Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 18 / Thursday, January 27, 2022 / Notices 4327 

1The adjustments to the estimated paperwork 

burdens are also described within this ICR’s 

Supporting Statement available for public review 

after this 30-day notice is published in the Federal 

Register at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/. 

2FRA updated the total cost equivalent from 

$7,149,477 to $7,173,483 to correct a previous 

calculation error in the 60-day notice. 

2021.1 FRA determined that many 

estimated paperwork burdens were 

either outdated or accounted for in other 

regulatory sections. Additionally, FRA 

found the associated burdens related to 

train equipment inspection and testing, 

as well as employee training and job 

briefings have been addressed 

previously when FRA calculated the 

economic costs of the regulation. FRA 

also notes below where it anticipates 

zero railroad submissions during this 3- 

year ICR period. 

Type of Request: Extension without 

change (with changes in estimates) of a 

currently approved collection. 

Affected Public: Businesses. 

Form(s): N/A. 

Respondent Universe: 34 railroads 

and manufacturers. 

Frequency of Submission: On 

occasion. 

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 

4,860,940. 

Total Estimated Annual Burden: 

95,946 hours. 

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour 

Dollar Cost Equivalent (Total Cost 

Equivalent): $7,173,483.2

Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 

1320.5(b) and 1320.8(b)(3)(vi), FRA 

informs all interested parties that a 

respondent is not required to respond 

to, conduct, or sponsor a collection of 

information that does not display a 

currently valid OMB control number. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520. 

Brett A. Jortland, 

Deputy Chief Counsel. 

[FR Doc. 2022–01603 Filed 1–26–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 

Safety Administration 

[Docket No. PHMSA–2021–0123] 

Pipeline Safety: Informational Webinar 

Addressing Inspection of Operators’ 

Plans To Eliminate Hazardous Leaks, 

Minimize Releases of Methane, and 

Remediate or Replace Leak-Prone Pipe 

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration 

(PHMSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of public informational 

webinar. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

public informational webinar on the 

scope of Section 114 of the Protecting 

our Infrastructure of Pipelines and 

Enhancing Safety Act of 2020 (PIPES 

Act of 2020). The webinar will also 

cover PHMSA and state inspection 

plans to ensure compliance of operators’ 

inspection and maintenance procedures 

to eliminate hazardous leaks, minimizes 

releases of methane (the predominant 

component of natural gas), and the 

replacement or remediation of facilities 

known to leak. 

DATES: The informational public 

webinar will be held on February 17, 

2022, from 10:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., 

ET. Members of the public who wish to 

attend this webinar must register no 

later than February 11, 2022. 

Individuals requiring accommodations, 

such as sign language interpretation or 

other aids, are asked to notify PHMSA 

no later than February 11, 2022. For 

additional information, please see the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice. 

ADDRESSES: The informational public 

webinar will be held virtually. The 

agenda and instructions on how to 

attend will be available on the meeting 

website at https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/ 

meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mkey=0913558

304&mtg=159 once they are finalized. 

Presentations from the informational 

public webinar will be available on the 

meeting website no later than 5 business 

days following the webinar. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Byron Coy, Senior Technical Advisor, 

Program Development Division, by 

phone at (609) 771–7810 or by email at 

byron.coy@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

The mission of PHMSA is to protect 

people and the environment by 

advancing the safe transportation of 

energy products and other hazardous 

materials that are essential to our daily 

lives. PHMSA’s mission includes 

prevention of the release of natural gas 

that can release methane into the 

atmosphere. According to the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 

methane is a potent greenhouse gas with 

a global warming potential (GWP) of 28– 

36 times greater than that of carbon 

dioxide over a 100-year period. 

Compared to carbon dioxide, methane 

gas has a stronger warming effect, but a 

shorter lifespan in the atmosphere. Due 

to the high GWP, minimizing releases of 

methane (both fugitive and vented 

emissions) has near-term benefits to 

mitigating the consequences of climate 

change. Likewise, remediation or 

replacement of pipeline facilities that 

are known to leak based on material, 

design, or past operating and 

maintenance history can result in 

enhanced public safety, environmental 

protection, and economic benefits. 

The PIPES Act of 2020 (Pub. L. 116– 

260, Division R) was signed into law on 

December 27, 2020. This law contains 

several provisions that specifically 

address the elimination of hazardous 

leaks and minimization of releases of 

natural gas from pipeline facilities. 

Section 114(b) of the PIPES Act of 2020 

contains self-executing provisions that 

apply directly to pipeline operators. 

This section requires each pipeline 

operator to update its inspection and 

maintenance plan required under 49 

U.S.C. 60108(a) no later than one year 

after the date of enactment of the PIPES 

Act of 2020 (i.e., by December 27, 2021) 

to address the elimination of hazardous 

leaks and minimization of releases of 

natural gas (including, and not limited 

to, intentional venting during normal 

operations and maintenance) from the 

operators’ pipeline facilities (49 U.S.C. 

60108(a)(2)(D)). The PIPES Act of 2020 

also requires those plans to address the 

replacement or remediation of pipelines 

that are known to leak due to their 

material (including cast iron, 

unprotected steel, wrought iron, and 

historic plastics with known issues), 

design, or past operating and 

maintenance history (49 U.S.C. 

60108(a)(2)(E)). In addition, 49 U.S.C. 

60108(a)(2) requires that operators 

continue updating these plans to meet 

the requirements of any future 

regulations related to leak detection and 

repair that are promulgated under 49 

U.S.C. 60102(q). Pursuant to the PIPES 

Act of 2020, operators must have 

completed updates to their plans by 

December 27, 2021, and PHMSA (along 

with our state partners) is required to 

inspect these plans in 2022. 

The PIPES Act of 2020 further directs 

the Comptroller General of the United 

States to conduct a study to evaluate the 

procedures used by PHMSA and states 

in reviewing plans prepared by pipeline 

operators under section 60108(a) and 

provide recommendations for how to 

further minimize releases of methane 

from pipeline facilities without 

compromising pipeline safety. No later 

than 90 days after the date the 

Comptroller General’s report is 

published, the Secretary of 

Transportation is required to submit to 

Congress a report that includes a 

response to the results of the study and 

the recommendations contained in the 

report. 

On June 10, 2021, PHMSA published 

an advisory bulletin in the Federal 

Register titled ‘‘Statutory Mandate to 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
4328 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 18 / Thursday, January 27, 2022 / Notices 

Update Inspection and Maintenance 

Plans to Address Eliminating Hazardous 

Leaks and Minimizing Releases of 

Natural Gas from Pipeline Facilities’’ 

(86 FR 31002) reminding pipeline 

operators of their obligation to comply 

with Section 114 of the PIPES Act of 

2020 by December 27, 2021. That 

advisory bulletin reminded owners and 

operators of pipeline facilities that the 

PIPES Act of 2020 requires operators to 

update their inspection and 

maintenance plans to identify 

procedures to prevent and mitigate both 

vented/intentional and fugitive/ 

unintentional pipeline emissions. 

Vented emissions can occur during 

repairs, maintenance, or operations of 

pressure relief systems, or other 

controlled activities. Fugitive emissions 

include leaks from mains or service 

lines, meters, or excavation damage, as 

well as other accidental releases. 

II. Public Webinar Details and Agenda 

The public informational webinar will 

take place on February 17, 2022. During 

the webinar, PHMSA will review the 

scope and requirements of Section 114 

and plans for PHMSA and state 

inspection of the requirements. 

Following opening remarks, the webinar 

will address the following topics: (1) 

Key elements of Section 114; (2) 

Significant sources of natural gas 

(primarily methane) emissions from 

pipelines; (3) Discussion of which types 

of pipeline facilities must comply with 

each portion of Section 114; (4) PHMSA 

and state inspections, including reviews 

of a pipeline operator’s programs and 

procedures to reduce methane 

emissions; (5) Inspection topics related 

to methane reduction and leak-prone 

pipes; (6) General review of how 

operators’ programs and procedures will 

be inspected; and (7) The timelines for 

actions required by Section 114. 

III. Public Participation 

The webinar 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 

organization affiliation. PHMSA is 

committed to providing all participants 

with equal access to these meetings. If 

you need special accommodations, 

please contact Byron Coy by phone at 

(609) 771–7810 or via email at 

byron.coy@dot.gov. 

PHMSA is not always able to publish 

a notice in the Federal Register quickly 

enough to provide timely notification 

regarding last minute changes that 

impact a previously announced 

meeting. Therefore, individuals should 

check the meeting website listed in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice or 

contact Byron Coy by phone at (609) 

771–7810 or via email at byron.coy@

dot.gov regarding any possible changes. 

Issued in Washington, DC on January 24, 

2022, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 

1.97. 

Alan K. Mayberry, 

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety. 

[FR Doc. 2022–01596 Filed 1–26–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Office of Foreign Assets Control 

Notice of OFAC Sanctions Action 

AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets 

Control, Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the 

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets 

Control (OFAC) is publishing the names 

of one or more individuals and entities 

that have been placed on OFAC’s 

Specially Designated Nationals and 

Blocked Persons List (SDN List) based 

on OFAC’s determination that one or 

more applicable legal criteria were 

satisfied. All property and interests in 

property subject to U.S. jurisdiction of 

these persons are blocked, and U.S. 

persons are generally prohibited from 

engaging in transactions with them. 

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

section for applicable date. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

OFAC: Andrea Gacki, Director, tel.: 

202–622–2490; Associate Director for 

Global Targeting, tel.: 202–622–2420; 

Assistant Director for Licensing, tel.: 

202–622–2480; Assistant Director for 

Regulatory Affairs, tel.: 202–622–4855; 

or the Assistant Director for Sanctions 

Compliance & Evaluation, tel.: 202–622– 

2490. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Availability 

The SDN List and additional 

information concerning OFAC sanctions 

programs are available on OFAC’s 

website (https://www.treasury.gov/ofac). 

Notice of OFAC Action 

On January 21, 2022, OFAC 

determined that the property and 

interests in property subject to U.S. 

jurisdiction of the following persons are 

blocked under the relevant sanctions 

authority listed below. 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1