Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration September 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On July 30, 2014, (79 FR 44246) PHMSA published a notice and request for comments in the Federal Register titled: ``Pipeline Safety: Request for Revision of a Previously Approved Information Collection: National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) Program (OMB Control No. 2137- 0596)'' seeking comments on proposed changes to the NPMS data collection. PHMSA has received a request to extend the comment period in order to provide more time to evaluate the proposed revisions. PHMSA is extending the comment period from September 29, 2014, to December 1, 2014.

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.

PHMSA is notifying the public of its intent to extend the comment period by thirty days for a notice of proposed rulemaking entitled ``Hazardous Materials: Reverse Logistics'' under Docket Number PHMSA-2011-0143 (HM-253) published in the Federal Register on August 11, 2014.

This document clarifies PHMSA's policy regarding applications for classification approval of Display Mines provided they conform to the acceptable criteria described in this guidance, and otherwise comply with the APA Standard 87-1 requirements.

This notice announces a public meeting of the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC), also known as the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, and the Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committee (LPAC), also known as the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee. The committees will meet in joint session to discuss a variety of topics to keep committee members up-to-date on DOT's pipeline safety program.

PHMSA is issuing this advisory bulletin to all owners and operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines to provide further clarification regarding the notification(s) required prior to certain construction-related events. PHMSA needs to be aware of certain construction-related events to have sufficient time to schedule reviews of pipeline construction plans and inspections. Moreover, timely construction plan reviews and inspections by PHMSA could help operators avoid costly modifications, repairs and/or additions to achieve compliance with the Federal pipeline safety regulations. Accordingly, PHMSA strongly encourages operators to provide the required construction-related notification(s) not later than 60 days prior to whichever of the following activities occurs first: Material purchasing and manufacturing; right-of-way acquisition; construction equipment move-in activities; onsite or offsite fabrications; or right-of-way clearing, grading and ditching. PHMSA also strongly encourages operators to provide the required notification(s) for the construction of 10 or more miles of a new pipeline for a pipeline that: (1) Did not previously exist; and (2) for the replacement of 10 or more contiguous miles of line pipe in an existing pipeline.

This notice advises interested persons that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is accepting input on ways to improve the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) as it develops the 2016 version (ERG2016), particularly from those who have experience using the ERG. The ERG is for use by emergency services personnel to provide guidance for initial response to hazardous materials incidents. The development of the ERG2016 is a joint effort involving the transportation agencies of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.