Document ID: PHMSA-2022-0073-0001
Agency: phmsa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Pipeline Safety
Posted Date: 2022-06-16T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 116 (Thursday, June 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36372-36374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12972]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2022-0073]

Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public 
Law 104-13, PHMSA invites public comments on the Agency's intention to 
request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew three 
information collections that are scheduled to expire on January 31, 
2023. PHMSA has reviewed each information collection and considers them 
vital to maintaining pipeline safety. As such, PHMSA will request 
renewal from OMB, without change, for each information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
August 15, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted in the following ways:
    E-Gov Website: http://www.regulations.gov. This site allows the 
public to submit comments on any Federal Register notice issued by any 
agency.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation 
(DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground level of DOT, West 
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. 
and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: Identify the docket number, PHMSA-2022-0073, at the 
beginning of your comments. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. You should know that anyone is able to 
search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our 
dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). Therefore, you may want to review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000, (65 FR 19477) or visit http://www.regulations.gov 
before submitting any such comments.
    Docket: For access to the docket or to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to Room W12-
140 on the ground level of DOT, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, Washington, DC, between

[[Page 36373]]

9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. If you wish to receive confirmation of receipt of your 
written comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped postcard 
with the following statement: ``Comments on: PHMSA-2022-0073.'' The 
Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior to returning it to you 
via the U.S. mail. Please note that due to delays in the delivery of 
U.S. mail to Federal offices in Washington, DC, we recommend that 
persons consider an alternative method (internet, fax, or professional 
delivery service) of submitting comments to the docket and ensuring 
their timely receipt at DOT.
    Privacy Act Statement: DOT may solicit comments from the public 
regarding certain general notices. DOT posts these comments, without 
edit, including any personal information the commenter provides, to 
www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/
ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at www.dot.gov/privacy.
    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 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 Angela Hill, 
DOT, PHMSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, PHP-30, 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: Angela Hill by telephone at 202-366-
1246 or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
section 1320.8(d), requires PHMSA to provide interested members of the 
public and affected agencies the opportunity to comment on information 
collection and recordkeeping requests before they are submitted to OMB 
for approval. This notice identifies three information collection 
requests that PHMSA will submit to OMB for renewal and requests comment 
from interested parties. The three information collections (including 
their expiration dates) are as follows: (1) OMB control number 2137-
0578, Reporting Safety-Related Conditions on Gas, Hazardous Liquid, and 
Carbon Dioxide Pipelines and Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities (1/31/
2023); (2) OMB control number 2137-0630, Hazardous Liquid Operator 
Notifications (1/31/2023); and (3) OMB control number 2137-0636, 
Notification Requirements for Gas Transmission Pipelines (1/31/2023).
    The following information is provided for these information 
collections: (1) Title of the information collection; (2) OMB control 
number; (3) Current expiration date; (4) Type of request; (5) Abstract 
of the information collection activity; (6) Description of affected 
public; (7) Estimate of total annual reporting and recordkeeping 
burden; and (8) Frequency of collection.
    PHMSA will request a three-year term of approval for each of the 
following information collection activities. PHMSA requests comments on 
the following information:
    1. Title: Reporting Safety-Related Conditions on Gas, Hazardous 
Liquid, and Carbon Dioxide Pipelines and Liquefied Natural Gas 
Facilities.
    OMB Control Number: 2137-0578.
    Current Expiration Date: 1/31/2023.
    Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: 49 CFR 191.23 and 195.55 require each operator of a 
pipeline facility (except master meter operators) to submit to PHMSA a 
written report on any safety-related condition that causes or has 
caused a significant change or restriction in the operation of a 
pipeline facility or a condition that is a hazard to life, property or 
the environment. This information collection supports the PHMSA 
strategic goal of safety by reducing the number of incidents in natural 
gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipelines as well as in 
liquefied natural gas facilities.
    Affected Public: Operators of Natural Gas, Hazardous Liquid, and 
Carbon Dioxide Pipelines and Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:
    Total Annual Responses: 174.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,044.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    2. Title: Hazardous Liquid Operator Notifications.
    OMB Control Number: 2137-0630.
    Current Expiration Date: 1/31/2023.
    Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The pipeline safety regulations contained within 49 CFR 
part 195 require hazardous liquid operators to notify PHMSA in various 
instances. Section 195.414 requires hazardous liquid operators who are 
unable to inspect their pipeline facilities within 72 hours of an 
extreme weather event to notify the appropriate PHMSA Region Director 
as soon as practicable. Section 195.452 requires operators of pipelines 
that cannot accommodate an in-line inspection tool to file a petition 
in compliance with Section 190.9. These mandatory notifications help 
PHMSA to stay abreast of issues related to the health and safety of the 
nation's pipeline infrastructure.
    Affected Public: Hazardous liquid pipeline operators.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:
    Estimated number of responses: 110.
    Estimated annual burden hours: 125.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    3. Title: Notification Requirements for Gas Transmission Pipelines.
    OMB Control Number: 2137-0636.
    Current Expiration Date: 1/31/2023.
    Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The pipeline safety regulations contained within 49 CFR 
part 192 require operators to make various notifications upon the 
occurrence of certain events. Section 192.506(g) requires that 
operators who use alternative technologies or evaluation processes when 
conducting spike hydrostatic pressure tests to notify PHMSA at least 90 
days in advance. Section 192.607(e)(4) specifies the reporting 
requirements associated with the expanded sampling and testing programs 
required (under Sec.  192.607(e)) when sampling of unknown material 
properties on onshore steel transmission pipelines identify unknown or 
unexpected materials. Section 192.607(e)(5) requires that operators who 
use alternative statistical sampling approaches when verifying unknown 
materials properties to notify PHMSA at least 90 days in advance and 
provide

[[Page 36374]]

information about the alternative program.
    Section 192.624(b)(4) allows operators to petition for an extension 
of the completion deadlines to reconfirm maximum allowable operating 
pressure (MAOP) by up to one year if they provide an up-to-date plan, 
the reason for the requested extension, current status, completion 
date, remediation activities outstanding, and other factors. Section 
192.624(c)(2)(iii) requires that operators notify PHMSA when they 
choose to use a less conservative pressure reduction factor or longer 
look-back period when reconfirming MAOP under Sec.  192.624(c). Section 
192.624(c)(3)(iii)(A) requires operators to notify PHMSA at least 90 
days in advance when using an ``other technology'' besides those 
enumerated in Sec.  192.624(c)(3) for reconfirming MAOP using 
engineering critical assessment and analysis.
    Section 192.624(c)(6) requires operators to notify PHMSA at least 
90 days in advance of using an alternative technical evaluation process 
in reconfirming MAOP in onshore steel transmission pipelines. Section 
192.712(e)(2)(i)(E) allows operators to use other appropriate Charpy 
energy values (other than those specified in Sec.  192.712(e)(2)(i)) if 
they notify PHMSA in advance.
    Section 192.921(a)(7) requires operators to notify PHMSA (and 
applicable state and local authorities) at least 90 days in advance of 
using alternative baseline integrity assessment methods. Section 
192.937(c)(7) requires operators to notify PHMSA (and applicable state 
and local authorities) at least 90 days in advance of using alternative 
ongoing integrity assessment methods.
    These mandatory notifications help PHMSA to stay abreast of issues 
related to the health and safety of the nation's pipeline 
infrastructure. These notification requirements are necessary to ensure 
safe operation of transmission pipelines, ascertain compliance with gas 
pipeline safety regulations, and to provide a background for incident 
investigations.
    Affected Public: Operators of natural gas transmission pipelines.
    Estimated number of responses: 722.
    Estimated annual burden hours: 1,070.
    Frequency of collection: On occasion.
    Comments are invited on:
    (a) The need for the renewal and revision of these collections 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.
    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter 
35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 10, 2022, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
John A. Gale,
Director, Standards and Rulemaking Division.
[FR Doc. 2022-12972 Filed 6-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P