Document ID: PHMSA-2012-0244-0001
Agency: phmsa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Meetings: Pipeline Safety; Pipeline Data
Posted Date: 2012-10-11T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 197 (Thursday, October 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61825-61826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24976]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket ID PHMSA-2012-0244]

Pipeline Safety: Notice of Public Meeting on Pipeline Data

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA and the National Association of Pipeline Safety 
Representatives (NAPSR) are sponsoring this public meeting to discuss 
how pipeline data is currently used by stakeholders and identify 
potential improvements in pipeline safety performance measures. PHMSA 
pipeline safety regulations require integrity management program 
performance measures for gas distribution, gas transmission, and 
hazardous liquids pipelines. The National Transportation Safety Board 
(NTSB) and the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Office of the 
Inspector General have recommended that PHMSA improve pipeline safety 
performance measures and generate meaningful metrics. This meeting 
provides an opportunity for pipeline safety stakeholders to suggest 
improvements to existing performance measures and new measures 
representing meaningful pipeline safety metrics. The meeting will 
include breakout sessions on voluntary reporting, data discrepancies, 
data collected but not needed, and performance measures.

DATES: The public meeting on pipeline data will be held on Monday, 
October 29, 2012, from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Tuesday, October 30, 
2012, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Name badge pickup and onsite registration 
will be available starting at 12:30 p.m. on October 29 and 7:30 a.m. on 
October 30.
    Registration: Please register at https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=81. Please note that the meeting will be 
webcast, including the voluntary reporting breakout on October 30. The 
webcast link will be posted on the registration Web page prior to the 
event.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency 
Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20001, phone: 888-421-1442. Please contact the Hyatt Regency before 
October 16, 2012, to reserve a room in the ``US DOT'' room block by 
phone or at https://resweb.

[[Page 61826]]

passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome--gi--new&groupID=16450837. Please 
contact the Hyatt Regency for information on facilities or services for 
individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance during 
these public meetings. The meeting room will be posted at the hotel on 
the days of the workshop.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Blaine Keener at 202-366-0970 or by 
email at blaine.keener@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    PHMSA will be holding this public meeting to provide an open forum 
for exchanging information about how pipeline data is used by 
stakeholders and how performance measures could be improved. The NTSB 
and the DOT Office of the Inspector General have recommended that PHMSA 
improve pipeline safety performance measures and generate meaningful 
metrics. Various stakeholders, including Federal and state regulatory 
agencies, industry, advocacy groups and the media often use data 
collected by PHMSA and made publicly available to describe the 
reliability of the pipeline infrastructure, portray safety trends, or 
identify emerging safety concerns. Further, this data is often used as 
part of evaluating the safety performance of individual companies, the 
industry as a whole, and the effectiveness of the regulatory process.
    PHMSA regulations require integrity management program performance 
measures for gas distribution pipelines (49 CFR 192.1007(e)), gas 
transmission pipelines (49 CFR 192.945) and hazardous liquids pipelines 
(49 CFR 195.452(k)). The information exchanged at this public meeting 
will help inform PHMSA as rulemakings or information collections are 
considered to improve integrity management performance measures and 
establish new performance measures for aspects of pipeline safety other 
than integrity management programs.
    The keynote speaker will be NTSB member Mr. Mark Rosekind. 
Presenters will include PHMSA, NAPSR, the Pipeline Safety Trust, and 
representatives from the pipeline industry. As speakers are identified 
by name, the agenda on the registration Web page will be updated. PHMSA 
invites all stakeholders to actively participate in the meeting and 
specifically engage in thoughtful input and discussion during the topic 
specific breakout session.
    The overall objectives of the meeting are to:
    1. Determine how stakeholders, including PHMSA, industry, and the 
public use the data.
    2. Determine how industry and PHMSA currently measure performance, 
how performance measures could be improved, and what additional data is 
needed to do so.
    3. Determine the best method(s) for collecting, analyzing, and 
ensuring transparency of additional data needed to improve performance 
measures.
    4. Summarize the data PHMSA currently collects, who we collect it 
from, and why we collect it.
    5. Discuss data quality improvement including past efforts and 
future opportunities as well as universally understood definitions.
    PHMSA is preparing a document summarizing the pipeline data 
currently collected by PHMSA. This document will be available on the 
registration Web page by October 22, 2012. All presentations made 
during the meeting will be available on the registration Web page a few 
days after the meeting ends.

Jeffrey D. Wiese,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2012-24976 Filed 10-10-12; 8:45 am]
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