comments by mail, submit two copies. If 
you wish to receive confirmation that PHMSA has received your comments, 
include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet users may submit 
comments at http://www.regulations.gov. Note: Comments will be posted 
without changes or edits to http://www.regulations.gov including

[[Page 42871]]

any personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act statement 
immediately following for additional information.
    Privacy Act Statement: Anyone may search the electronic form of all 
comments received for any of our dockets. You may review DOT's complete 
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published April 11, 2000 
(65 FR 19477).
    Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities: For 
information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities, or to request special assistance during the webinar, 
please contact Chris McLaren at 281-216-4455 by August 4, 2014.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DIMP final rule was published December 
4, 2009, (74 FR 63906) and became effective on August 2, 2011. DIMP 
supplemented the existing requirements applicable to gas distribution 
pipeline systems by adding performance-based requirements for risk 
management. It requires pipeline operators to analyze their pipeline 
systems, identify threats and risks that may be unique to their systems 
and take appropriate actions to address those threats and risks. DIMP 
is designed to improve the safety performance of gas distribution 
pipelines by ensuring that distribution pipeline operators use 
available data and prioritize their risk mitigation activities.
    A DIMP Implementation Team (Team) was created as a collaboration of 
state and Federal regulators to support improvements in the integrity 
of the Nation's gas distribution pipeline systems through development 
of inspection methods and guidance for the evaluation of an operator's 
distribution integrity management program. Regulation of gas 
distribution pipeline systems and oversight of DIMP implementation is 
largely the responsibility of PHMSA's state partners. The Team 
recognized the challenges posed by the individual characteristics of 
each state's oversight program and operating conditions as well as the 
challenges that distribution system operators would face in building an 
integrity management culture. Due to the high level, risk-based, 
performance-oriented nature of the regulations contained in Sec. Sec.  
192.1001 and 192.1015, the Team recognized that operators could benefit 
from guidance in implementing their programs. The team sponsored two 
webinars to provide operators with information and to direct operators 
to resource material prior to the August 2, 2011, effective date of the 
rule by which time operators were required to have developed and 
implemented their DIMP plans. These webinars were conducted on May 10, 
2011, and June 8, 2011.
    Following the August 2, 2011, deadline by which distribution 
pipeline operators must have developed and implemented their DIMP 
plans, the team sponsored a webinar on January 25, 2012, and a public 
meeting on June 27, 2012. The material presented at these events 
summarized early inspection experiences, including the types of 
concerns identified by regulators and operators and where the initial 
inspection experience indicates that operators should devote additional 
attention to assure compliance.
    States are implementing the DIMP rule in accordance with the 
applicable certification under 49 U.S.C. 60105 or agreement under 
section 60106. State inspectors will participate in this webinar, but 
not all states may participate. Since regulatory structures differ 
among states and some states have established more stringent 
requirements, operators should contact the state authority regulating 
their distribution pipeline system for more information.
    The DIMP rule also required distribution pipeline operators to 
report failures of mechanical fittings that result in hazardous leaks. 
Such failures have been the cause of a number of serious accidents on 
distribution pipelines. Collection of this data is intended to 
facilitate better understanding of the causes of fitting failures and 
actions that can/should be taken to prevent future failures. Operators 
have the option of submitting reports as failures occur or of 
submitting all reports for a calendar year by March 15 of the following 
year. The new reporting requirement became effective on April 4, 2011. 
Operators have submitted reports to PHMSA for failures occurring in 
2011, and by the time of this webinar, operators will have submitted 
reports to PHMSA for failures occurring in 2013. These reports will be 
analyzed prior to the webinar and PHMSA will discuss the results of 
these analyses. Stakeholders should note that lessons from mechanical 
fitting failure reporting may be preliminary at this time. With only 
three years' worth of data, any trends or analyses will be based on a 
limited set of data. The analyses will provide some information that 
will be shared with stakeholders.

Preliminary Webinar Agenda

September 4, 2014 DIMP Implementation Webinar Agenda

     Welcome, Introductions, and Overview
     A new DIMP Inspection Form for Field Observations and 
Records Review
     Regulator's Inspection Findings from DIMP inspections 
Conducted to Date
     Mechanical Fitting Failure Reporting Data and Analyses
     Operator Discussion on Successes and Lessons Learned from 
Implementing DIMP
     Plastic Pipe Ad Hoc Committee (NAPSR and PHMSA Team) 
Activities
     Question & Answer Session
     Session Concludes

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 17, 2014.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy and Programs.
[FR Doc. 2014-17250 Filed 7-22-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P