Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration February 12, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is granting Key West Pipeline Company (KWPC) a special permit waiving compliance from the Federal pipeline safety regulations that require a hazardous liquid pipeline operator to place a marker over the center of an exposed underwater pipeline segment that is less than 200 yards long and to bury an exposed underwater pipeline segment so that the top of the pipe is 36 inches below the underwater natural bottom for normal excavation or 18 inches for rock excavation. PHMSA finds that granting this special permit is not inconsistent with pipeline safety because the special permit analysis shows that the KWPC exposed underwater pipeline segment is in a restricted, shallow channel with surrounding water depths that would cause vessels to run aground before contacting the exposed underwater pipeline segment. Also, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has determined that placing a marker in the channel over the center of the exposed underwater pipeline segment would pose a hazard to navigation.