[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 103 (Friday, May 27, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32231-32232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11495]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2016-0007]


Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; El Paso Natural Gas 
Company, LLC

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 renewal received from El Paso Natural Gas 
Company, LLC (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 renewal request.

DATES: Submit any comments regarding this special permit request by 
June 27, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the docket number for this 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) 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 
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 renewal request of a 
special permit issued on September 1, 2016, to EPNG, a subsidiary of 
Kinder Morgan, Inc., 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, 49 CFR 192.619(a): Maximum 
allowable operating pressure: Steel or plastic pipelines, and 49 CFR 
192.5(c): Class locations.
    The September 1, 2016, special permit was granted for 29 special 
permit segments totaling approximately 6.56 miles of pipeline located 
in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. This special permit 
renewal is being requested in lieu of pipe replacement, pressure 
reduction, or new pressure tests for 17 gas transmission special permit 
segments totaling 23,662.95 feet (approximately 4.482 miles). The 12 
special permit segments that are not included in this notice nor the 
below table now meet the requirements of either 49 CFR 192.611(a) or 
192.619(a) for a Class 3 location. The 17 renewal special permit 
segments, which have changed from a Class 1 to Class 3 location, are as 
follows:

[[Page 32232]]



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                                                                                                                                       Maximum allowable
                                                                          Outside                                          Year       operating pressure
Renewal  special permit  segment No.           County, state             diameter        Line name     Length (feet)     installed    (pounds per square
                                                                         (inches)                                                         inch gauge)
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1...................................  Cochise, AZ...................              26            1100        1,412.75            1947                 837
2...................................  Cochise, AZ...................              26            1100        3,381.29            1947                 837
3...................................  Cochise, AZ...................              26            1100        1,456.14            1947                 837
4...................................  Pima, AZ......................              26            1100          301.74            1947                 809
5...................................  Cochise, AZ...................              30            1103        1,448.51            1950                 837
6...................................  Coconino, AZ..................              24            1200        1,363.19            1950                 845
13..................................  Coconino, AZ..................              34            1204        2,454.82            1956                 894
16..................................  Coconino, AZ..................              36            1208        1,371.77            1992                 845
17..................................  San Juan, NM..................              24            1200           87.04            1950                 845
18..................................  San Juan, NM..................              24            1200          620.54            1950                 845
19..................................  San Juan, NM..................              24            1201        2,571.93            1966                 845
21..................................  McKinley, NM..................              30            1300          831.24            1954                 836
25..................................  El Paso, TX...................              26            1100        2,180.94            1947                 809
26..................................  El Paso, TX...................              30            1103          710.25            1950                 809
27..................................  El Paso, TX...................              30            1103          924.93            1950                 809
28..................................  El Paso, TX...................              30            2000        1,182.64            2003                 944
29..................................  El Paso, TX...................              30            2000        1,363.23            2003                 944
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    The special permit renewal request, proposed special permit with 
conditions, draft environmental assessment (DEA), and annual report 
findings for pipeline integrity and reportable incidents for the above 
listed EPNG special permit segments are available for review and public 
comments in Docket No. PHMSA-2016-0007. PHMSA invites interested 
persons to review and submit comments on the special permit renewal 
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 renewal request, 
PHMSA will evaluate all comments received on or before the comments 
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, on May 16, 2022, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2022-11495 Filed 5-26-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P