[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6174-6175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02146]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration


Pipeline Safety: Renewal requests for Special Permit

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA); 
DOT.

ACTION: This Notice pertains to the renewal requests for Special 
Permits with the following Docket Numbers:

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PHMSA-2008-0213 Empire Pipeline Inc.
PHMSA-2005-20323 Northern Natural Gas Company
PHMSA-2006-26614 Northern Natural Gas Company
PHMSA-2008-0141 Northern Natural Gas Company

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal pipeline safety laws, PHMSA is 
publishing this notice of multiple special permit renewal requests that 
we have received from two natural gas transmission pipeline operators, 
seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal 
pipeline safety regulations. This notice seeks public comments on these 
requests, including comments on any safety or environmental impacts the 
renewal of these special permits would have. For each listed Special 
Permit renewal request, an Environmental Assessment is available for 
review and comment in the respective dockets. At the conclusion of the 
30-day comment period, PHMSA will evaluate the comments received and 
the technical analysis of the renewal requests to determine whether to 
grant or deny the renewal requests.

DATES: Submit any comments regarding these special permit requests by 
March 6, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the specific docket number for 
which the comment applies. Comments may be submitted in the following 
ways:
    <bullet> At the E-Gov Web site: http://www.Regulations.gov. This 
site allows the public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice 
issued by any agency.
    <bullet> By Mail: Docket Management System: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
    <bullet> By Hand Delivery: DOT Docket Management System: U.S. 
Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 
20590 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.
    Instructions: At the beginning of your comments, please identify 
the docket number for the special permit renewal request you are 
commenting on. If you submit your comments by mail, please submit two 
copies. To receive confirmation that PHMSA has received your comments, 
please include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet users may 
submit comments at http://www.Regulations.gov.

    Note:  Please read the privacy statement published on http://www.Regulations.gov. Comments, including any personal information 
provided, are posted without changes or edits to http://www.Regulations.gov.

    Contacts for general or technical information:
    General: Kay McIver by telephone at (202) 366-0113; or by email at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#83e8e2faadeee0eaf5e6f1c3e7ecf7ade4ecf5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fe959f87d0939d97889b8cbe9a918ad0999188">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Technical: Steve Nanney by telephone at (713) 272-2855; or by email 
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e99a9d8c9f8cc7878887878c90a98d869dc78e869f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84f7f0e1f2e1aaeae5eaeae1fdc4e0ebf0aae3ebf2">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA has received the following special 
permit renewal requests from two pipeline operators who seek relief 
from compliance with certain federal pipeline safety regulations. Each 
request includes a technical analysis provided by the respective 
operators, and filed under the original issued special permit number in 
the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) at http://www.Regulations.gov. PHMSA invites interested persons to participate by 
reviewing these special permit renewal requests and submitting written 
comments, data or other views in the FDMS. Please include comments on 
any potential environmental impacts that may result if these special 
permit renewals are granted.
    Details of Special Permit renewals received:

[[Page 6175]]



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           Docket No.                   Requesters           Regulations affected     Nature of special permit
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PHMSA-2008-0213................  Empire Pipeline Inc.....  49 CFR 192.611.........  To reauthorize Empire
                                                                                     Pipeline Inc., (Empire) to
                                                                                     continue its operation as
                                                                                     defined in the original
                                                                                     Special Permit issued on
                                                                                     May 20, 2010, for the
                                                                                     operation of five pipeline
                                                                                     segments located in
                                                                                     Genesee, Niagara and Monroe
                                                                                     Counties in western and
                                                                                     central New York, where the
                                                                                     class location has changed
                                                                                     from a Class 1 or Class 2
                                                                                     to Class 3 location. The
                                                                                     Special Permit renewal
                                                                                     request seeks to waive
                                                                                     compliance from certain
                                                                                     Federal regulations found
                                                                                     in 49 CFR 192.611. The
                                                                                     segments operate at an MAOP
                                                                                     of 1,440 psig. In addition,
                                                                                     Empire is requesting that
                                                                                     it be allowed to extend the
                                                                                     Special permit area of
                                                                                     Section 5 by approximately
                                                                                     840 feet.
PHMSA-2005-20323...............  Northern Natural Gas      49 CFR 192.625(b)(1)...  To reauthorize Northern
                                  Company.                                           Natural Gas Company to
                                                                                     continue its operation as
                                                                                     defined in the original
                                                                                     Special Permit issued on
                                                                                     April 10, 2010, for the non-
                                                                                     odorization of a pipeline
                                                                                     lateral. The Special Permit
                                                                                     renewal request seeks to
                                                                                     waive compliance from
                                                                                     certain Federal regulations
                                                                                     found in 49 CFR
                                                                                     192.625(b)(1) for the
                                                                                     exclusion from installing
                                                                                     odorization equipment on
                                                                                     Special Permit Segment 1:
                                                                                     the 2\3/8\-inch diameter
                                                                                     Rippey branch line (500
                                                                                     psig) located near Highway
                                                                                     44 in Greene County, Iowa
                                                                                     and; Special Permit Segment
                                                                                     2: the 4\1/2\-inch diameter
                                                                                     (1,885 feet length, 800
                                                                                     psig) La Crescent branch
                                                                                     line located in Houston
                                                                                     County, Minnesota.
PHMSA-2006-26614...............  Northern Natural Gas      49 CFR 192.625(b)(1)...  To reauthorize Northern
                                  Company.                                           Natural Gas Company to
                                                                                     continue its operation as
                                                                                     defined in the original
                                                                                     Special Permit issued on
                                                                                     April 10, 2010, for the non-
                                                                                     odorization of a pipeline
                                                                                     lateral. The Special Permit
                                                                                     renewal request seeks to
                                                                                     waive compliance from
                                                                                     certain Federal regulations
                                                                                     found in 49 CFR
                                                                                     192.625(b)(1) for the
                                                                                     exclusion from installing
                                                                                     odorization equipment on
                                                                                     one segment of the Northern
                                                                                     Natural Gas Company's 3\1/
                                                                                     2\-inch diameter St. Joseph
                                                                                     transmission pipeline
                                                                                     system located in Benton
                                                                                     and Stearns Counties,
                                                                                     Minnesota. The Special
                                                                                     Permit segment is
                                                                                     approximately 8 miles long
                                                                                     and operates at an MAOP of
                                                                                     1,050 psig.
PHMSA-2006-0141................  Northern Natural Gas      49 CFR 192.625(b)(1)...  To reauthorize Northern
                                  Company.                                           Natural Gas Company to
                                                                                     continue its operation as
                                                                                     defined in the original
                                                                                     Special Permit issued on
                                                                                     April 10, 2010, for the non-
                                                                                     odorization of a pipeline
                                                                                     lateral. The Special Permit
                                                                                     renewal request seeks to
                                                                                     waive compliance from
                                                                                     certain Federal regulations
                                                                                     found in 49 CFR
                                                                                     192.625(b)(1) for the
                                                                                     exclusion from installing
                                                                                     odorization equipment on
                                                                                     one segment of the Northern
                                                                                     Natural Gas Company
                                                                                     transmission pipeline
                                                                                     system located on the Sioux
                                                                                     Falls 14-inch diameter
                                                                                     (Nebraska to South Dakota
                                                                                     Mainline) pipeline in
                                                                                     Lincoln County, South
                                                                                     Dakota. This segment
                                                                                     operates at an MAOP of 446
                                                                                     psig.
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    Before acting on the special permit renewal requests, PHMSA will 
evaluate all comments received on or before the comments closing date. 
PHMSA will consider each relevant comment received in its decision to 
grant or deny the renewal requests. Comments will be evaluated after 
this date only if it is possible to do so without incurring additional 
expense or delay.

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 60118(c)(1) and 49 CFR 1.53.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 30, 2015.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy and Programs.
[FR Doc. 2015-02146 Filed 2-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P


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