76704 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 236 / Thursday, December 7, 2000 / Notices

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Marvin Fell, (202) 366–6205, to ask

questions about this notice; or write by

e-mail to marvin.fell@rspa.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: National Pipeline Mapping

System.

Type of Request: Extension of existing

information collection.

Abstract: RSPA’s Office of Pipeline

Safety (OPS), along with state agencies,

has been working with natural gas and

hazardous liquid pipeline operators to

develop NPMS. When complete, this

system will depict and provide data on

all natural gas transmission and

hazardous liquid pipeline systems

operating in the United States. OPS is

extending its volunteer pilot program to

all regulated transmission operators.

OPS will be compensating the states and

regional repositories for their startup

and operating costs. Four commenters,

three hazardous gas pipeline operators

and one trade association provided

comments. The following is a summary

of their comments and OPS’s response

to their concerns.

OPS has worked with the pipeline

industry since November 1994 on the

development of a voluntary NPMS. This

process has included two government/

industry mapping teams who worked

together to identify the most cost

effective way for the pipeline industry

to share data with OPS and the states.

Additionally OPS has conducted four

mapping workshops. OPS has made

every effort to develop its voluntary

mapping system which is flexible

offering the opportunity for either hard

copy or digital submissions from

operators.

NPMS is important for regulatory

oversight by both the states and the

Federal government. Additionally, it is

essential for the public’s right-to-know.

A few commenters questioned OPS’

estimates of the time required to provide

mapping data. OPS has revised upwards

its initial estimate of 20 hours per

operator to 30 hours. OPS notes that a

commentor suggested that the required

estimate could be up to 5,200 hours.

OPS believes that this represents

operators converting from hand drawn

maps to digital mapping. This is not

what is being requested by OPS. OPS is

accepting hand drawn maps.

Some commenters questioned the

need for a NPMS. One purpose for

NPMS is to standardize the maps and

reduce the burdens of operators

responding to different requests from

state officials.

Some commenters had concerns with

the definition of transmission lines.

This is outside the scope of this

information collection.

One commenter questioned the

accuracy goal of ±500 feet. OPS believes

that the data submitted is much more

accurate than this goal. The accuracy

level is generally from 40–100 feet.

One commenter had concerns about

the security of providing pipeline

mapping. OPS believes that the limited

pipeline data provided OPS does not

pose a security threat.

Estimate of Burden: 30 hours per

operator.

Respondents: Gas transmission and

hazardous liquid operators.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

1350.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 40,500 hours.

This document can be reviewed

between 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday

through Friday, except Federal holidays,

at the Dockets Facility, DOT, Room PL–

401, 400 Seventh St., SW., Washington,

DC 20590.

Comments are invited on: (a) The

need for the proposed collection of

information for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who are to respond, including

the use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques.

Issued in Washington, DC on December 1,

2000.

Stacey L. Gerard,

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.

[FR Doc. 00–31225 Filed 12–6–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs

Administration

Docket RSPA–98–4957; Notice 24

Notice of Request To Extend Existing

Information Collection

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Request for public comments.

SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995, the Research and

Special Programs Administration’s

(RSPA) Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS)

is publishing its intention to combine

two existing information collections

into one. OPS is combining

Management Information System (MIS)

Standardized Data Collection and

Reporting of Drug Testing Materials

(2137–0579) and Alcohol Testing (2137–

0587). The purpose of this notice is to

allow the public to comment. The

combined information collection will be

titled Drug and Alcohol Testing (2137–

0579).

OPS believes that alcohol and drug

testing requirements are an important

tool for operators to monitor drug and

alcohol usage in the industry. OPS has

found that drug and alcohol use in the

pipeline industry is less than 1% of

employees.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by February 5, 2001 to be

assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments should identify

the docket number of this notice, RSPA–

98–4957, and be mailed to Dockets

Facility, Plaza 401, U.S. Department of

Transportation (DOT), 400 Seventh

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590 or

by e-mail to http://dms.dot.gov

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Marvin Fell, OPS, RSPA, DOT, 400

Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC

20590, (202) 366–6205 or by electronic

mail at marvin.fell@rspa.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Drug and Alcohol Testing.

OMB Number: 2137–0579.

Type of Request: Extension of an

existing information collection.

Abstract: Drug and alcohol abuse is a

major societal problem and it is

reasonable to assume the problem exists

in the pipeline industry as it does in

society as a whole. The potential

harmful effect of drug and alcohol abuse

on safe pipeline operations warrants

imposing comprehensive testing

regulations on the pipeline industry.

These rules are found in 49 CFR 199.

These regulations require annual

information collection of the results.

DOT is rewriting its drug and alcohol

testing regulations in 49 CFR Part 40. As

a result, the bulk of the burden hours

that were accounted for by the modes

will now be accounted for in a new

information collection issued by DOT.

OPS is using this opportunity to

combine its information collections for

drug and alcohol testing information

collections.

Respondents: Pipeline operators.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

2,419.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 2.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 2,963 hours.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 236 / Thursday, December 7, 2000 / Notices 76705

1See Gulf & Ohio Railways, Inc.—Exemption

Form 49 U.S.C. 11301, 10901 and 11322, Finance

Docket No. 30683 (ICC served Nov. 6, 1985),

wherein G&O leased a line of railroad from IC.

2MSD operates a contiguous rial line owned by

G&O from milepost 55.40 at Lulu, MS, to milespost

74.00 at Lyon, MS, which connects to the Swan

Lake Line. See Finance Docket No. 30683. G&O and

Coahoma are currently negotiating the potential sale

of this rail line.

Copies of this information collection

can be reviewed at the Dockets Facility,

Plaza 401, DOT, 400 Seventh Street,

SW., Washington, DC 20590 from 9:00

a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through

Friday except Federal holidays. They

also can be viewed over the Internet at

http://dms.dot.gov

Comments are invited on: (a) The

need for the proposed collection of

information for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who are to respond, including

the use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques.

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 1,

2000.

Stacey L. Gerard,

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.

[FR Doc. 00–31226 Filed 12–6–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33964]

V and S Railway, Inc.—Acquisition and

Operation Exemption—Central Kansas

Railway, L.L.C.

V and S Railway, Inc. (V&S), a

noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of

exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to

acquire and to operate the Medicine

Lodge Subdivision (line) of Central

Kansas Railway, L.L.C. The line extends

between milepost 0+1016′, in Attica,

and the end of the line at milepost 41.0,

in Sun City, serving the intermediate

points of Sharon, Medicine Lodge, and

Lake City, a distance of approximately

41 miles in Harper and Barber Counties,

KS.

The transaction was scheduled to be

consummated on or after November 28,

2000.

This transaction is related to STB

Finance Docket No. 33965, Kern W.

Schumacher and Morris H. Kulmer—

Continuance in Control Exemption—V

and S Railway, Inc., wherein Kern W.

Schumacher and Morris H. Kulmer have

concurrently filed a verified notice to

continue in control of V&S upon its

becoming a Class III rail carrier.

If the verified notice contains false or

misleading information, the exemption

is void ab initio. Petitions to reopen the

proceeding to revoke the exemption

under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed

at any time. The filing of a petition to

revoke will not automatically stay the

transaction.

An original and 10 copies of all

pleadings, referring to STB Finance

Docket No. 33964, must be filed with

the Surface Transportation Board, Office

of the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925

K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423–

0001. In addition, a copy of each

pleading must be served on Fritz R.

Kahn, Esq., 1920 N Street, NW., 8th

Floor, Washington, DC 20036–1601.

Board decisions and notices are

available on our website at

‘‘WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.’’

Decided: November 29, 2000.

By the Board, David M. Konschnik,

Director, Office of Proceedings.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–30943 Filed 12–6–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33953]

County of Coahoma, MS—Acquisition

Exemption—Line of Illinois Central

Railroad Company

The County of Coahoma, Mississippi

(Coahoma), a noncarrier, has filed a

notice of exemption under 49 CFR

1150.31 to acquire approximately 32.46

miles of rail line known as the Swan

Lake Line from Illinois Central Railroad

Company (IC) extending between

milepost L–74.00 at Lyon, MS, and

milepost L–79.00 at Clarksdale, MS, and

between milepost 104.00 at Swan Lake,

MS, to the connection with the LyonClarksdale line at Clarksdale near

milepost 76.54. The line is currently

operated by Mississippi Delta Railroad

(MSD), an affiliate of Gulf & Ohio

Railways, Inc. (G&O), a noncarrier.1 In

addition, Coahoma will acquire

approximately 1.39 miles of incidental

trackage rights over IC’s line from

milepost 104.00 to the connection with

IC’s main line at milepost 105.39 so that

the operator of the Swan Lake Line can

reach IC’s main line and conduct

interchange at Swan Lake. Coahoma

certifies that its annual revenues will

not exceed those that would qualify it

as a Class III rail carrier and that its

annual revenues are not projected to

exceed $5 million.

The transaction was expected to be

consummated on or shortly after

November 16, 2000.

Coahoma states that, following

consummation of this transaction, MSD

is expected to continue operations until

July 1, 2001. Coahoma further states

that, if MSD should discontinue

operations, it would be replaced by

another rail operator, and that it is also

possible that MSD and Coahoma could

reach an agreement under which MSD

would continue to operate the line after

July 1, 2001. According to Coahoma, it

will seek the Board’s approval for any

authority needed in connection with

MSD’s discontinuance of operations or

a replacement operator’s

commencement of operations.2

If the notice contains false or

misleading information, the exemption

is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the

exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d)

may be filed at any time. The filing of

a petition to revoke will not

automatically stay the transaction.

An original and 10 copies of all

pleadings, referring to STB Finance

Docket No. 33953, must be filed with

the Surface Transportation Board, Office

of the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925

K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423–

0001. In addition, a copy of each

pleading must be served on William C.

Sippel, Esq., Fletcher & Sippel LLC,

Two Prudential Plaza, Suite 3125, 180

North Stetson Avenue, Chicago, IL

60601–6721.

Board decisions and notices are

available on our website at

‘‘WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.’’

Decided: November 30, 2000.

By the Board, David M. Konschnik,

Director, Office of Proceedings.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–31230 Filed 12–6–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P