Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 159 / Thursday, August 16, 2018 / Notices 40843 

1https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/ 

Recommendation.aspx?Rec=P-15-010. 

2https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/ 

Recommendation.aspx?Rec=P-15-012. 

3https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/ 

Recommendation.aspx?Rec=P-15-013. 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 

Safety Administration 

[Docket No. PHMSA–2018–0050] 

Pipeline Safety: Gas and Hazardous 

Liquid Pipeline Risk Models 

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration 

(PHMSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this 

notice to seek public comments on a 

report developed to support 

improvements in gas and hazardous 

liquid pipeline risk models titled 

‘‘Pipeline Risk Modeling—Overview of 

Methods and Tools for Improved 

Implementation’’ (Pipeline Risk 

Modeling Report). Pipeline risk models 

are a foundational part of the 

assessment of operational pipeline risk. 

Federal pipeline safety integrity 

management (IM) regulations require 

pipeline operators to use risk 

assessments. Based on the results of 

pipeline inspections and failure 

investigation findings, both PHMSA and 

the National Transportation Safety 

Board (NTSB) have identified general 

weaknesses in the risk models often 

used by pipeline operators in 

performing risk assessments for their IM 

programs. The Pipeline Risk Modeling 

Report considers the major types of 

pipeline risk models, and the 

effectiveness of each type in supporting 

risk assessments, as applied to pipeline 

operator decisions. 

DATES: Interested persons are invited to 

submit comments on or before 

September 17, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be 

submitted in the following ways: 

E-Gov Website: http://

www.regulations.gov. This site allows 

the public to enter comments on any 

Federal Register notice issued by any 

agency. 

Fax: 1–202–493–2251. 

Mail: Docket Management Facility; 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

(DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

West Building, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

Hand Delivery: Room W12–140 on the 

ground level of DOT, West Building, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. and 

5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

Instructions: Identify the docket 

number, PHMSA–2018–0050, at the 

beginning of your comments. Note that 

all comments received will be posted 

without change to http://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided. You 

should know that anyone is able to 

search the electronic form of all 

comments received into any of our 

dockets by the name of the individual 

submitting the comment (or signing the 

comment, if submitted on behalf of an 

association, business, labor union, etc.). 

Docket: For access to the docket or to 

read background documents or 

comments, go to http://

www.regulations.gov at any time or to 

Room W12–140 on the ground level of 

DOT, West Building, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 

9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

If you wish to receive confirmation of 

receipt of your written comments, 

please include a self-addressed, 

stamped postcard with the following 

statement: ‘‘Comments on PHMSA– 

2018–0050.’’ The Docket Clerk will date 

stamp the postcard prior to returning it 

to you via the U.S. mail. Please note that 

due to delays in the delivery of U.S. 

mail to Federal offices in Washington, 

DC, we recommend that persons 

consider an alternative method 

(internet, fax, or professional delivery 

service) of submitting comments to the 

docket and ensuring their timely receipt 

at DOT. 

Note: 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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Steve Nanney, Project Manager, 

PHMSA, by telephone at 713–272–2855, 

or by email at Steve.Nanney@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA is 

issuing the Pipeline Risk Modeling 

Report to support improvements in 

pipeline risk models and requests 

public comments. Both PHMSA and 

NTSB have identified a need to address 

the risk models often used by pipeline 

operators in performing risk 

assessments for their IM programs and 

provide guidance where appropriate. 

NTSB has issued three 

recommendations to PHMSA in this 

area. NTSB Recommendation P–15–10 

recommends that PHMSA update 

guidance for gas transmission pipeline 

operators and inspectors on the 

evaluation of interactive threats, 

including the listing of all threat 

interactions that must be evaluated and 

acceptable methods to be used.1 NTSB 

Safety Recommendation P–15–12 

recommends that PHMSA evaluate the 

safety benefits of the four risk 

assessment approaches currently 

allowed by the gas integrity 

management regulations; determine 

whether they produce a comparable 

safety benefit; and disseminate the 

results of your evaluation to the 

pipeline industry, inspectors, and the 

public.2 Lastly, NTSB Recommendation 

P–15–13 recommends that PHMSA 

update guidance for gas transmission 

pipeline operators and inspectors on 

critical components of risk assessment 

approaches, including (1) methods for 

setting weighting factors, (2) factors that 

should be included in consequence of 

failure calculations, and (3) appropriate 

risk metrics and methods for aggregating 

risk along a pipeline.3 PHMSA is 

addressing these recommendations 

through the Risk Modeling Report 

process. 

PHMSA organized a Risk Modeling 

Work Group (RMWG) composed of 

representatives of state and federal 

pipeline regulators, pipeline operators, 

industry organizations, national 

laboratory personnel, and other 

stakeholders. The purpose of the RMWG 

was to gather information regarding 

state-of-the-art pipeline risk modeling 

methods and tools, the use of those 

methods and tools, and the resulting 

data in operator IM programs. The 

Pipeline Risk Modeling Report provides 

an overview of methods and tools for 

improved implementation based on the 

results of the RMWG. The RMWG 

meeting notes and presentations can be 

reviewed at: https://

primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rmwg/index.htm. 

The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report 

considers the major types of pipeline 

risk models, and the effectiveness of 

each type in supporting risk 

assessments, as applied to pipeline 

operator decisions. The four major risk 

model categories considered for gas and 

hazardous liquid pipelines are: 

• Qualitative; 

• Relative Assessment/Index; 

• Quantitative System, and 

• Probabilistic. 

Each model category is characterized 

by the model inputs, outputs, and 

algorithms and was evaluated according 

to its ability to support pipeline risk 

management decisions and regulatory 

requirements. 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
40844 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 159 / Thursday, August 16, 2018 / Notices 

The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report 

focuses on the applicability of the 

different risk model types to various risk 

management decisions required by the 

Federal pipeline safety IM regulations, 

including: 

• Risk Priorities for Baseline Integrity 

Assessments; 

• Identification of Preventive 

Measures and Mitigative Measures; 

• Evaluation and Comparison of 

Preventive Measures and Mitigative 

Measures; 

• Consideration of Threats and their 

Interactions in Risk Assessments; 

• Benefit-Cost Analysis for Risk 

Reduction Options; 

• Integrity Assessment Interval 

Determination; and 

• Support of Continual Evaluation of 

Integrity and General Risk Management 

Decision Making. 

PHMSA invites interested persons to 

participate by reviewing the Pipeline 

Risk Modeling Report on gas and 

hazardous liquid pipeline risk models 

in docket no. PHMSA–2018–0050 at 

http://www.Regulations.gov, and by 

submitting written comments, data, or 

other views. Please include any 

comments on potential safety and 

environmental impacts that may result 

from issuance of the Pipeline Risk 

Modeling Report. 

Before finalizing the Pipeline Risk 

Modeling Report, PHMSA will evaluate 

all comments received on or before the 

comment closing date. PHMSA will 

consider each timely-filed, relevant 

comment we receive in making any 

changes to the final Pipeline Risk 

Modeling Report. Comments received 

after the closing date will be evaluated 

to the extent practicable. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 9, 

2018, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 

1.97. 

Alan K. Mayberry, 

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety. 

[FR Doc. 2018–17659 Filed 8–15–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Advisory Committee on the 

Readjustment of Veterans, Notice of 

Meeting 

The Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA) gives notice that a meeting of the 

Advisory Committee on the 

Readjustment of Veterans will be held 

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 

September 11, 12, and 13, 2018. The 

meetings will be conducted at the 

Department of Veterans Affairs National 

Headquarters, at 811 Vermont Avenue 

NW, Washington, DC 20420, in 

Conference Room 6132. The agenda for 

these three days will begin at 8:00 a.m. 

and end at 4:30 p.m. The meetings are 

open to the public. 

The purpose of the Committee is to 

review the post-war readjustment needs 

of combat-theater Veterans and to 

evaluate the availability, effectiveness 

and coordination of VA programs 

available to meet Veterans’ readjustment 

service needs. The Committee reviews 

issues related to promoting Veterans’ 

access to VA services, provision of 

readjustment counseling services at Vet 

Centers, and coordination of care 

between the Vet Centers and VA 

medical facilities. 

On Tuesday, September 11, the 

agenda will feature briefings from the 

Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) 

Chief Officer regarding the current 

activities of the RCS Vet Centers to 

include the full scope of outreach and 

readjustment counseling being provided 

to combat-theater Veterans, Service 

members and their families. The 

briefing will also provide a status report 

regarding the RCS organizational 

transition to a single point of service 

within the general organizational 

transformation of the Veterans Health 

Administration (VHA). 

On Wednesday, September 12, the 

Committee will focus on VA mental 

health services and best practices for 

coordinating VA mental health services 

with RCS readjustment counseling 

services to better serve the combattheater Veteran population. To this end 

Committee members will receive 

briefings from VA’s mental health 

leadership on the types and distribution 

of psychiatric disorders currently being 

presented by OIF/OEF Veterans and the 

various treatment regimens provided for 

their care inclusive of psychotherapy 

and psychopharmacology. VA Mental 

Health and RCS leadership will 

additionally present on the collaborative 

activities currently underway between 

RCS and the Office of Mental Health 

and Suicide Prevention to achieve lifesaving outcomes for at risk combattheater Veterans and Service members. 

On Thursday, September 13, the 

Committee will engage in strategic 

discussions for the purpose of 

formulating conclusions, perspectives 

and recommendations for developing its 

20th annual report to Congress. 

No time will be allocated at this 

meeting for receiving oral presentations 

from the public. However, members of 

the public may direct written questions 

or submit prepared statements for 

review by the Committee before the 

meeting to Mr. Charles M. Flora, 

M.S.W., Designated Federal Officer, 

Readjustment Counseling Service, 

Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 

Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 

20420. Because the meeting will be in 

a Government building, please provide 

valid photo identification for check-in. 

Please allow 15 minutes before the 

meeting for the check-in process. If you 

plan to attend or have questions 

concerning the meeting, please contact 

the Readjustment Counseling Service 

(10RCS) action group by email 

VHA10RCSAction@va.gov or call (202) 

461–6525. 

Dated: August 13, 2018. 

Jelessa M. Burney, 

Federal Advisory Committee Management 

Office. 

[FR Doc. 2018–17708 Filed 8–15–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES