Department of Transportation January 4, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal pipeline safety laws allow a pipeline operator to request PHMSA to waive compliance with any part of the Federal pipeline safety regulations. We are publishing this notice to provide a list of requests we have received from pipeline operators seeking relief from compliance with certain pipeline safety regulations. This notice seeks public comment on these requests, including comments on any environmental impacts. In addition, this notice reminds the public that we have changed what we call a decision granting such a request to a special permit. At the conclusion of the comment period, PHMSA will evaluate each request individually to determine whether to grant a special permit or deny the request.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

This notice solicits information and comments on proposed recommended practices for loading and unloading operations involving bulk packagings used to transport hazardous materials. In this notice, we summarize incident data related to bulk loading and unloading operations; discuss recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Chemical and Safety Hazard Investigation Board; provide an overview of current Federal regulations applicable to bulk loading and unloading operations; summarize the results of a public workshop we hosted earlier this year; and set forth proposed recommended practices for bulk loading and unloading operations. Based on information and comments received, we plan to consider strategies for enhancing the safety of bulk loading and unloading operations, including whether additional regulatory requirements may be necessary. In addition, we are soliciting comments on whether there are existing gaps and/or overlaps in regulations promulgated by PHMSA, OSHA, EPA and the USCG that adversely affect the safety of these operations, and how any identified gaps and/or overlaps in Federal regulations should be addressed.