[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 46 (Monday, March 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13700-13703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04734]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0141]


Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA 
invites comments on proposed revisions to the hazardous liquid accident 
report form and its associated instructions. Revisions are being 
proposed to PHMSA F 7000-1 Accident Report--Hazardous Liquid Pipeline 
Systems under OMB Control No. 2137-0047.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
May 8, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted in the following ways:
    E-Gov website: http://www.regulations.gov. This site 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 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.
    Instructions: Identify the docket number, PHMSA-2019-0141 at the 
beginning of your comments. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to http://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

[[Page 13701]]

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 visit http://www.regulations.gov, before submitting any such comments.
    Docket: For access to the docket or to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov, at any time or to Room W12-
140 on the ground level of 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-
2019-0141.'' The Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior to 
returning it to you via the U.S. mail. Please note that due to delays 
in the delivery of U.S. mail to federal offices in Washington, DC, we 
recommend that persons consider an alternative method (internet, fax, 
or professional delivery service) of submitting comments to the docket 
and ensuring their timely receipt at DOT.

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 FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this notice. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to 
Angela Hill, DOT, PHMSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, PHP-30, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact 
Angela Hill by telephone at 202-366-1246, by email at 
[email protected], by fax at 202-366-4566, or by mail at DOT, PHMSA, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, PHP-30, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Section 1320.8(d), Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, requires 
PHMSA to provide interested members of the public and affected entities 
an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping 
requests. This notice identifies changes to information collections 
that PHMSA will be submitting to OMB.

PHMSA F 7000-1 Accident Report--Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Systems

    PHMSA proposes to reorganize the existing questions and add more 
detailed questions about accident response, accident consequences, 
operating conditions, cause, and contributing factors.

1. Change Form Name

    PHMSA proposes changing the name of the form to ``Accident Report--
Hazardous Liquid and Carbon Dioxide Systems''. This change would more 
accurately describe the types of pipelines for which this form should 
be used.

2. Time Zone and Daylight Savings

    PHMSA proposes adding the time zone and daylight savings status at 
the location and time of the accident. This data would help PHMSA 
correlate our accident investigation findings with the form.

3. Operational Status

    PHMSA proposes collecting the operational status of the pipeline 
system at the time the operator identified the failure. On the current 
form, there is an assumption that the pipeline was in service at the 
time the operator identified the failure, but this is often not the 
case. This change would help stakeholders understand the status of the 
pipeline and clarify the pipeline shutdown data.

4. Part A Reorganization and Detailed Questions About Accident Response

    PHMSA proposes reorganizing existing questions to help detail the 
sequence of operator actions and interactions as the accident proceeds. 
For example, how the operator first learned of the pipeline failure is 
currently collected in part E. PHMSA proposes to move this item to Part 
A. PHMSA also proposes adding new items to build a complete timeline 
including interactions with emergency responders, spill response 
resources, and details about ignition. This data would help 
stakeholders develop a more thorough understanding of the accident.

5. Multiple National Response Center Reports

    During response to accidents, pipeline operators often submit 
multiple reports to the National Response Center (NRC). In these 
instances, PHMSA proposes to collect each NRC report number. This 
change would help PHMSA correlate our accident investigation findings 
with the form.

6. Flow Control and Valve Closures

    PHMSA proposes adding questions about initial actions the operator 
took to control the flow of products to the failure location. When 
valves are used, PHMSA proposes collecting the date and time of the 
valve closure. This change would implement a Government Accountability 
Office (GAO) recommendation from GAO-13-168 ``Pipeline Safety: Better 
Data and Guidance needed to Improve Pipeline Operator Accident 
Response.'' This change would allow stakeholders to understand the 
actions taken by the operator to control the flow of products during 
accident response and collect data about the elapsed time to valve 
closure.

7. Area of Accident

    PHMSA proposes adding ``exposed due to loss of cover'' as a 
selection for the area of accident when ``Underground'' is selected. 
For pipelines installed underground and eventually exposed, the current 
form is not clear about whether ``Underground'' or ``Aboveground'' 
should be selected. Adding ``Exposed due to loss of cover'' as an 
underground option clarifies how to report the accident. This change 
would improve the consistency of reports.

8. Date of Water Crossing Evaluation

    PHMSA proposes adding a question to collect the date of the most 
recent evaluation of the water crossing. These formal evaluations can 
provide information critical to protecting the integrity of water 
crossings. This change would provide stakeholders with visibility of 
this critical information.

[[Page 13702]]

9. Outer Continental Shelf Regions

    PHMSA proposes collecting the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) region 
when an accident occurs on the OCS. This change would provide 
stakeholders with a more precise location of the accident.

10. Item Involved and Age of Failed Item

    PHMSA proposes modifying the selections for the item that failed. 
These modifications would reduce the number of times ``Other'' is 
selected and allow a more meaningful analysis of the data.
    PHMSA proposes collecting both the date of manufacture and the date 
of installation for the failed item. This would allow stakeholders to 
understand both the age of the failed item and how long it had been in 
service.

11. Details About Consequences

    Departmental guidelines for determining the benefit of proposed 
regulations (http://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.dev/files/docs/VSL%20Guidance%202013.pdf) include a table of relative values based on 
the severity of injury. PHMSA's forms currently collect the number of 
injured persons requiring in-patient overnight hospitalization. PHMSA 
proposes adding two less severe categories to the forms; injuries 
treated in a medical facility and injuries treated on-site. This data 
would enable a more thorough determination of the benefit of proposed 
regulations.
    PHMSA proposes to collect information on the volume of product 
consumed by fire. PHMSA already collects data about the volume of 
product released and whether ignition occurred. However, PHMSA cannot 
identify the volume of product burned. This data would allow PHMSA to 
more accurately determine the social cost of carbon and benefit of 
future proposed regulations.
    PHMSA proposes to collect data on the number of buildings affected 
by the accident. On the current forms, the property damage values do 
not include any details about the type of property damaged. This data 
would provide more details about the consequences of the accident and 
enable a more thorough determination of the benefit of future proposed 
regulations.

12. Establishing Maximum Pressure and Flow Reversals

    PHMSA proposes adding the method used by the operator to establish 
the maximum pressure for the pipeline system and the date the maximum 
pressure was established. Operators would choose from the six methods 
listed in 49 CFR 195.406. While each of the methods for establishing 
the maximum pressure meet the regulatory requirement, safety factors 
may differ between the methods. This data would help stakeholders 
identify the pipeline's maximum pressure methods with the specific 
safety factor.
    PHMSA also proposes adding a question about flow reversals. This 
data would help stakeholders have a better understanding of whether a 
flow reversal may have impacted the maximum pressure.

13. Length of Segment Isolated

    PHMSA proposes modifying the question about the length of pipeline 
isolated during accident response. In the current form, an assumption 
is made that valve closures will always be used to initially control 
flow to the failure location. This change would clarify the length to 
be reported when valves are not used to initially control flow to the 
failure location.

14. External Corrosion and Stray Current

    PHMSA proposes collecting additional details when stray current is 
the cause of external corrosion. PHMSA also proposes to clarify the 
conditions under which external corrosion cathodic protection is 
expected. This data would help stakeholders better understand the cause 
of external corrosion.

15. Natural Force Damage Additional Sub-Cause

    PHMSA proposes adding tree root damage as a sub-cause in the 
natural force damage cause category. This addition would reduce the 
number of accidents reported with a cause of ``Other.''

16. Excavation Details For All Excavation Damage

    In the current form, when a third party causes the excavation 
damage, PHMSA collects details about the excavation work. PHMSA 
proposes collecting details about the excavation work when the cause of 
the damage is first, second, or third party. When pipeline operator 
employees are excavating, and damage their own pipeline, the damage is 
considered first party. When an excavator is working under contract for 
the pipeline operator and damages the operator's pipeline, they are 
considered a second party. First and second party excavation details 
would allow stakeholders to understand the type of excavation work 
being performed by any party causing the excavation damage.
    The Common Ground Alliance recently changed the data structure for 
its Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT). PHMSA proposes updating 
the PHMSA accident report to match the revised DIRT data structure.

17. State Damage Prevention Law Exemptions

    PHMSA proposes adding information about exemptions from state 
damage prevention laws when the cause of the accident is excavation 
damage. This data would help stakeholders identify states in which 
damage prevention law exemptions may be associated with more frequent 
excavation damage to pipelines.

18. Material Failure Cause Changes

    When material failure of a pipe or weld causes the accident, a sub-
cause must be chosen. Errors in the design of pipeline facilities cause 
some accidents, but currently, design is not included in any sub-cause. 
PHMSA proposes adding design to the ``Construction-, Installation-, or 
Fabrication-related'' sub-cause. This change would reduce the number of 
reports with a cause of ``Other.''
    PHMSA proposes adding ``Hard Spot'' as another environmental 
cracking option. This is another type of environmental cracking that 
should be available for selection. This change would reduce the number 
of reports with a cause of ``Other.''
    PHMSA proposes adding a question to collect the post-construction 
pressure test value. When the pipe or a weld fails, the value of the 
post-construction pressure test is important to determining if the 
cause of the failure might have been present since original 
construction. This change would provide additional data to determine 
the cause of the pipe or weld failure.

19. Additional Integrity Inspection Data

    PHMSA proposes collecting two sets of in-line inspection (ILI) 
results. Under PHMSA regulations, operators conduct multiple rounds of 
integrity inspections. This change would provide a history of ILIs 
rather than just the most recent. The additional inspection data may 
provide insights into the effectiveness of the various types of ILIs.
    Also, in the current form, the same set of integrity inspection 
questions appear in four different cause sections. Only one cause can 
be selected so three sets of these questions are redundant. PHMSA 
proposes having the questions appear once. PHMSA would also adjust 
existing reports to have the questions appear only once. This change 
would

[[Page 13703]]

simplify the form by reducing the number of distinct data fields.
    PHMSA proposes collecting the type of direct assessment when this 
inspection method has been implemented. The additional inspection data 
may provide insights about the effectiveness of the various types of 
direct assessments.

20. Contributing Factors

    Pipeline operators currently select only one cause on the form. 
Factors contributing to, but not causing, an accident are often 
relevant to preventing future accidents. PHMSA proposes collecting data 
about contributing factors. The proposal is similar to a recommendation 
made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in a January 
2015 safety study report which can be viewed at http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SS1501.pdf. Collection of information 
on contributing factors in addition to the apparent cause would help 
stakeholders develop a more thorough understanding of the accident and 
ways to prevent future accidents.

II. Summary of Impacted Collection

    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 an information collection request that 
PHMSA will submit to OMB for renewal. PHMSA expects many of the new 
data elements are already known by the operator and no report requires 
the completion of all fields on the forms. PHMSA has estimated the 
burdens below by adding 20% to the previous burdens--12 hours instead 
of 10.
    The following information is provided for this information 
collection: (1) Title of the information collection; (2) OMB control 
number; (3) Current expiration date; (4) Type of request; (5) Abstract 
of the information collection activity; (6) Description of affected 
public; (7) Estimate of total annual reporting and recordkeeping 
burden; and (8) Frequency of collection. PHMSA will request a three-
year term of approval for this information collection activity. PHMSA 
requests comments on the following information:
    1. Title: Transportation of Hazardous Liquids by Pipeline: 
Recordkeeping and Accident Reporting.
    OMB Control Number: 2137-0047.
    Current Expiration Date: 01/31/2023.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: This information collection covers recordkeeping and 
accident reporting by hazardous liquid pipeline operators who are 
subject to 49 CFR part 195. Section 195.50 specifies the definition of 
an ``accident'' that must be reported to PHMSA and the reporting 
criteria for submitting a Hazardous Liquid Accident Report (form PHMSA 
F 7000-1) is detailed in Sec.  195.54. PHMSA is proposing to revise the 
form and instructions for PHMSA F 7000-1 for editorial and 
clarification purposes.
    Affected Public: Hazardous liquid pipeline operators.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:
    Annual Responses: 1,232.
    Annual Burden Hours: 53,229.
    Comments are invited on:
    (a) The need for the renewal and revision of these collections 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.

    Authority: Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 3, 2020, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2020-04734 Filed 3-6-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P