[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 14 (Monday, January 25, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6963-6964]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01522]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2020-0008]


Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; El Paso Natural Gas 
Company, L.L.C.

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on 
a request for special permit received from the El Paso Natural Gas 
Company, L.L.C. (EPNG). The special permit request is seeking relief 
from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal pipeline 
safety regulations. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, 
PHMSA will review the comments received from this notice as part of its 
evaluation to grant or deny the special permit request.

DATES: Submit any comments regarding this special permit request by 
February 24, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the docket number for this 
specific special permit request and 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 System: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Docket Management System: U.S. Department 
of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, between 
9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.
    Instructions: You should identify the docket number for the special 
permit request you are commenting on at the beginning of your comments. 
If you submit your comments by mail, please submit two (2) copies. To 
receive confirmation that PHMSA has received your comments, please 
include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet users may submit 
comments at http://www.Regulations.gov.

    Note:  There is a privacy statement published on http://www.Regulations.gov. Comments, including any personal information 
provided, are posted without changes or edits to http://www.Regulations.gov.

    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 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) Sec.  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 Kay McIver, DOT, PHMSA-PHP-80, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Any commentary PHMSA receives that is not

[[Page 6964]]

specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for 
this matter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    General: Ms. Kay McIver by telephone at 202-366-0113, or by email 
at [email protected].
    Technical: Mr. Steve Nanney by telephone at 713-272-2855, or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA received a special permit request from 
EPNG seeking a waiver from the requirements of 49 CFR 192.611(a) and 
(d): Change in class location: Confirmation or revision of maximum 
allowable operating pressure, and Sec.  192.619(a): Maximum allowable 
operating pressure: Steel or plastic pipelines. This special permit is 
being requested in lieu of pipe replacement or pressure reduction for 
one (1) special permit segment of 650 feet (0.123 miles) on the EPNG 
pipeline system. The proposed special permit segment is located in Ward 
County, Texas. The EPNG pipeline class location in the special permit 
segment has changed from a Class 2 to a Class 3 location. The EPNG 
pipeline special permit segment is a 30-inch diameter pipeline with an 
existing maximum allowable operating pressure of 944 pounds per square 
inch gauge. The installation of the special permit segment occurred in 
2003.
    The special permit request, proposed special permit with 
conditions, and Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the EPNG 
pipeline are available for review and public comment in Docket No. 
PHMSA-2020-0008. We invite interested persons to review and submit 
comments on the special permit request and DEA in the docket. Please 
include any comments on potential safety and environmental impacts that 
may result if the special permit is granted. Comments may include 
relevant data.
    Before issuing a decision on the special permit request, PHMSA will 
evaluate all comments received on or before the comment closing date. 
Comments received after the closing date will be evaluated, if it is 
possible to do so without incurring additional expense or delay. PHMSA 
will consider each relevant comment it receives in making its decision 
to grant or deny this special permit request.

    Issued in Washington, DC, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 
1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2021-01522 Filed 1-22-21; 8:45 am]
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