Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule corrects editorial errors and improves the clarity of certain provisions in PHMSA's program and procedural regulations and in the Hazardous Materials Regulations. The intended effect of this rulemaking is to enhance accuracy and reduce misunderstandings of the regulations. The amendments contained in this final rule are non-substantive changes and do not impose new requirements.

This final rule revises the Hazardous Materials Regulations for lithium cells and batteries transported by aircraft and is consistent with the previously published Interim Final Rule, which responded to congressional mandates; prohibited the transport of lithium ion cells and batteries as cargo on passenger aircraft; required lithium ion cells and batteries to be shipped at not more than a 30 percent state of charge aboard cargo-only aircraft when not packed with or contained in equipment; and limited the use of alternative provisions for smaller lithium cell or battery shipments to one package per consignment. In response to comments, this final rule provides editorial amendments and modification of certain provisions including marking requirements, requests for an extension on the compliance date, and exception for lithium cells or batteries used for medical devices with approval by the Associate Administrator.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

This notice announces an informational public meeting to address multiple safety topics including progress on reduction of methane emissions, energy transformation, safety bulletins, and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations. PHMSA will also webcast the in-person public meeting in Houston, Texas, which is scheduled for December 13-15, 2022.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

PHMSA announces the availability for public review and comment on the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) Grant Program Tier 1 Nationwide Environmental Assessment. PHMSA is using a programmatic, tiered environmental analysis to: describe the effects of implementing the NGDISM Grant Program and ensure that implementation of the NGDISM Grant Program at any project site complies with environmental laws and does not result in a significant environmental impact.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS) will hold a public Research, Development & Technology Forum on December 1, 2022, virtually on Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) to present the results of recently completed projects, brief new project plans, and obtain stakeholder input on the direction of current and future research projects on topics including mitigation of climate change, risk management and mitigation, packaging integrity, emerging technology, and technical analysis to aid risk assessment.

This notice announces a virtual public meeting and forum titled: ``Liquefied Natural Gas Research and Development Public Meeting and Forum.'' The public meeting and forum will serve as an opportunity for pipeline stakeholders to discuss research gaps and challenges in the LNG industry. Furthermore, it will also serve as a venue for PHMSA, public interest groups, industry, academia, intergovernmental partners, and the public to collaborate on PHMSA's future R&D agenda.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

PHMSA is publishing this notice setting forth and requesting comments from the public and other interested parties regarding its policy on classification of articles containing hazardous materials used in vehicles, vessels, or aircraft to enhance safety to persons. These articles are described as ``Safety devices, electrically initiated, 9'' for purposes of transportation under the U.S. hazardous material regulations.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

This notice announces a meeting of the Lithium Battery Air Safety Advisory Committee (Committee).

PHMSA incorporates more than 80 voluntary, consensus, industry technical standards by reference within the Federal pipeline safety regulations (PSRs). This notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposes amendments that would incorporate by reference all or parts of updated editions of some of those standards. This NPRM also proposes non- substantive edits and clarifications to certain other provisions of the PSRs.

PHMSA is revising the Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations to improve the safety of onshore gas transmission pipelines. This final rule addresses several lessons learned following the Pacific Gas and Electric Company incident that occurred in San Bruno, CA, on September 9, 2010, and responds to public input received as part of the rulemaking process. The amendments in this final rule clarify certain integrity management provisions, codify a management of change process, update and bolster gas transmission pipeline corrosion control requirements, require operators to inspect pipelines following extreme weather events, strengthen integrity management assessment requirements, adjust the repair criteria for high-consequence areas, create new repair criteria for non-high consequence areas, and revise or create specific definitions related to the above amendments.

PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on a request for special permit received from Columbia Gulf Transmission, LLC (CGT). The special permit request is seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements of the Federal pipeline safety regulations. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, PHMSA will review the comments received from this notice as part of its evaluation to grant or deny the special permit request.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is correcting a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2022. The final rule was published to maintain alignment with international regulations and standards by adopting various amendments, including changes to proper shipping names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging authorizations, air transport quantity limitations, and vessel stowage requirements.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

PHMSA is issuing this notice to serve process and inform all persons who currently hold explosive approvals for certain jet perforating guns of the process necessary for maintaining, modifying, upgrading/up-classing, or terminating these approvals.

PHMSA is announcing an initiative to convert historical letters of interpretation (LOI) applicable to the Hazardous Materials Regulations that have been issued to specific stakeholders into broadly applicable frequently asked questions on its website. By creating a repository of frequently asked questions, PHMSA seeks to eliminate the need for recurring requests for common letters of interpretations. This Federal Register Notice introduces this initiative and its objectives to those subject to the Hazardous Materials Regulations. PHMSA's objective is to gain insight regarding the utility of this initiative and topics to prioritize in the development of future frequently asked questions. PHMSA requests comment on the initiative and input on the prioritization of future sets of frequently asked questions.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the information collection request abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. A Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the information collection was published on December 15, 2021.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.