[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 20 (Thursday, January 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5549-5550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01631]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0223]


Pipeline Safety: Pipeline Research and Development Forum

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

ACTION: Notice of public forum.

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

SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to announce a public meeting 
for the Pipeline Research and Development (R&D) Forum. PHMSA 
periodically holds this forum to generate a national research agenda 
that identifies technical challenges and fosters solutions to improve 
pipeline safety and protect the environment.

DATES: The forum will be held on February 19-20, 2020, from 8:00 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m. ET. On-site registration will begin at 7:00 a.m. on both 
days. Online pre-registration for the forum is available until February 
5, 2020. Individuals requiring accommodations, such as sign language 
interpretation or other ancillary aids, should notify Robert Smith, 
Engineering and Research Division, at 919-238-4759 or 
[email protected] by February 1, 2020. For additional information, 
see the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

ADDRESSES: The forum will be held at the Westin Arlington Gateway, 801 
North Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia 22203, USA, Phone: 703-717-6200, 
website: http://www.westinarlingtongateway.com. The agenda and any 
additional information for the forum will be published on the following 
meeting page at https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=145.
    Registration: To help ensure adequate space is provided, attendees 
should register in advance on the PHMSA public forum website at https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=145. Onsite registration 
will also be available. Attendees are responsible for their own hotel 
accommodations. A block of hotel rooms is available on a first come, 
first served basis at the current government rate. Contact the hotel 
directly and mention ``DOT R&D Forum'' to receive the reserved hotel 
room rate.
    The forum will not be webcast; however, presentations will be 
available on the forum website and in the public docket at https://www.regulations.gov/, under docket number PHMSA-2019-0223 within 30 
days following the meeting.
    Public Participation: The Pipeline R&D Forum will be open to the 
public. Attendees can participate during the question and answer 
portions of the agenda during the forum. The U.S. Department of 
Transportation is committed to providing equal access to this meeting 
for all participants. If you need alternative formats or services 
because of a disability, such as sign language, interpretation, or 
other ancillary aids, please contact the person listed in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Written comments: Persons who wish to submit written comments on 
the forum may submit them to the docket in the following ways:
    E-Gov Website: https://www.regulations.gov. This website 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 
(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 9:00 a.m. 
and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.

[[Page 5550]]

    Instructions: Identify the docket number PHMSA-2019-0223 at the 
beginning of your comments. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. Anyone can search the electronic form of 
all comments received into any of the 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, 
consider reviewing DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 
Register published on April 11, 2000, (65 FR 19477), or view the 
Privacy Notice at https://www.regulations.gov before submitting 
comments.
    Docket: For docket access or to read background documents or 
comments, go to https://www.regulations.gov at any time or to Room W12-
140 on the ground level of the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 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-2019-0223.'' The docket clerk 
will date stamp the postcard prior to returning it to you via the U.S. 
Mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Smith, Office of Pipeline 
Safety, Engineering and Research Division, Pipeline and Hazardous 
Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, at 
919-238-4759 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Privacy Act Statement

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 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.

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 notice 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 notice, 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 Freedom of Information Act, and they will not be 
placed in the public docket of this notice. Submissions containing CBI 
should be sent to Robert Smith at DOT, PHMSA, PHP-80, 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.
    The Pipeline R&D Forum allows the public, government, and industry 
pipeline stakeholders to develop recommendations on the technical gaps 
and challenges for future pipeline safety research. It also reduces 
duplication of research programs, shares ongoing research efforts, 
leverages resources, and broadens synergies. The national research 
agenda that will be developed through this forum will help PHMSA align 
its research program with the needs of its pipeline safety mission and 
make use of the best available knowledge and expertise, as well as 
consider stakeholder perspectives. The Pipeline R&D Forum will also 
provide an opportunity to discuss the potential need for establishing 
an integrated safety research, development, and testing facility at the 
Transportation Technology Center located in Pueblo, Colorado. This 
would create a world-class national pipeline safety research facility 
used to accelerate innovation and bring new safety technologies to 
market more quickly than is currently possible.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 24, 2020, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Drue Pearce,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-01631 Filed 1-29-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P