[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 121 (Thursday, June 26, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27384-27385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-11787]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0202]
Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit
AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA);
DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on
a request for one (1) special permit segment extension submitted by
Columbia Gas Transmission System (TCO), a subsidiary of TC Energy. TCO
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
July 28, 2025.
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 treated as private by its
owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 United States
Code 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 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 Lee Cooper, 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: Mr. Lee Cooper by telephone at 202-913-3171, or by email
at [email protected].
Technical: Mr. Zaid Obeidi by telephone at 202-768-4354, or by
email at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA received a special permit request from
TCO, a subsidiary of TC Energy, on January 10, 2025, seeking the
addition of a special permit segment extension to be incorporated into
special permit PHMSA-2019-0202. The special permit segment extension
request is a part of the active permit's special permit inspection area
(SPIA). Special permit PHMSA-2019-0202 allows TCO to deviate from the
Federal pipeline safety regulations in 49 CFR 192.611(a), (d), and
192.619(a), where a gas transmission pipeline segment has undergone a
change from a Class 1 to a Class 3 location.
Special permit PHMSA-2019-0202 is active and was granted on June
30, 2023 \1\ and is effective until June 30, 2033 for seven (7) special
permit segments, which include 15,599 feet (approximately 2.954 miles)
of the TCO natural gas transmission pipeline system located in the
states of Maryland and Virginia. The special permit segment extension
is requested for an additional 2,090 feet (approximately 0.396 miles).
If granted, the special permit would total 17,689 feet (approximately
3.350 miles).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Special Permit PHMSA-2019-0202 was originally issued on
March 31, 2022 and amended on June 30, 2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The active special permit segment and requested extension, is as
follows:
[[Page 27385]]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum allowable
Outside Length Year operating pressure
SPS No. Status County, state diameter Line name (feet) installed (pounds per square
(inches) inch gauge)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5........................ Active Segment.............. Loudoun, VA................ 30 VC 481 1962 898
Extension................... Loudoun, VA................ 30 VC 2,090 1962 898
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upon receipt of this request, an Environmental Protection
Specialist from PHMSA's Environmental Analysis and Compliance Division
reviewed the Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) and its findings. In
consideration of this, PHMSA finds that the expansion of the proposed
special permit would not result in significant impacts to the human
environment. Furthermore, the existing FEA and Finding of No
Significant Impact remain adequate, pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
No further environmental assessment is required for this proposal.
TCO's special permit segment extension request, active special
permit with conditions, and FEA are available for review and public
comment in Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0202. PHMSA invites interested persons
to review and submit comments in the docket on the special permit
segment extension request. Please submit comments on any potential
safety, environmental, and other relevant considerations implicated by
the special permit request. Comments may include relevant data.
Before issuing a decision on the special permit request, PHMSA will
evaluate all comments received on or before the comments closing date.
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 June 24, 2025 under authority
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Linda Daugherty,
Acting Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2025-11787 Filed 6-25-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P