Pipeline Safety: Public Meeting on Use of Excess Flow Valves in Gas Distribution Service Lines, 28353-28354 [05-9914]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 17, 2005 / Notices
ArvinMeritor believes that the
noncompliance is inconsequential to
motor vehicle safety and that no
corrective action is warranted.
ArvinMeritor states that it has
conducted dynamic testing of vehicles
simulating the affected automatic slack
adjusters and based on the results of this
testing, ArvinMeritor is satisfied that the
braking systems will still halt a vehicle
within the stopping distances required
by FMVSS No. 121. (The technical
summary of brake performance
evaluation tests can be found in the
NHTSA Docket as an attachment to
ArvinMeritor’s petition.)
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments on the petition described
above. Comments must refer to the
docket and notice number cited at the
beginning of this notice and be
submitted by any of the following
methods. Mail: Docket Management
Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Nassif Building, Room
PL–401, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590–0001. Hand
Delivery: Room PL–401 on the plaza
level of the Nassif Building, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC. It
is requested, but not required, that two
copies of the comments be provided.
The Docket Section is open on
weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except
Federal holidays. Comments may be
submitted electronically by logging onto
the Docket Management System Web
site at https://dms.dot.gov. Click on
‘‘Help’’ to obtain instructions for filing
the document electronically. Comments
may be faxed to 1–202–493–2251, or
may be submitted to the Federal
eRulemaking Portal: go to https://
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instructions for submitting comments.
The petition, supporting materials,
and all comments received before the
close of business on the closing date
indicated below will be filed and will be
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supporting materials received after the
closing date will also be filed and will
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notice of the decision will be published
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authority indicated below.
Comment closing date: June 16, 2005.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30118, 30120:
delegations of authority at CFR 1.50 and
501.8.
Issued on: May 11, 2005.
Ronald L. Medford,
Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle
Safety.
[FR Doc. 05–9741 Filed 5–16–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–59–P
VerDate jul<14>2003
15:22 May 16, 2005
Jkt 205001
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration
[Docket No. RSPA–03–14455]
Pipeline Safety: Public Meeting on Use
of Excess Flow Valves in Gas
Distribution Service Lines
Office of Pipeline Safety,
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice; public meeting.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration’s
(PHMSA) Office of Pipeline Safety
(OPS) is sponsoring a public meeting on
the use of Excess Flow Valves in gas
distribution safety lines as a technique
for mitigating the consequences of
service line incidents. The meeting will
be held on June 17, 2005, in
Washington, DC.
DATES: The public meeting will be held
Friday, June 17, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. to
3 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Ritz Carlton hotel, Pentagon City,
1250 South Hays Street, Arlington, VA
22202. The phone number for hotel
reservations is (703) 415–5000 or 1–
(800)–241–3333. Attendees staying at
the hotel must make reservations by
May 30.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mike Israni (PHMSA/OPS) at 202–366–
4571; mike.israni@dot.gov, regarding the
subject matter of this notice. For
information regarding meeting logistics,
please contact Cheryl Whetsel at 202–
366–4431; cheryl.whetsel@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA/
OPS invites public participation in a
meeting to be held on June 17, 2005, to
discuss use of excess flow valves (EFV)
in gas distribution service lines to
mitigate the consequences of potential
service line incidents. The preliminary
agenda for this meeting includes
briefings on the following topics:
Operator Case Studies and Experience
Analysis of Recent Incident Data
NTSB Position and Recommendation
Views of State Regulatory
Commissioners
Views of State Fire Marshals
Views of EFV Manufacturers
Views of Industry Trade Associations
A study for the National Association of
Regulatory Utility Commissioners
(NARUC) conducted by the National
Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI)
Distribution Integrity Management
Program role in EFVs
PO 00000
Frm 00085
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
28353
Background
EFVs are devices designed to be
installed in gas service lines, the
pipelines that carry gas from a
distribution main to each individual
customer. They automatically shut off
the flow of natural gas in a service line
when the line is ruptured. Proper
operation of an EFV would minimize or
eliminate safety consequences from fires
caused by escaped gas.
EFVs will not shut off flow in
response to a leak in a building or in
response to a slow leak, such as a leak
caused by corrosion or a small crack in
the service line. If an EFV activates
improperly when there is no line break,
i.e., spurious actuation, it would cut off
gas flow to the customer.
Proposals to Require EFV Installation
In 2001, the National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that
DOT mandate installation of EFVs as a
means of reducing or preventing injury
or death from incidents resulting from
service line breaks or ruptures in all
new and renewed service lines where
operating conditions are compatible
with available valves.
The public safety community has also
weighed-in on this issue. The
International Association of Fire Chiefs
(IAFC) and the International Association
of Fire Fighters (IAFF) believe the use
of EFVs should be required. The
National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) and the National Association of
State Fire Marshals (NASFM) have
expressed interest in exploring options
to improve gas distribution pipeline
integrity management.
State Regulatory Considerations
Nearly all gas service lines are under
the regulatory authority of state
regulatory commissions. PHMSA/OPS
has been discussing the need to
mandate the installation of EFVs with
state regulators. A requirement could be
promulgated in a stand-alone federal
regulation. Alternatively, operators
could be required to consider the use of
the valves among a range of prevention
and mitigation options within the
broader context of a Gas Distribution
Integrity Management rule.
To date, no state has taken a position
in support of a stand-alone federal
mandate. Several states strongly oppose
a stand-alone federal mandate. The
leadership of the National Association
of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
(NARUC) has expressed the view that
the use of the valves should be
considered within the broader context
of a Gas Distribution Integrity
Management regulation. NARUC has
E:\FR\FM\17MYN1.SGM
17MYN1
28354
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 17, 2005 / Notices
begun its own independent study of this
matter to assist in understanding the
position of each of the states.
Benefit-Cost Study
In 2002, OPS tasked the Volpe Center
to update a previous benefit-cost study
for the mandatory installation of EFVs
in new and renewed residential gas
service lines. In December 2002, Volpe
completed a draft benefit-cost analysis.
PHMSA/OPS then published the study
in the Federal Register to obtain public
comments on the analysis and the
underlying data and assumptions.
Thirty-nine comments were received
from the gas pipeline industry, one
state, the fire prevention community,
and the public. Many of these comments
addressed data errors.
In September 2003, Volpe published a
final benefit-cost study that corrected
errors in the calculations, including an
assumed EFV activation rate that was
overstated by a factor of 10. The final
estimated benefit-cost ratio for
mandatory installation of EFVs
remained low, between 0.29 and 0.88,
depending on assumptions. This means
that implementation of the NTSB
recommendation for residential gas
service lines would expensive relative
to the expected benefits.
Distribution Integrity Management
At present, PHMSA/OPS is
considering whether requirements
should be imposed to help better assure
the integrity of gas distribution pipeline
systems and, if so, how those
requirements should be structured.
PHMSA/OPS is working with a work/
study group consisting of
representatives of state pipeline safety
regulators, the gas distribution industry,
the Gas Pipeline Technology
Committee, the Fire Marshal’s
Association, and the public. Members of
this group are expected to meet
periodically, throughout 2005, to
evaluate various topics about the
decision regarding the need for and
nature of potential distribution integrity
management requirements. This work/
study group is considering the use of
EFVs, in the context of an overall
integrity management program, as one
of a range of actions that could help to
mitigate the consequences of
distribution pipeline system incidents.
The work/study group notes that there
is limited data available on actual
experience with EFVs either regarding
whether they have been effective in
mitigating accidents, or whether they
have experienced high rates of spurious
actuation that interrupts gas flow to
customers. The group is conducting
surveys and reviewing available data to
VerDate jul<14>2003
15:22 May 16, 2005
Jkt 205001
try to better understand the issues
related to potential EF requirements.
Current Actions
PHMSA/OPS also is conducting
evaluations of EFV use. The following
actions have been completed or are
currently underway.
(1) PHMSA/OPS completed a study of
five years of incident data and
concluded that at most, 100 of 634
reportable incidents met criteria for
activation of an EFV. This study will be
discussed during the public meeting.
(2) PHMSA/OPS commissioned a new
study with Oak Ridge National
Laboratory to validate EFV performance
since the 1998 rulemaking. This study
team of research and academic
professionals will review measurable
data that PHMSA/OPS will collect from
individual operators on the operational
history of EFVs. PHMSA/OPS has not
collected this type of information since
the performance standards were set by
the American Society of Testing and
Materials (ASTM).
(3) PHMSA/OPS is commissioning
further statistical analysis to evaluate
operational success rate, false positives,
trigger rate, and reduction in damages.
(4) PHMSA/OPS collected additional
data from state pipeline regulators on
EFV installations and activations,
including incidents that didn’t reach the
reporting threshold. This data revealed
that a larger than expected number of
operators are voluntarily installing
EFVs.
(5) PHMSA/OPS is cooperating with
NARUC on its study of the use of EFVs.
(6) PHMSA/OPS is working with
NASFM to review incident data
collected by the fire service and to
discuss opportunities to enhance overall
distribution pipeline safety, including
the use of the EFVs.
(7) PHMSA/OPS established a State/
Federal Distribution Integrity
Management work group to consider
development of EFV requirements as a
mitigation measure under a Distribution
Integrity Management Program.
Need for Public Input
As described above, much work is
ongoing and stakeholders have taken
various positions regarding the need to
require use of EFVs. The benefit-cost
analysis does not appear to support a
requirement mandating installation of
EFVs.
This meeting will update the public
on the continuing EFV activities and
provide interested stakeholders an
opportunity to present their positions
for and against a requirement to use
EFVs. Therefore, PHMSA/OPS
encourages interested members of the
PO 00000
Frm 00086
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
public to attend the meeting and to
share their views on EFVs. These views
will be considered in making decisions
regarding the mandatory use of EFVs.
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 12,
2005.
Florence L. Hamn,
Director, Office of Regulations, Office of
Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 05–9914 Filed 5–16–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–60–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
Proposed Agency Information
Collection Activities: Comment
Request
Surface Transportation Board,
Transportation.
ACTION: 60-day notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation
Board (Board), as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and
as required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
(PRA), gives notice that the Board
proposes to request reinstatement
without change of a previously
approved information collection that
has expired. Comments are requested
concerning (1) Whether the particular
collection of information described
below is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Board, including whether the collection
has practical utility; (2) the accuracy of
the Board’s burden estimates; (3) ways
to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information collected; and
(4) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on the
respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
when appropriate. Submitted comments
will be summarized and included in the
Board’s request for Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
approval. In this notice the Board is
requesting comments on the following
information collection:
Title: Application to Open an Account
for Billing Purposes.
OMB Control Number: 2104–0006.
Form Number: STB Form 1032.
Number of Respondents: 20.
Affected Public: Mail carriers,
shippers, and others doing business
before the agency.
Estimated Time Per Response: Less
than .08 hours. This estimate is based
on actual past survey information.
E:\FR\FM\17MYN1.SGM
17MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 17, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28353-28354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9914]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[Docket No. RSPA-03-14455]
Pipeline Safety: Public Meeting on Use of Excess Flow Valves in
Gas Distribution Service Lines
AGENCY: Office of Pipeline Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice; public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's
(PHMSA) Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is sponsoring a public meeting
on the use of Excess Flow Valves in gas distribution safety lines as a
technique for mitigating the consequences of service line incidents.
The meeting will be held on June 17, 2005, in Washington, DC.
DATES: The public meeting will be held Friday, June 17, 2005, from 8:30
a.m. to 3 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Ritz Carlton hotel, Pentagon
City, 1250 South Hays Street, Arlington, VA 22202. The phone number for
hotel reservations is (703) 415-5000 or 1-(800)-241-3333. Attendees
staying at the hotel must make reservations by May 30.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Israni (PHMSA/OPS) at 202-366-
4571; mike.israni@dot.gov, regarding the subject matter of this notice.
For information regarding meeting logistics, please contact Cheryl
Whetsel at 202-366-4431; cheryl.whetsel@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA/OPS invites public participation in a
meeting to be held on June 17, 2005, to discuss use of excess flow
valves (EFV) in gas distribution service lines to mitigate the
consequences of potential service line incidents. The preliminary
agenda for this meeting includes briefings on the following topics:
Operator Case Studies and Experience
Analysis of Recent Incident Data
NTSB Position and Recommendation
Views of State Regulatory Commissioners
Views of State Fire Marshals
Views of EFV Manufacturers
Views of Industry Trade Associations
A study for the National Association of Regulatory Utility
Commissioners (NARUC) conducted by the National Regulatory Research
Institute (NRRI)
Distribution Integrity Management Program role in EFVs
Background
EFVs are devices designed to be installed in gas service lines, the
pipelines that carry gas from a distribution main to each individual
customer. They automatically shut off the flow of natural gas in a
service line when the line is ruptured. Proper operation of an EFV
would minimize or eliminate safety consequences from fires caused by
escaped gas.
EFVs will not shut off flow in response to a leak in a building or
in response to a slow leak, such as a leak caused by corrosion or a
small crack in the service line. If an EFV activates improperly when
there is no line break, i.e., spurious actuation, it would cut off gas
flow to the customer.
Proposals to Require EFV Installation
In 2001, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
recommended that DOT mandate installation of EFVs as a means of
reducing or preventing injury or death from incidents resulting from
service line breaks or ruptures in all new and renewed service lines
where operating conditions are compatible with available valves.
The public safety community has also weighed-in on this issue. The
International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International
Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) believe the use of EFVs should be
required. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the
National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) have expressed
interest in exploring options to improve gas distribution pipeline
integrity management.
State Regulatory Considerations
Nearly all gas service lines are under the regulatory authority of
state regulatory commissions. PHMSA/OPS has been discussing the need to
mandate the installation of EFVs with state regulators. A requirement
could be promulgated in a stand-alone federal regulation.
Alternatively, operators could be required to consider the use of the
valves among a range of prevention and mitigation options within the
broader context of a Gas Distribution Integrity Management rule.
To date, no state has taken a position in support of a stand-alone
federal mandate. Several states strongly oppose a stand-alone federal
mandate. The leadership of the National Association of Regulatory
Utility Commissioners (NARUC) has expressed the view that the use of
the valves should be considered within the broader context of a Gas
Distribution Integrity Management regulation. NARUC has
[[Page 28354]]
begun its own independent study of this matter to assist in
understanding the position of each of the states.
Benefit-Cost Study
In 2002, OPS tasked the Volpe Center to update a previous benefit-
cost study for the mandatory installation of EFVs in new and renewed
residential gas service lines. In December 2002, Volpe completed a
draft benefit-cost analysis. PHMSA/OPS then published the study in the
Federal Register to obtain public comments on the analysis and the
underlying data and assumptions. Thirty-nine comments were received
from the gas pipeline industry, one state, the fire prevention
community, and the public. Many of these comments addressed data
errors.
In September 2003, Volpe published a final benefit-cost study that
corrected errors in the calculations, including an assumed EFV
activation rate that was overstated by a factor of 10. The final
estimated benefit-cost ratio for mandatory installation of EFVs
remained low, between 0.29 and 0.88, depending on assumptions. This
means that implementation of the NTSB recommendation for residential
gas service lines would expensive relative to the expected benefits.
Distribution Integrity Management
At present, PHMSA/OPS is considering whether requirements should be
imposed to help better assure the integrity of gas distribution
pipeline systems and, if so, how those requirements should be
structured. PHMSA/OPS is working with a work/study group consisting of
representatives of state pipeline safety regulators, the gas
distribution industry, the Gas Pipeline Technology Committee, the Fire
Marshal's Association, and the public. Members of this group are
expected to meet periodically, throughout 2005, to evaluate various
topics about the decision regarding the need for and nature of
potential distribution integrity management requirements. This work/
study group is considering the use of EFVs, in the context of an
overall integrity management program, as one of a range of actions that
could help to mitigate the consequences of distribution pipeline system
incidents.
The work/study group notes that there is limited data available on
actual experience with EFVs either regarding whether they have been
effective in mitigating accidents, or whether they have experienced
high rates of spurious actuation that interrupts gas flow to customers.
The group is conducting surveys and reviewing available data to try to
better understand the issues related to potential EF requirements.
Current Actions
PHMSA/OPS also is conducting evaluations of EFV use. The following
actions have been completed or are currently underway.
(1) PHMSA/OPS completed a study of five years of incident data and
concluded that at most, 100 of 634 reportable incidents met criteria
for activation of an EFV. This study will be discussed during the
public meeting.
(2) PHMSA/OPS commissioned a new study with Oak Ridge National
Laboratory to validate EFV performance since the 1998 rulemaking. This
study team of research and academic professionals will review
measurable data that PHMSA/OPS will collect from individual operators
on the operational history of EFVs. PHMSA/OPS has not collected this
type of information since the performance standards were set by the
American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM).
(3) PHMSA/OPS is commissioning further statistical analysis to
evaluate operational success rate, false positives, trigger rate, and
reduction in damages.
(4) PHMSA/OPS collected additional data from state pipeline
regulators on EFV installations and activations, including incidents
that didn't reach the reporting threshold. This data revealed that a
larger than expected number of operators are voluntarily installing
EFVs.
(5) PHMSA/OPS is cooperating with NARUC on its study of the use of
EFVs.
(6) PHMSA/OPS is working with NASFM to review incident data
collected by the fire service and to discuss opportunities to enhance
overall distribution pipeline safety, including the use of the EFVs.
(7) PHMSA/OPS established a State/Federal Distribution Integrity
Management work group to consider development of EFV requirements as a
mitigation measure under a Distribution Integrity Management Program.
Need for Public Input
As described above, much work is ongoing and stakeholders have
taken various positions regarding the need to require use of EFVs. The
benefit-cost analysis does not appear to support a requirement
mandating installation of EFVs.
This meeting will update the public on the continuing EFV
activities and provide interested stakeholders an opportunity to
present their positions for and against a requirement to use EFVs.
Therefore, PHMSA/OPS encourages interested members of the public to
attend the meeting and to share their views on EFVs. These views will
be considered in making decisions regarding the mandatory use of EFVs.
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 12, 2005.
Florence L. Hamn,
Director, Office of Regulations, Office of Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 05-9914 Filed 5-16-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
