Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration September 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

PHMSA proposes to relax regulatory requirements governing public awareness programs conducted by operators of master meter systems and certain operators of petroleum gas systems. These operators typically manage property and incidentally provide gas service to customers located on the property. The proposed change provides a less burdensome means for these operators to satisfy public awareness needs.

Sabine Pass Liquefied Natural Gas (SPLNG) facility requests a waiver of compliance from the regulation that requires every Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility constructed after March 31, 2000 to comply with the National Fire Protection Association's standard 59A (NFPA 59A), 2001 Edition.

PHMSA proposes to make miscellaneous amendments to the Hazardous Materials Regulations based on petitions for rulemaking and PHMSA initiatives. These proposed amendments are intended to update, clarify or provide relief from certain regulatory requirements. Among other provisions, PHMSA is proposing a new proper shipping name and UN identification number for fuel mixtures composed of ethanol and gasoline to help emergency response personnel respond appropriately to incidents involving such fuel mixtures. In addition, PHMSA proposes to update certain incorporations by reference, revise and clarify certain hazard communication requirements, and clarify transportation requirements applicable to dry ice, detonator assemblies and explosives. PHMSA also proposes to provide expanded exceptions from regulation for household hazardous wastes and small amounts of materials used in pharmaceutical research.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR part 107, subpart B), notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein. This notice is abbreviated to expedite docketing and public notice. Because the section affected, modes of transportation, and the nature of application have been shown in earlier Federal Register publications, they are not repeated here. Request of modifications of special permits (e.g., to provide for additional hazardous materials, packaging design changes, additional mode of transportation, etc.) are described in footnotes to the application number. Application numbers with the suffix ``M'' denote a modification request. These applications have been separated from the new applications have been separated from the new application for special permits to facilitate processing.

PHMSA is correcting a minor error in a final rule, published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2006. That final rule corrected editorial errors, made minor regulatory changes and, in response to requests for clarification, improved the clarity of certain provisions in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).

In accordance with the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5117(c), PHMSA is publishing the following list of special permit applications that have been in process for 180 days or more. The reason(s) for delay and the expected completion date for action on each application is provided in association with each identified application.

We are proposing to extend pipeline safety regulations to rural onshore hazardous liquid gathering lines and low-stress lines within a defined buffer of previously defined ``unusually sensitive areas.'' These are non-populated areas requiring extra protection because of the presence of sole source drinking water resources, endangered species, or other ecological resources. This proposal will define ``regulated rural onshore gathering lines'' and ``regulated rural onshore low-stress lines'' and require operators of the lines to comply with certain safety requirements. These proposed safety requirements will address the most common threats to the integrity of these rural lines: corrosion and third-party damage. This proposal is intended to provide additional integrity protection for unusually sensitive areas that could be affected by these lines and improve public confidence in the safety of hazardous liquid rural onshore gathering and low-stress lines.