Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 3 / Thursday, January 5, 2006 / Notices 647 

concludes that extending the exemption 

for each renewal applicant for a period 

of two years is likely to achieve a level 

of safety equal to that existing without 

the exemption. 

Request for Comments 

FMCSA will review comments 

received at any time concerning a 

particular driver’s safety record and 

determine if the continuation of the 

exemption is consistent with the 

requirements at 49 U.S.C. 31315 and 

31136(e). However, FMCSA requests 

that interested parties with specific data 

concerning the safety records of these 

drivers submit comments by February 6, 

2006. 

FMCSA believes that the 

requirements for a renewal of an 

exemption under 49 U.S.C. 31315 and 

31136(e) can be satisfied by initially 

granting the renewal and then 

requesting and evaluating, if needed, 

subsequently comments submitted by 

interested parties. As indicated above, 

the agency previously published notices 

of final disposition announcing its 

decision to exempt these 17 individuals 

from the vision requirement in 49 CFR 

931.41(b)(10). That final decision to 

grant the exemption to each of these 

individuals was based on the merits of 

each case and only after careful 

consideration of the comments received 

to its notices of applications. Those 

notices of applications stated in detail 

the qualifications, experience, and 

medical condition of each applicant for 

an exemption from the vision 

requirements. That information is 

available by consulting the above cited 

Federal Register publications. 

Interested parties or organizations 

possessing information that would 

otherwise show that any, or all of these 

drivers, are not currently achieving the 

statutory level of safety should 

immediately notify FMCSA. The agency 

will evaluate any adverse evidence 

submitted and, if safety is being 

compromised or if continuation of the 

exemption would not be consistent with 

the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 

31315 and 31136(e), FMCSA will take 

immediate steps to revoke the 

exemption of a driver. 

Issued on: December 28, 2005. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Director, Office of Bus and Truck Standards 

and Operations. 

[FR Doc. E5–8304 Filed 1–4–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 

Safety Administration 

[Docket No. PHMSA–2005–23198] 

Pipeline Safety: Mechanical Damage 

Technical Workshop 

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration 

(PHMSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of workshop. 

SUMMARY: PHMSA and the National 

Association of Pipeline Safety 

Representatives (NAPSR) are hosting 

this workshop to address pipeline safety 

issues with mechanical damage. Several 

pipeline industry trade associations are 

participating in the development of the 

workshop agenda. Mechanical damage 

from third party intrusion and latent 

defects caused during pipeline 

construction remains a leading cause of 

major incidents. This workshop will 

provide a forum to share information on 

mechanical damage among pipeline 

operators, state agencies, technical 

experts, and the public. Participants 

will discuss and learn about prevention, 

detection, and characterization 

technologies for mechanical damage. 

This information will aid PHMSA in 

coordinating actions to address the 

problems mechanical damage poses in 

operating natural gas and hazardous 

liquid pipelines. 

DATES: PHMSA will hold the meeting on 

Tuesday, February 28, 2006, from 8 a.m. 

to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday, March 1, 

2006, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: PHMSA will hold the 

meeting at the Houston Marriott 

Westchase, 2900 Briar Park Drive, 

Houston, Texas 77042. The telephone 

number for hotel reservations is (713) 

978–7400 or 1–(800) 452–5110. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Please contact Robert Smith at (202) 

366–3814, or robert.w.smith@dot.gov, 

regarding the subject matter of this 

notice. For information regarding hotel 

accommodations for individuals with 

disabilities, please contact the hotel staff 

at (713) 978–7400. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Who Should Attend: PHMSA urges 

Federal and State pipeline safety 

regulators and operators of natural gas 

transmission and distribution, and 

hazardous liquid pipelines to attend. 

Workshop attendees will discuss and 

see existing and future technology used 

to prevent, detect and characterize 

mechanical damage. 

Registration with PHMSA: To 

facilitate meeting planning, advance 

registration is strongly encouraged. 

Please visit the Meeting Registration and 

Document Commenting webpage 

(http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/) 

where PHMSA will post details about 

the meeting. 

Hotel Registration: PHMSA has 

reserved a room rate of $92.00 per night 

for the first 100 reservations for both 

Monday, February 27 and Tuesday, 

February 28, 2006. Mention the 

Department of Transportation/PHMSA 

or the Mechanical Damage Technical 

Workshop when speaking with the 

hotel. The hotel must receive 

reservations by attendees on or before, 

February 13, 2006. 

Background: PHMSA and NAPSR are 

hosting this workshop to address 

pipeline safety issues with mechanical 

damage. Several pipeline industry trade 

associations are participating in the 

development of the workshop agenda. 

The participating trade associations are 

the American Gas Association, 

Association of Oil Pipe Lines, American 

Public Gas Association, American 

Petroleum Institute, Common Ground 

Alliance, Interstate Natural Gas 

Association of America, In Line 

Inspection Association and the Pipeline 

Research Council International. The 

results of this workshop and the 

information shared will further research 

on mechanical damage and document 

the state of current damage prevention, 

detection and characterization 

technology. 

Mechanical damage from third party 

intrusion and latent defects caused 

during pipeline construction remains a 

leading cause of major pipeline 

incidents. Mechanical damage defect 

types are commonly identified as 

denting, metal loss, metal deformation, 

and cracking. Several existing 

technologies are in practice to prevent, 

detect and characterize damage to 

pipelines. Regulators, operators, and 

commercial vendors have varying levels 

of confidence in these technologies. 

Several organizations fund or conduct 

research addressing mechanical damage 

technology. Organizations developing 

mutual technology goals will lead to 

aligning resources, better synergy, and 

better dissemination of information 

about new technologies. This will 

promote pipeline safety across the 

industry. The workshop aims to identify 

confidence levels with existing 

technologies, build research synergy, 

and gauge the state of our efforts to 

address mechanical damage. 


cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
648 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 3 / Thursday, January 5, 2006 / Notices 

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 

30, 2005. 

Stacey L. Gerard, 

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety. 

[FR Doc. 06–78 Filed 1–4–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 

Safety Administration 

[Docket No. PHMSA–2004–19857] 

Pipeline Safety: Public Meeting on 

Operator Qualifications 

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration 

(PHMSA), Department of Transportation 

(DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of availability of 

materials from public meeting; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

availability of materials, including a 

revised concept paper, presented at the 

public meeting on operator qualification 

programs on December 15, 2005. 

PHMSA is preparing a report to 

Congress on the status and results of 

these programs to ensure the 

qualifications of individuals performing 

safety tasks on pipelines. Participants at 

the meeting discussed progress on 

operator qualification programs to help 

PHMSA prepare the report to Congress. 

Participants also discussed the potential 

for strengthening operator qualification 

programs. PHMSA requests public 

comment on these matters. 

DATES: Submit comments on the 

progress on operator qualification 

programs by January 20, 2006. Submit 

comments on the potential for 

strengthening operator qualification 

programs by February 10, 2006. 

ADDRESSES: You may file written 

comments by mail or deliver them to the 

Dockets Facility, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Room PL–401, 400 

Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20590–0001. The Dockets Facility is 

open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

You also may file written comments to 

the docket electronically by logging onto 

the following Internet Web address: 

http://dms.dot.gov. Click on ‘‘Help & 

Information’’ for instructions on how to 

file a document electronically. All 

written comments should reference 

docket number PHMSA–2004–19857. 

Anyone who would like confirmation of 

mailed comments must include a selfaddressed stamped postcard. 

Privacy Act Statement: Anyone may 

search the electronic form of all 

comments received for any of our 

dockets. You may review DOT’s 

complete Privacy Act Statement in the 

Federal Register published on April 11, 

2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 

19477–78) or you may visit http:// 

dms.dot.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Barbara Betsock at (202) 366–4361 or 

Barbara.Betsock@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 

2002 directs PHMSA to file a report to 

Congress on the status and results of the 

operator qualification programs by 

December 17, 2006. To complete this 

report on time, PHMSA requests 

comments on the progress of these 

programs. 

In addition, PHMSA is considering 

additional action to strengthen operator 

qualification programs. PHMSA 

announced the December 15, 2005, 

public meeting in a Federal Register 

notice on October 28, 2005 (70 FR 

62161). Before the meeting, PHMSA 

posted a concept paper on its Web page 

(http://ops.dot.gov). Based on 

discussions during the public meeting 

and during a meeting of PHMSA’s 

pipeline safety advisory committees on 

December 13, 2005, PHMSA posted a 

revised concept paper. PHMSA requests 

comments on the approach to 

strengthening operator qualification 

programs outlined in this revised 

concept paper. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 

29, 2005. 

Stacey L. Gerard, 

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety. 

[FR Doc. 05–24703 Filed 12–30–05; 11:24 

am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Departmental Offices; Interim 

Guidance Concerning the Terrorism 

Risk Insurance Extension Act of 2005 

AGENCY: Departmental Offices, 

Department of the Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice provides interim 

guidance to insurers, policyholders, 

state insurance regulators and the public 

concerning recent statutory 

amendments to the Terrorism Risk 

Insurance Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107–297, 

116 Stat. 2322). In particular, this notice 

provides interim guidance on the types 

of commercial property and casualty 

insurance covered by the Act, the 

requirements to satisfy the Act’s 

mandatory availability (‘‘make 

available’’) provision and on the 

operation of the new ‘‘Program Trigger’’

provision in section 103(e)(1)(B) of the 

Act. 

DATES: This notice is effective 

immediately and will remain in effect 

until superceded by regulations or by 

subsequent notice. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Howard Leikin, Deputy Director, 

Terrorism Risk Insurance Program or 

David J. Brummond, Legal Counsel, 

Terrorism Risk Insurance Program (202–

622–6770). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice provides interim guidance to 

assist insurers and policyholders in 

understanding certain requirements of 

the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 

2002 as amended by the Terrorism Risk 

Insurance Extension Act of 2005 (Pub. 

L. 109–144, 119 Stat. 2660) pending the 

issuance of regulations by the 

Department of the Treasury. The interim 

guidance contained in this notice may 

be relied upon by insurers in complying 

with these statutory requirements prior 

to the issuance of regulations, but is not 

the exclusive means of compliance. This 

interim guidance remains in effect until 

superceded by regulations or 

subsequent notice. 

I. Background 

On November 26, 2002, the President 

signed into law the Terrorism Risk 

Insurance Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107–297) 

(TRIA or the Act). The Act became 

effective immediately. It established a 

temporary Terrorism Risk Insurance 

Program (TRIP or the Program) of shared 

public and private compensation for 

insured commercial property and 

casualty losses resulting from an act of 

terrorism, as defined in the Act. The Act 

was scheduled to expire on December 

31, 2005. 

On December 22, 2005, the President 

signed into law the Terrorism Risk 

Insurance Extension Act of 2005 

(Extension Act), which extends TRIA 

through December 31, 2007. In doing so, 

the Extension Act adds Program Year 4 

(January 1–December 31, 2006) and 

Program Year 5 (January 1–December 

31, 2007) to the Program. In addition, 

the Extension Act made other 

significant changes to TRIA that 

include: 

• A revised definition of ‘‘Insurer 

Deductible’’ that adds new Program 

Years 4 and 5 to the definition. The 

insurer deductible is set as the value of 

an insurer’s direct earned premium for 

commercial property and casualty 

insurance (as now defined in the Act) 

over the immediately preceding 

calendar year multiplied by 17.5 percent 


cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES