Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration March 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pipeline Safety: Public Comment on Leak and Valve Studies Mandated by the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011
Document Number: 2012-7729
Type: Notice
Date: 2012-03-30
Agency: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation (DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is providing an important opportunity through this notice for all stakeholders to publically comment on the scope of recently commissioned studies involving leak detection systems and valves. This action and others described within this notice will support the comprehensive investigation of topics and issues Congress has charged to PHMSA.
United States-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC)-Transportation-Dangerous Goods Working Group
Document Number: 2012-7193
Type: Notice
Date: 2012-03-26
Agency: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
This notice is a request for comments and suggestions relative to the draft work plan of the TransportationDangerous Goods Working Group, of the United States-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC). Comments will be accepted from all interested stakeholders.
Hazardous Materials: Approval and Communication Requirements for the Safe Transportation of Air Bag Inflators, Air Bag Modules, and Seat-Belt Pretensioners
Document Number: 2012-7169
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2012-03-26
Agency: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
In this NPRM, PHMSA is proposing to revise the Hazardous Materials Regulations applicable to air bag inflators, air bag modules, and seat-belt pretensioners. The proposed changes would incorporate the provisions of two special permits into the regulations. In addition, PHMSA proposes to revise the current approval and documentation requirements for a material appropriately classified as a UN3268 air bag inflator, air bag module, or seat-belt pretensioner. The proposed changes will, if adopted, reduce the regulatory burden on the automotive industry while maintaining the current level of safety.
Pipeline Safety: Cast Iron Pipe (Supplementary Advisory Bulletin)
Document Number: 2012-7080
Type: Notice
Date: 2012-03-23
Agency: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
PHMSA is issuing an advisory bulletin to owners and operators of natural gas cast iron distribution pipelines and state pipeline safety representatives. Recent deadly explosions in Philadelphia and Allentown, Pennsylvania involving cast iron pipelines installed in 1942 and 1928, respectively, gained national attention and highlight the need for continued safety improvements to aging gas pipeline systems. This bulletin is an update of two prior Alert Notices (ALN-91-02; October 11, 1991 and ALN-92-02; June 26, 1992) covering the continued use of cast iron pipe in natural gas distribution pipeline systems. This advisory bulletin reiterates two prior Alert Notices which remain relevant, urges owners and operators to conduct a comprehensive review of their cast iron distribution pipelines and replacement programs and accelerate pipeline repair, rehabilitation and replacement of high-risk pipelines, requests state agencies to consider enhancements to cast iron replacement plans and programs, and alerts owners and operators of the pipeline safety requirements for the investigation of failures. In addition, the latest survey and reporting requirements of cast iron pipelines required by the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 are included for information.
Pipeline Safety: Implementation of the National Registry of Pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas Operators
Document Number: 2012-6860
Type: Rule
Date: 2012-03-21
Agency: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
This notice advises owners and operators of pipeline facilities of PHMSA's plan for implementing the national registry of pipeline and liquefied natural gas operators. This notice provides updates to the information contained in a PHMSA Advisory Bulletin published on January 13, 2012 (77 FR 2126).
Office of Hazardous Materials Safety; Notice of Applications for Modification of Special Permit
Document Number: 2012-6603
Type: Notice
Date: 2012-03-21
Agency: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
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 applications described herein. This notice is abbreviated to expedite docketing and public notice. Because the sections affected, modes of transportation, and the nature of application have been shown in earlier Federal Register publications, they are not repeated here. Requests for modification 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 application for special permits to facilitate processing.
Pipeline Safety: Notice to Operators of Driscopipe® 8000 High Density Polyethylene Pipe of the Potential for Material Degradation
Document Number: 2012-5424
Type: Notice
Date: 2012-03-06
Agency: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
PHMSA is issuing this advisory bulletin to alert operators using Driscopipe[supreg] 8000 High Density Polyethylene Pipe (Drisco8000) of the potential for material degradation. Degradation has been identified on pipe between one-half inch to two inches in diameter that was installed between 1978 and 1999 in desert-like environments in the southwestern United States. However, since root causes of the degradation have not been determined, PHMSA cannot say with certainty that this issue is isolated to these regions, operating environments, pipe sizes, or pipe installation dates. While the manufacturer has attempted to communicate with known or suspected users, PHMSA and the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR) have identified several operators currently using Drisco8000 pipe who had not received communications about the issue. PHMSA is issuing this advisory bulletin to all operators of Drisco8000 pipe in an effort to ensure they are aware of the issue, communicating with the manufacturer and their respective regulatory authorities to determine if their systems are susceptible to similar degradation, and taking measures to address it.
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