Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

PHMSA has determined that the minimum random drug testing rate for covered employees will remain at 25 percent during calendar year 2008.

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.

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 sections 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'' demote a modification request. There applications have been separated from the new application for special permits to facilitate processing.

This final rule relaxes 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 change provides a less burdensome means for these operators to satisfy public awareness needs.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that PHMSA forwarded an Information Collection Request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an extension of the currently approved information collection: ``Pipeline Safety: Periodic Underwater Inspections'' (2137-0618). The purpose of this notice is to invite the public to submit comments on the request.

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 sections 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 for special permits to facilitate processing.

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.

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 applications is provided in association with each identified application.

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 of the actions on special permits applications in (June to September 2007). The mode of transportation involved are identified by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft. Application numbers prefixed by the letters EE represent applications for Emergency Special Permits. It should be noted that some of the sections cited were those in effect at the time certain special permits were issued.

This final rule corrects editorial errors, makes minor regulatory changes and, in response to requests for clarification, improves the clarity of certain provisions in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The intended effect of this rule is to enhance the accuracy and reduce misunderstandings of the regulations. The amendments contained in this rule are non-substantive changes that do not impose new requirements.

On January 31, 2007, PHMSA published a final rule that amended requirements in the Hazardous Materials Regulations applicable to the air transportation of compressed oxygen cylinders and oxygen generators. In response to appeals submitted by entities affected by the January 31 final rule, this final rule amends requirements adopted in the January 31, 2007 final rule and delays the effective date of these requirements from October 1, 2007 to October 1, 2008.

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.

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. Each mode of transportation for which a particular special permit is requested is indicated by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft.

This notice is to advise interested persons that PHMSA will conduct a public meeting in preparation for the twenty-first meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) to be held November 5-16, 2007 in Montreal, Canada.

This notice announces the availability of materials, including a briefing paper prepared for PHMSA's Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (THLPSSC) and data on risks posed by internal corrosion on hazardous liquid pipelines. PHMSA is preparing a report to Congress on the adequacy of the internal corrosion regulations for hazardous liquid pipelines. Participants at a meeting of the THLPSSC discussed issues involved in examining the adequacy of the regulations and requested additional data. PHMSA requests public comment on these matters.

PHMSA is issuing this updated advisory bulletin to owners and operators of natural gas pipeline distribution systems concerning the susceptibility of older plastic pipe to premature brittle-like cracking. PHMSA previously issued three advisory bulletins on this subject: Two on March 11, 1999 and one on November 26, 2002. This advisory bulletin expands on the information provided in the three prior bulletins by listing two additional pipe materials with poor performance histories relative to brittle-like cracking and by updating pipeline owners and operators on the ongoing voluntary efforts to collect and analyze data on plastic pipe performance. Owners and operators of natural gas pipeline distribution systems are encouraged to review the three previous advisory bulletins in their entirety.

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 sections 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 application for special permits to facilitate processing.

PHMSA and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are jointly seeking comments on issues or problems concerning requirements in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (referred to as TS-R-1). The IAEA is considering revisions to the TS-R-1 regulations as part of its review cycle for a 2011 edition.

The Department of Transportation (DOT), in coordination with the Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, and others, is considering current and future transportation challenges posed by growing demand for ethanol and other biofuels and biofuel blends. Although pipelines have long been a primary mode for high volume transportation of gasoline and other petroleum products, most biofuels used in the U.S. today are transported exclusively by marine vessel, rail, and/or highway. In support of the President's energy agenda, DOT is prepared to facilitate pipeline options by sponsoring research and development, resolving technical issues, and, if necessary, clarifying safety standards. The PHMSA is the DOT agency with regulatory authority over the safe and reliable transportation of hazardous materials by all modes, including pipelines. The PHMSA's Hazardous Materials Regulations govern the transportation of ethanol and other biofuels and blends by rail, air, motor carrier, and barge. The PHMSA's Pipeline Safety Regulations cover the transportation by pipeline of all petroleum products, including gasoline blended with biofuel. In this Notice, PHMSA sets forth a formal determination (for purposes of 49 U.S.C. 60101(a)(4)(B)) that the transportation of unblended biofuels by pipeline is subject to the agency's jurisdiction and invites comments on the adequacy of existing regulatory definitions and standards. This Notice also describes and invites comments on the agency's ongoing efforts to identify and address the short-, medium-, and long- term opportunities and challenges associated with transporting biofuels. The PHMSA is seeking comments on technical issues, adequacy of standards, and research and development needs associated with the transportation of biofuels by pipeline. We describe and invite comments on the agency's ongoing efforts to prepare communities and emergency responders to mitigate hazards associated with transportation involving new fuels.

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.

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 sections 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. There applications have been separated from the new application for special permits to facilitate processing.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that PHMSA forwarded an Information Collection Request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an extension of the currently approved collection of information ``Incorporation by Reference of Industry Standard on Leak Detection'' (2137-0598). The purpose of this notice is to invite the public to submit comments on the request to OMB.

PHMSA is in the process of reviewing widely-used special permits to identify those that have proven safety records and should be converted into the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) as regulations of general applicability. A special permit is an authorization issued by PHMSA that allows a company or individual to package or ship a hazardous material in a manner that varies from the regulations provided an equivalent level of safety is maintained or that, in an emergency, is necessary to protect life or property. Incorporation of special permits into the HMR is a regulatory reform effort.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA invites comments on an information collection under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 2137-0586, pertaining to Hazardous Materials Public Sector Training and Planning Grants. PHMSA will request approval from OMB for a revision to the current information collection. The revision implements a statutory provision authorizing PHMSA to request information from states concerning fees related to the transportation of hazardous materials. In addition, we are revising the current information collection to include more detailed information from grantees to enable us to more accurately evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program in meeting emergency response planning and training needs.