[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 240 (Friday, December 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68294-68295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26896]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-RSPA-2005-20323; Docket No. PHMSA-2008-0141]


Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; Northern Natural Gas 
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 Northern Natural Gas Company to 
renew previously issued special permits. These special permit renewal 
requests seek relief from compliance from 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 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) Sec.  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 has received the following two (2) 
special permit renewal requests:

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           Docket No.                 Requester            Regulation(s)             Nature of special permit
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PHMSA-RSPA-2005-20323...........  Northern Natural  49 CFR 192.625(b)(1).......  To reauthorize Northern Natural
                                   Gas Company                                    to continue its operation of
                                   (Northern                                      special permit segment 2 as
                                   Natural).                                      defined in the original
                                                                                  special permit issued on April
                                                                                  10, 2010, and renewed on April
                                                                                  7, 2015, for the non-
                                                                                  odorization of a pipeline
                                                                                  lateral. Special permit
                                                                                  segment 1 is not being
                                                                                  requested for permit renewal
                                                                                  as this pipeline was abandoned
                                                                                  and relocated.
                                                                                 The special permit renewal
                                                                                  request seeks to continue
                                                                                  waiving compliance from 49 CFR
                                                                                  192.625(b)(1) for the
                                                                                  exclusion from installing and
                                                                                  operating odorization
                                                                                  equipment on special permit
                                                                                  segment 2 defined as 0.369
                                                                                  miles of 4\1/2\-inch diameter
                                                                                  La Crescent Branch Line (MNB
                                                                                  73701) located in Houston
                                                                                  County, Minnesota. The special
                                                                                  permit conditions that were
                                                                                  imposed would continue to
                                                                                  remain in effect.
                                                                                 This special permit segment has
                                                                                  a maximum allowable operating
                                                                                  pressure (MAOP) of 800 pounds
                                                                                  per square inch gauge (psig).

[[Page 68295]]

 
PHMSA-2008-0141.................  Northern Natural  49 CFR 192.625(b)(1).......  To reauthorize Northern Natural
                                   Gas Company                                    to continue its operation as
                                   (Northern                                      defined in the original
                                   Natural).                                      special permit issued on April
                                                                                  10, 2010, and renewed on April
                                                                                  7, 2015, for the non-
                                                                                  odorization of a pipeline
                                                                                  lateral.
                                                                                 The special permit renewal
                                                                                  request seeks to waive
                                                                                  compliance from 49 CFR
                                                                                  192.625(b)(1) for the
                                                                                  exclusion from installing and
                                                                                  operating odorization
                                                                                  equipment on a 2.031-mile
                                                                                  segment of the 14-inch
                                                                                  diameter Sioux Falls Pipeline
                                                                                  located in Lincoln County,
                                                                                  South Dakota.
                                                                                 The special permit conditions
                                                                                  that were imposed would
                                                                                  continue to remain in effect.
                                                                                 This special permit segment has
                                                                                  a MAOP of 446 psig.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Northern Natural Gas Company requests for special permit 
renewals and the existing special permits 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. 2019-26896 Filed 12-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P


