[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35313-35314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15895]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2017-0158]


Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; Empire Pipeline--a 
National Fuel Gas Company

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to seek public comments on a 
request for a special permit from a natural gas pipeline operator that 
seeks relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal 
pipeline safety regulations to operate at an alternative maximum 
allowable operating pressure (MAOP) of up to 80 percent of the pipe's 
specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) on an existing 24-inch diameter 
pipeline. 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 
August 24, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the docket number for the specific 
special permit request and may be submitted in the following ways:

[[Page 35314]]

     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 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.Reglations.gov. Comments, including any personal information 
provided, are posted without changes or edits to http://www.Regulations.gov.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    General: Ms. Kay McIver by telephone at 202-366-0113, or email at 
[email protected].
    Technical: Mr. Steve Nanney by telephone at 713-628-7479, or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Empire Pipeline, owned by National Fuel Gas 
Company, has requested a special permit for 49 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) 192.112(c)(1) and (2), 192.112(f)(3), 192.328(a), and 
192.328(e) for the Empire Connector Pipeline (ECP) to be able to 
operate at alternative MAOP of up to 80 percent SMYS of the pipe. To 
operate a natural gas pipeline at alternative MAOP, an operator must 
design, construct, and operate the pipeline in accordance with the 
Federal pipeline safety regulations of 49 CFR 192.112, 192.328, and 
192.620.
    Empire Pipeline is the operator of ECP. ECP is an interstate 
natural gas pipeline with 76.6 miles of 24-inch diameter pipe. The ECP 
runs north to south, from Victor to Coring, New York, through the 
counties of Ontario, Yates, Schuyler, Chemung and Steuben. The special 
permit requested segments of ECP total 69.8 miles and are in Class 1 
and 2 locations and includes some high consequence areas. The ECP 
special permit segments are mostly in rural areas though agricultural 
fields, open pastures, wooden areas, and mostly flat to rolling 
terrain. The ECP construction began in 2007 and the line was placed in 
service on December 10, 2008. The ECP presently has a MAOP of 1,290 
pounds per square inch gauge (psig) and has operated at, or below the 
MAOP for the life of the pipeline. ECP proposed to utilize alternative 
MAOP to allow increasing the pipeline MAOP from 1,290 psig up to 1,440 
psig. The ECP has 6.5 miles of Class 3 locations that are designed for 
the alternative MAOP. The Class 3 locations will be required to meet 
the special permit conditions. The Class 3 locations are proposed to be 
included in the special permit for a total mileage of 76.6 miles.
    A draft environmental assessment (DEA) and proposed special permit 
conditions for ECP's operations at alternative MAOP are provided in the 
docket at http://www.Regulations.gov. In the DEA, Empire proposes 
alternative measures and activities that will be taken to mitigate 
safety and environmental risks in the continued operation of the ECP at 
the alternative MAOP. The proposed special permit conditions are a 
draft of operational measures that would be implemented by Empire 
throughout the life of the ECP special permit to maintain safety at the 
alternative MAOP.
    We invite interested persons to participate by reviewing the 
special permit request, DEA, and proposed special permit conditions at 
http://www.Regulations.gov, and by submitting written comments, data, 
or other views. Please include any comments on potential safety and 
environmental impacts that may result if the special permit is granted.
    Before issuing a decision on the special permit request, 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 the request.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 20, 2018, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2018-15895 Filed 7-24-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P


