[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 240 (Friday, December 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68295-68297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26895]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2007-29078; Docket No. PHMSA-2009-0319]


Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; Kern River Gas 
Transmission Company

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 
two (2) requests received from the Kern River Gas Transmission Company 
to renew previously issued special permits. These special permit 
renewal requests are 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 renewal requests.

DATES: Submit any comments regarding these special permit renewal 
requests by January 13, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the docket number for the specific 
special permit renewal 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 renewal 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 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 Ms. 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. Chris Hoidal by telephone at 303-807-8833, or by 
email at chris.hoidal@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA has received the following two (2) 
special permit renewal requests:

[[Page 68296]]



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           Docket No.                     Requester         Regulation(s)  Affected    Nature of special permit
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PHMSA-2007-29078................  Kern River Gas            49 CFR Sec.   192.111,   To reauthorize Kern River
                                   Transmission Company      192.201, 192.505, and    to continue its operation
                                   (Kern River).             192.619.                 as defined in the original
                                                                                      special permit issued on
                                                                                      March 29, 2010, and
                                                                                      renewed on March 29, 2015,
                                                                                      to operate up to an
                                                                                      alternative maximum
                                                                                      allowable operating
                                                                                      pressure (MAOP) based upon
                                                                                      80 percent of specified
                                                                                      minimum yield strength
                                                                                      (SMYS) in Class 1
                                                                                      locations, 67 percent SMYS
                                                                                      in Class 2 locations, and
                                                                                      56 percent of SMYS in
                                                                                      Class 3 locations of the
                                                                                      pipeline system. The
                                                                                      special permit renewal
                                                                                      request seeks to waive
                                                                                      compliance from certain
                                                                                      Federal regulations found
                                                                                      in 49 CFR Sec.   192.111,
                                                                                      192.201, 192.505, and
                                                                                      192.619.
                                                                                     The special permit
                                                                                      conditions that were
                                                                                      imposed would continue to
                                                                                      remain in effect, with the
                                                                                      exception that the special
                                                                                      permit renewal includes a
                                                                                      request from Kern River to
                                                                                      modify Condition 35(b) of
                                                                                      the special permit to
                                                                                      allow close interval and
                                                                                      depth of cover surveys to
                                                                                      be conducted in the same
                                                                                      year as inline inspection
                                                                                      (ILI) tool assessments.
                                                                                      Also, Kern River has
                                                                                      requested to modify
                                                                                      Condition 35(h) of the
                                                                                      existing special permit to
                                                                                      allow using ILI tool
                                                                                      calibrations from
                                                                                      previously excavated
                                                                                      pipeline features with
                                                                                      documented dimensions,
                                                                                      externally re-coated, and
                                                                                      cathodic protection
                                                                                      maintained. The pipeline
                                                                                      features would be used to
                                                                                      confirm the accuracy of
                                                                                      each ILI tool run. The
                                                                                      number of required ILI
                                                                                      tool calibrations would be
                                                                                      defined based upon the run
                                                                                      length of the ILI tool
                                                                                      assessment.
                                                                                     The special permit renewal
                                                                                      request is for the Kern
                                                                                      River Pipeline System,
                                                                                      which begins at the
                                                                                      discharges of the Muddy
                                                                                      Creek and Painter
                                                                                      compressor stations, and
                                                                                      at the Anschutz meter
                                                                                      station in Lincoln County,
                                                                                      Wyoming, routed through
                                                                                      Utah and Nevada, to the
                                                                                      outlet side of the Daggett
                                                                                      meter station located in
                                                                                      San Bernardino County,
                                                                                      California where it
                                                                                      interconnects with the
                                                                                      Mojave Pipeline. The Kern
                                                                                      River Pipeline System
                                                                                      consists of 682 miles of a
                                                                                      36-inch diameter mainline,
                                                                                      635 miles of 36-inch
                                                                                      diameter loop lines, 10
                                                                                      compressor stations, 48
                                                                                      meter stations, six (6)
                                                                                      receipt laterals, and
                                                                                      seven (7) delivery
                                                                                      laterals.
                                                                                     Kern River has been allowed
                                                                                      to operate at a MAOP of
                                                                                      1,333 pounds per square
                                                                                      inch gauge (psig) on the
                                                                                      mainline pipeline (up to
                                                                                      1,350 psig in compressor
                                                                                      and meter station piping)
                                                                                      since November 6, 2008,
                                                                                      under the Alternative MAOP
                                                                                      special permit.
                                                                                     The Kern River Pipeline
                                                                                      System under the special
                                                                                      permit is in the following
                                                                                      counties and states:
                                                                                         Lincoln and
                                                                                         Uintah Counties,
                                                                                         Wyoming;
                                                                                         Salt Lake,
                                                                                         Utah, Millard, Beaver,
                                                                                         Washington Counties,
                                                                                         Utah;
                                                                                         Clark County,
                                                                                         Nevada; and
                                                                                         San Bernardino
                                                                                         County, California.
PHMSA-2009-0319.................  Kern River Gas            49 CFR 192.625(b)......  To reauthorize Kern River
                                   Transmission Company                               to continue its operation
                                   (Kern River).                                      as defined in the original
                                                                                      special permit issued on
                                                                                      March 19, 2010, and
                                                                                      renewed on March 19, 2015,
                                                                                      for 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) for
                                                                                      the continued non-odorized
                                                                                      operation of Kern River's
                                                                                      Centennial Lateral, a 12-
                                                                                      inch diameter natural gas
                                                                                      transmission pipeline. The
                                                                                      Centennial Lateral main
                                                                                      line tap valve is located
                                                                                      on a corner lot near the
                                                                                      intersection of Centennial
                                                                                      Parkway and North 5th
                                                                                      Street in Clark County,
                                                                                      Nevada.
                                                                                     The special permit renewal
                                                                                      request is for a 1,083-
                                                                                      foot segment of Kern
                                                                                      River's Centennial
                                                                                      Lateral, a 12-inch
                                                                                      diameter natural gas
                                                                                      transmission pipeline.
                                                                                     The special permit
                                                                                      conditions that were
                                                                                      imposed would continue to
                                                                                      remain in effect.
                                                                                     The Centennial Lateral
                                                                                      operates at a MAOP of
                                                                                      1,333 psig.
                                                                                     The Centennial Lateral
                                                                                      special permit segment is
                                                                                      in Clark County, Nevada.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 68297]]

    The Kern River Gas Transmission Company requests for special permit 
renewals and the proposed modifications to the special permit 
conditions are available for review and public comment in the 
respective dockets. We invite interested persons to review and submit 
comments on the special permit renewal requests in the dockets. Please 
include any comments on potential safety and environmental impacts that 
may result if the renewals of the special permits are granted.
    Before issuing a decision on the special permit renewal requests, 
PHMSA will evaluate all comments received on or before the comment 
closing date. Comments received after the closing date will be 
evaluated, if it is possible to do so without incurring additional 
expense or delay. PHMSA will consider each relevant comment we receive 
in making our decision to grant or deny these requests.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 10, 2019, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2019-26895 Filed 12-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P


