54592 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 203 / Tuesday, October 21, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

Committee (THLPSSC) on the API

proposal and changes proposed by

RSPA. RSPA also discussed those

changes at the API conference on March

13, 1997, in Dallas, Texas.

RSPA received several comments

from the industry during these meetings

that all the compliance deadlines for the

current pressure test rule should be

extended. Industry argued that they

were not sure what changes RSPA might

suggest in the risk-based alternative

rulemaking, so they could not plan in

advance.

RSPA agrees with the comments

about the need for extension of the

comment period while rulemaking on

the risk-based alternative is conducted.

These new compliance dates are as

follows:

—Before December 7, 1998, plan and

schedule testing; or establish the

pipeline’s maximum operating

pressure under § 195.406(a)(5).

—Before December 7, 2000, pressure

test each pipeline containing more

than 50 percent by mileage of electric

resistance welded pipe manufactured

before 1970; and at least 50 percent of

the mileage of all other pipelines; and

—Before December 7, 2003, pressure

test the remainder of the pipeline

mileage.

Regulatory Analyses and Notices

Executive Order 12866 and DOT

Policies and Procedures

The Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) does not consider this final rule

to be a significant regulatory action

under section 3(f) of Executive Order

12866. Therefore, OMB did not review

the direct final rule under that order.

Also, DOT does not consider the direct

final rule to be significant under its

regulatory policies and procedures (44

FR 11034, February 26, 1979). This

extension of compliance dates does not

warrant preparation of a Regulatory

Evaluation.

Executive Order 12612

We analyzed the final rule under the

principles and criteria in Executive

Order 12612 (‘‘Federalism’’). The final

rule does not have sufficient federalism

impacts to warrant preparation of a

federalism assessment.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

I certify, under section 605 of the

Regulatory Flexibility Act, that this final

rule will not have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

This rule does not impose unfunded

mandates under the Unfunded

Mandates Reform Act of 1995. It does

not result in costs of $100 million or

more to either State, local, or tribal

governments, in the aggregate, or to the

private sector, and is the least

burdensome alternative that achieves

the objective of the rule.

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 195

Carbon dioxide, Petroleum, Pipeline

safety, Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements.

In consideration of the foregoing,

RSPA amends part 195 of title 49 of the

Code of Federal Regulations as follows:

PART 195—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 195

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 60102, 60104, 60108,

60109; and 49 CFR 1.53.

2. Section 195.302, paragraphs (c)(1),

introductory text, and (c)(2)(i),

introductory text, and (c)(2)(ii) are

revised to read as follows:

§ 195.302 General requirements.

* * * * *

(c) * * *

(1) Before December 7, 1998, for each

pipeline each operator shall—

* * * * *

(2) * * *

(i) Before December 7, 2000, pressure

test—

* * * * *

(ii) Before December 7, 2003, pressure

test the remainder of the pipeline

mileage.

* * * * *

Issued in Washington, DC, on October 15,

1997.

Kelley S. Coyner,

Acting Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–27740 Filed 10–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312–7021–02; I.D.

101697A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock by Vessels

Catching Pollock for Processing by the

Inshore Component in the Bering Sea

Subarea of the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands Management Area

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed

fishing for pollock by vessels catching

pollock for processing by the inshore

component in the Bering Sea subarea of

the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

management area (BSAI). This action is

necessary to prevent exceeding the

amount of the 1997 pollock total

allowable catch (TAC) apportioned to

vessels catching pollock for processing

by the inshore component in the Bering

Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands management area.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), October 16, 1997, until

2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive

economic zone is managed by NMFS

according to the Fishery Management

Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

(FMP) prepared by the North Pacific

Fishery Management Council under

authority of the Magnuson-Stevens

Fishery Conservation and Management

Act. Fishing by U.S. processors is

governed by regulations implementing

the FMP at Subpart H of 50 CFR part

600 and 50 CFR part 679.

The amount of the 1997 pollock TAC

apportioned to vessels catching pollock

for processing by the inshore

component in the Bering Sea subarea of

the BSAI was established by the Final

1997 Harvest Specifications of

Groundfish for the BSAI (62 FR 7168,

February 18, 1997) as 365,837 metric

tons (mt). See § 679.20(c)(3)(iii).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

determined that the amount of the 1997

pollock TAC apportioned to vessels

catching pollock for processing by the

inshore component in the Bering Sea

subarea of the BSAI has been reached.

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is

establishing a directed fishing

allowance of 365,587 mt, and is setting

aside the remaining 250 mt as bycatch

to support other anticipated groundfish

fisheries. In accordance with

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional

Administrator finds that this directed

fishing allowance will soon be reached.

Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting

directed fishing for pollock by vessels

catching pollock for processing by the

inshore component in the Bering Sea

subarea of the BSAI.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

for applicable gear types may be found

in the regulations at § 679.20(e) and (f).
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 203 / Tuesday, October 21, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 54593

Classification

This action responds to the best

available information recently obtained

from the fishery. It must be

implemented immediately in order to

prevent overharvesting the amount of

the 1997 pollock TAC apportioned to

vessels catching pollock for processing

by the inshore component in the Bering

Sea subarea of the BSAI. Providing prior

notice and an opportunity for public

comment is impracticable and contrary

to the public interest. The fleet has

taken the amount of the 1997 pollock

TAC apportioned to vessels catching

pollock for processing by the inshore

component in the Bering Sea subarea of

the BSAI. Further delay would only

result in overharvest which would

disrupt the FMP’s objective of providing

sufficient pollock as bycatch to support

other anticipated groundfish fisheries.

NMFS finds for good cause that the

implementation of this action can not be

delayed for 30 days. Accordingly, under

5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the effective

date is hereby waived.

Classification

This action is required by Sec. 679.20

and is exempt from review under E.O.

12866.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: October 16, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–27885 Filed 10–18–97; 3:55 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F