[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5168-5169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01630]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

49 CFR Parts 191, 192, and 195

[Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0225]


Pipeline Safety: Public Meeting on Implementing the Recently 
Published Gas Transmission and Hazardous Liquid Final Rules

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

ACTION: Announcement of public meeting and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document announces a public meeting for Pipeline Safety 
officials to discuss with pipeline safety stakeholders the 
implementation of the gas transmission and the hazardous liquid 
pipeline final rules published in the Federal Register on October 1, 
2019. PHMSA is making available for comment draft frequently asked 
questions (FAQs) and answers for both final rules that will be used to 
facilitate the implementation of the final rules. PHMSA will also 
discuss the benefits of pipeline operators developing an effective 
safety culture, including safety management systems.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on February 26-27, 2020, from 
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT. Members of the public who wish to attend in 
person are asked to register no later than February 18, 2020. Comments 
on the draft FAQs should be submitted to Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0225 by 
February 11, 2020, so that we can effectively discuss public comments 
in the public meeting. However, the comment period will remain open 
until March 27, 2020, to allow for public participation following the 
conclusion of the meeting. Individuals requiring accommodations, such 
as sign language interpretation or other ancillary aids, are asked to 
notify PHMSA by February 18, 2020. For additional information see the 
ADDRESSES section.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Houston Marriott Sugar Land 
hotel at 16090 City Walk, Sugarland, Texas 77479. The meeting room 
location, agenda, and any additional information will be published at 
https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=146.
    The meeting will be web cast, and any documents presented will be 
available on the meeting website and posted on the E-Gov website: 
http://www.regulations.gov under docket number PHMSA-2019-0225 within 
30 days following the meeting.
    Public Participation: This meeting will be open to the public. 
Members of the public who wish to attend in person are asked to 
register at https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=146. 
to facilitate entry and guarantee seating. Members of the public 
attending will be provided an opportunity to participate. Instructions 
on how to participate through webcast will be provided at the beginning 
of the meeting.
    Services for Individuals with Disabilities: The public meeting will 
be physically accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals 
requiring accommodations, such as sign language interpretation or other 
ancillary aids, are asked to notify Chris Hoidal, Senior Technical 
Advisor, Office of the Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy and 
Programs, at 303-807-8833 or by email at [email protected].
    Written comments: Persons who want to submit written comments may 
do so by submitting them to the public docket in the following ways:
    E-Gov Website: http://www.regulations.gov. This site allows the 
public to enter comments on any Federal Register document issued by any 
agency.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation 
(DOT), 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 DOT West 
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.
    Instructions: Identify the docket number PHMSA-2019-0225 at the 
beginning of your comments. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to 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 www.regulations.gov before submitting any 
such comments.
    Docket: For access to the docket or to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://

[[Page 5169]]

www.regulations.gov at any time or Room W12-140 on the ground level of 
the DOT 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-2019-0225.'' The 
Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior to returning it to you 
via the U.S. mail.
    Confidential Business Information: Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both 
customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from 
public disclosure. If your comments responsive to this document contain 
commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as 
private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or 
responsive to this document, it is important that you clearly designate 
the submitted comments as CBI. Pursuant to 49 CFR 190.343, you may ask 
PHMSA to give confidential treatment to information you give to the 
agency by taking the following steps: (1) Mark each page of the 
original document submission containing CBI as ``Confidential''; (2) 
send PHMSA, along with the original document, a second copy of the 
original document with the CBI deleted; and (3) explain why the 
information you are submitting is CBI. Unless you are notified 
otherwise, PHMSA will treat such marked submissions as confidential 
under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public docket of 
this document. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Chris 
Hoidal at DOT, PHMSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-
0001. Any commentary PHMSA receives that is not specifically designated 
as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this matter.

Privacy Act Statement

    DOT may solicit comments from the public regarding certain general 
notices. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal 
information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as 
described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can 
be reviewed at www.dot.gov/privacy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the meeting, 
contact Chris Hoidal, Senior Technical Advisor, at 
[email protected]. For technical information, contact Chris Hoidal 
or Rodrick Seeley, Director, Southwest Regional Office, by email at 
[email protected] or [email protected], respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Meeting Details and Agenda

    PHMSA is holding a public meeting to assist with the implementation 
process for the gas transmission final rule, 84 FR 52180, and hazardous 
liquid pipeline final rule, 84 FR 52260, that were published in the 
Federal Register on October 1, 2019. PHMSA will provide an overview of 
the regulations, key regulatory milestones, and regulatory expectations 
to demonstrate compliance.\1\ PHMSA will also discuss the benefits of 
pipeline operators developing an effective safety culture, including 
safety management systems. PHMSA will solicit and discuss how operators 
may further control safety risks in operations by taking into account 
the operator's specific organizational structures and processes related 
to safety of operations, including compliance with new and existing 
regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The American Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute, 
American Public Gas Association, and Interstate Natural Gas 
Association of America submitted a joint petition for 
reconsideration of the gas transmission final rule on October 31, 
2019. A copy of the petition is available for review at https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=PHMSA-2011-0023-0472. The petition 
for reconsideration is currently under review by PHMSA; therefore, 
PHMSA does not intend to address the issues raised by the petition 
in the draft FAQs or at this meeting.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As part of the implementation process, PHMSA has developed draft 
FAQs for the new regulations. PHMSA subject matter experts on the two 
rules will lead a discussion on the FAQs and proposed answers. PHMSA 
will solicit additional FAQ topics on regulatory requirements from 
operators, regulators, and the public. The FAQs are intended to assist 
in the implementation of these final rules by providing clarification, 
guidance, information sources, and affirmation to operators as they 
strive to comply with new safety regulations. PHMSA has included the 
initial set of draft FAQs for the meeting in Docket No. PHMSA-2019-
0225, and encourages the public to submit comments on the draft FAQs.
    PHMSA intends for the public comments to help identify key areas 
where additional clarifying information is necessary for operators and 
the general public and to prioritize addressing those areas.
    The final meeting agenda, presentations, clarifying statements, and 
FAQs will be published on a publicly available DOT website at https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=146.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 24, 2020, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Drue Pearce,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-01630 Filed 1-28-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P