[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64518-64520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20159]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2023-0061]


Pipeline Safety: Meeting of the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of advisory committee meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting of the Gas Pipeline 
Advisory Committee (GPAC) to discuss the notices of proposed rulemaking 
(NPRMs) titled ``Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair'' and ``Class 
Location Change Requirements.''

DATES: PHMSA will hold a public meeting from November 27, 2023, to 
December 1, 2023. The GPAC will meet each day from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
ET to discuss the NPRMs. However, the meeting may end early if the GPAC 
completes its review of the NPRMs. Members of the public who wish to 
attend are asked to register no later than November 20, 2023. PHMSA 
requests that individuals who require accommodations because of a 
disability notify Tewabe Asebe by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f88c9d8f999a9dd6998b9d9a9db89c978cd69f978e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9aeeffedfbf8ffb4fbe9fff8ffdafef5eeb4fdf5ec">[email protected]</span></a> at 
least five days prior to the meeting. Public comments on the 
proceedings of the GPAC meeting must be submitted by January 5, 2024.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in person at the Westin Crystal 
City, 1800 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA 22202. The agenda and any 
additional information, including information on how to participate in 
the meeting, will be published on the meeting website at https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=167. Presentations will 
be available on the meeting website and at https://www.regulations.gov/ 
in docket number PHMSA-2023-0061 no later than 30 days following the 
meeting. You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. PHMSA-2023-
0061, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Web: https://www.regulations.gov. This site allows the 
public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice issued by any 
agency. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building: Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, West Building: Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-
0001, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, 
except federal holidays.
    <bullet> Instructions: Identify Docket No. PHMSA-2023-0061 at the 
beginning of your comments. If you submit your comments by mail, submit 
two copies. Internet users may submit comments at https://www.regulations.gov. If you would like confirmation that PHMSA received 
your comments, please include a self-addressed stamped postcard labeled 
``Comments on PHMSA-2023-0061.'' The docket clerk will date stamp the 
postcard prior to returning it to you via U.S. mail.
    <bullet> Note: All comments received will be posted without edits 
to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading for more information. 
Anyone can use the site to search all comments by the name of the

[[Page 64519]]

submitting individual or, if the comment was submitted on behalf of an 
association, business, labor union, etc., the name of the signing 
individual. Therefore, please review the complete DOT Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register at 65 FR 19477 or the Privacy Notice 
at https://www.regulations.gov before submitting comments.
    <bullet> Privacy Act Statement: DOT may solicit comments from the 
public regarding certain general notices. DOT posts these comments 
without edit, including any personal information the commenter 
provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records 
notice (DOT/ALL- 14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at www.dot.gov/privacy.
    <bullet> Confidential Business Information: Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both 
customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments in response to this notice contain 
commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as 
private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or 
responsive to this notice, it is important that you clearly designate 
the submitted comments as CBI. Pursuant to 49 CFR 190.343, you may ask 
PHMSA to provide confidential treatment to information you give to the 
Agency by taking the following steps: (1) mark each page of the 
original document submission containing CBI as ``Confidential;'' (2) 
send PHMSA a copy of the original document with the CBI deleted along 
with the original, unaltered document; and (3) explain why the 
information you are submitting is CBI. Submissions containing CBI 
should be sent to Tewabe Asebe, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Submission containing 
CBI can also be emailed to Tewabe Asebe by encrypted email at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#730716041211165d120016111633171c075d141c05"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="92e6f7e5f3f0f7bcf3e1f7f0f7d2f6fde6bcf5fde4">[email protected]</span></a>. Any commentary PHMSA receives that is not 
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket.
    <bullet> Docket: For access to the docket or to read background 
documents or comments, go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
online instructions for accessing the dockets. Alternatively, this 
information is available by visiting DOT at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
West Building: Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tewabe Asebe, Office of Pipeline 
Safety, by phone at 202-366-5523 or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#176372607675723976647275725773786339707861"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c4b0a1b3a5a6a1eaa5b7a1a6a184a0abb0eaa3abb2">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Meeting Agenda

    The GPAC will meet from November 27, 2023, to December 1, 2023, to 
discuss the ``Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair'' NPRM that PHMSA 
published in the Federal Register on May 18, 2023, (88 FR 31890),\1\ 
and the ``Class Location Change Requirements'' NPRM that PHMSA 
published in the Federal Register on October 14, 2020, (85 FR 
65142).\2\ The GPAC will review the NPRMs and their associated 
regulatory analyses, including, but not limited to, the cost-benefit 
and risk assessment analyses; regulatory impact analyses; environmental 
assessments; and other materials pertaining to the NPRMs provided in 
the respective public dockets. While the meeting is scheduled for five 
days, the GPAC may complete its review of the proposed rules in less 
time. PHMSA will post additional details on the meeting website in 
advance of the meeting as they become available.
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    \1\ The public docket for the Leak Detection and Repair NPMR can 
be found at https://regulations.gov in Docket No. PHMSA-2021-0039.
    \2\ The public docket for the Class Location Change Requirements 
Notice can be found at https://regulations.gov in Docket No. PHMSA-
2017-00151.
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    In the ``Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair'' NPRM, PHMSA 
proposes to make regulatory amendments that implement congressional 
mandates in the ``Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and 
Enhancing Safety Act of 2020'' to reduce methane emissions from new and 
existing gas transmission pipelines, distribution pipelines, regulated 
(Types A, B, C, and offshore) gas gathering pipelines, underground 
natural gas storage facilities, and liquefied natural gas facilities. 
Among the proposed amendments for Part 192-regulated gas pipelines are 
strengthened leakage survey and patrolling requirements; performance 
standards for advanced leak detection programs; leak grading and repair 
criteria with mandatory repair timelines; requirements for mitigation 
of emissions from blowdowns; pressure relief device design, 
configuration, and maintenance requirements; and clarified requirements 
for investigating failures. Finally, this NPRM proposes to expand 
reporting requirements for operators of all gas pipeline facilities 
within DOT's jurisdiction, including underground natural gas storage 
facilities and liquefied natural gas facilities. PHMSA requested public 
comments with a submission deadline of August 16, 2023.\3\ PHMSA 
received approximately 35,000 comments on the NPRM.
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    \3\ 88 FR 42284.
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    In the ``Class Location Change Requirements'' NPRM, PHMSA proposes 
to revise the Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations to amend the 
requirements for gas transmission pipeline segments that experience a 
change in class location. Under the existing regulations, pipeline 
segments located in areas where the population density has 
significantly increased must perform one of the following actions: 
reduce the pressure of the pipeline segment; pressure test the pipeline 
segment to higher standards; or replace the pipeline segment. This 
proposed rule would add an alternative set of requirements operators 
could use--based on implementation of integrity management principles 
and pipe eligibility criteria--to manage certain pipeline segments 
where the class location has changed from a Class 1 location to a Class 
3 location. Through required periodic assessments, repair criteria, and 
other extra preventive and mitigative measures, PHMSA expects this 
alternative approach will provide long-term safety benefits consistent 
with the current natural gas pipeline safety rules while also providing 
cost savings for pipeline operators. PHMSA requested public comments 
with a submission deadline of December 14, 2020.\4\ PHMSA received 14 
comments on the NPRM.
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    \4\ 85 FR 65142
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    Following the GPAC meeting, PHMSA will evaluate the GPAC's 
recommendations and publish final rules that address the comments 
received and relevant information from the GPAC meeting report.

II. Background

    The GPAC is a statutorily mandated advisory committee that provides 
PHMSA and the Secretary of Transportation with recommendations on 
proposed standards for the transportation of gas by pipeline. The 
committee was established in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 60115 and the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Pub. L. 92-463) to review 
PHMSA's regulatory initiatives and determine their technical 
feasibility, reasonableness, cost-effectiveness, and practicability. 
The committee consists of 15 members, with membership evenly divided 
among federal and state governments, regulated industry, and the 
general public.

[[Page 64520]]

III. Public Participation

    The meeting will be open to the public. Members of the public who 
wish to attend must register on the meeting website and include their 
names and affiliations. PHMSA will provide members of the public 
reasonable opportunity to make a statement during this meeting. 
Additionally, PHMSA will record the meeting and post a record to the 
public docket. PHMSA is committed to providing all participants with 
equal access to this meeting. Public comments on the proceedings of the 
GPAC meeting must be submitted by January 5, 2024. If you need an 
accommodation due to a disability, please contact Tewabe Asebe by phone 
at 202-366-5523 or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8bffeefceae9eea5eaf8eee9eecbefe4ffa5ece4fd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="750110021417105b140610171035111a015b121a03">[email protected]</span></a>.
    PHMSA is not always able to publish a notice in the Federal 
Register quickly enough to provide timely notice regarding last-minute 
issues that impact a previously announced advisory committee meeting. 
Therefore, individuals should check the meeting website or contact 
Tewabe Asebe regarding any possible changes.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 13, 2023, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Massoud Tahamtani,
Deputy Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-20159 Filed 9-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P


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