Document ID: PHMSA-2020-0003-0004
Agency: phmsa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Pipeline Safety; Request for Special Permit: Buckeye Partners, LP
Posted Date: 2021-05-25T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 25, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28184-28185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-10970]

[[Page 28184]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2020-0003]

Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; Buckeye Partners, LP

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on 
a request for special permit received from Buckeye Partners, LP 
(Buckeye). The special permit request is seeking relief from compliance 
with certain requirements in the Federal pipeline safety regulations. 
At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, PHMSA will review the 
comments received from this notice as part of its evaluation to grant 
or deny the special permit request.

DATES: Submit any comments regarding this special permit request by 
June 24, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the docket number for this special 
permit request and 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 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.
     Hand Delivery: 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: You should identify the docket number for the special 
permit request you are commenting on at the beginning of your comments. 
If you submit your comments by mail, please submit two (2) 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: There is a 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.
    Confidential Business Information: Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both 
customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from 
public disclosure. If your comments responsive to this notice contain 
commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as 
private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or 
responsive to this notice, it is important that you clearly designate 
the submitted comments as CBI. Pursuant to 49 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) 190.343, you may ask PHMSA to give confidential 
treatment to information you give to the Agency by taking the following 
steps: (1) Mark each page of the original document submission 
containing CBI as ``Confidential''; (2) send PHMSA, along with the 
original document, a second copy of the original document with the CBI 
deleted; and (3) explain why the information you are submitting is CBI. 
Unless you are notified otherwise, PHMSA will treat such marked 
submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed 
in the public docket of this notice. Submissions containing CBI should 
be sent to Kay McIver, DOT, PHMSA-PHP-80, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Any commentary PHMSA receives that is not 
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for 
this matter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    General: Ms. Kay McIver by telephone at 202-366-0113, or by email 
at kay.mciver@dot.gov.
    Technical: Mr. Steve Nanney by telephone at 713-272-2855, or by 
email at steve.nanney@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA received a special permit request from 
Buckeye seeking a waiver from portions of the requirements of 49 Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR) 195.116: Valves; 195.118: Fittings; 
195.228: Welds and welding inspection: Standards of acceptability; 
195.230: Welds: Repair or removal of defects; and 195.234: Welds: 
Nondestructive testing. This special permit is being requested in lieu 
of replacement of valves, fittings, and girth welds for a pipeline 
special permit segment consisting of approximately 2,600 feet of 
12.750-inch diameter pipeline and approximately 100 feet of 8.625-inch 
diameter pipeline. This pipeline special permit segment was not 
designed, pressure tested, and constructed in accordance with 49 CFR 
part 195. The special permit was requested by Buckeye for the following 
reasons:
     The special permit valves were not factory pressure tested 
to meet all the requirements of 49 CFR 195.116.
     The fittings were not manufactured to the standards 
referenced in 49 CFR 195.118.
     The welding procedures, welding, nondestructive testing, 
and weld repairs for the pipeline girth welds for the pipe, valves and 
fittings were not originally performed during construction in 
accordance with 49 CFR 195.228, 195.230, and 195.234.
    Buckeye has proposed special permit conditions to remediate any 
pipeline safety issues with the original installation of the special 
permit segment. The location of this proposed special permit segment is 
in Buckeye's Tampa North Terminal in Hillsborough County, Florida. The 
Buckeye pipeline special permit segment consists of the following:
     The special permit segment includes approximately 2,600 
feet of 12.750-inch diameter, steel pipe strength of 52,000 pounds per 
square inch gauge (psig) with a wall thickness of 0.375 inches, and 
approximately 100 feet of 8.625-inch diameter, steel pipe strength of 
52,000 psig with a wall thickness of 0.322 inches.
     The special permit segment is above ground and has been 
coated with a coating to provide atmospheric corrosion protection.
     The special permit segment will have a maximum operating 
pressure of 220 psig.
     The special permit segment was constructed between 2018 
and 2020.
     The special permit segment is situated within the Tampa 
North Terminal tank dike, with a 500-foot section of 12.750-inch 
diameter piping located outside of dike containment.
    The special permit request, proposed special permit with 
conditions, and Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the above 
listed Buckeye pipeline segments are available for review and public 
comments in Docket No. PHMSA-2020-0003. PHMSA invites interested 
persons to review and submit comments on the special permit request and 
DEA in the docket. Please include any comments on potential safety and 
environmental impacts that may result if the special permit is granted. 
Comments may include relevant data.
    Before issuing a decision on the special permit request, PHMSA will 
evaluate all comments received on or before the comments closing date. 
Comments received after the closing

[[Page 28185]]

date will be evaluated, if it is possible to do so without incurring 
additional expense or delay. PHMSA will consider each relevant comment 
it receives in making its decision to grant or deny this special permit 
request.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 19, 2021, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2021-10970 Filed 5-24-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P