[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3839-3840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28777]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

49 CFR Parts 191 and 192

[Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0225]


Pipeline Safety: Frequently Asked Questions on the Gas 
Transmission Rule

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

ACTION: Notification and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA is seeking public comment on a second set of draft 
frequently asked questions (Batch-2 FAQs) to facilitate implementation 
of its final rule titled ``Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines: MAOP 
Reconfirmation, Expansion of Assessment Requirements, and other Related 
Amendments'' (Gas Transmission Rule).

DATES: Comments on the draft Batch-2 FAQs should be submitted to Docket 
No. PHMSA-2019-0225 no later than March 16, 2021.

ADDRESSES: 
     E-Gov Web: http://www.regulations.gov. This site allows 
the public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice issued by 
any agency. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Docket Management System: U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT), West Building, Ground Floor, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: DOT Docket Management System: West 
Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, except 
federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Instructions: Identify the Docket Number PHMSA-2019-0225 
at the beginning of your comments. If you submit your comments by mail, 
submit two copies. If you wish to receive confirmation that PHMSA 
received your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. 
Internet users may submit comments at http://www.regulations.gov.
     Privacy Act: 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 document 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 document, 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 FOIA, and the submissions will not be placed in the public docket 
of this notification. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to 
Chris Hoidal at Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 
Western Region, PHP-500, 12300 W. Dakota Avenue, Suite 110, Lakewood, 
CO 80228. Any commentary PHMSA receives that is not specifically 
designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this matter.
     Docket: For access to the docket to read background 
documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets. 
Alternatively, you may review the documents in person at DOT in the 
West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except 
federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    General: Chris Hoidal, Senior Technical Advisor, Office of Pipeline 
Safety, by telephone at 303-807-8833, or email at chris.hoidal@dot.gov.
    Technical: Steve Nanney, Project Manager, Office of Pipeline 
Safety, by telephone at 713-272-2855, or email at steve.nanney@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA provides written clarification of the 
pipeline safety regulations (49 CFR parts

[[Page 3840]]

190-199) in the form of periodically updated FAQs and other guidance 
materials. On October 1, 2019, PHMSA published amendments to 49 CFR 
parts 191 and 192 in the Gas Transmission final rule (84 FR 52180), 
which addressed several statutory mandates from the Pipeline Safety, 
Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 (Pub. L. 112-90). 
PHMSA finalized the first set of FAQs (Batch-1 FAQs) to help clarify, 
explain, and promote better understanding of the Gas Transmission final 
rule. The Batch-1 FAQs were posted to the docket on September 16, 2020.
    PHMSA is requesting public comment on a second set of draft FAQs 
(Batch-2 FAQs) pertaining to the Gas Transmission final rule. The 
Batch-2-FAQs are intended to help the public understand and implement 
necessary changes in response to PHMSA's new regulations. They are in 
response to specific questions received from the regulated community, 
pipeline safety regulators, and the public. Operators and state 
regulators may also request written regulatory interpretations from 
PHMSA regarding specific situations in accordance with 49 CFR 190.11.
    While FAQs are provided to help the public understand how to comply 
with the regulations, they are not substantive rules themselves and do 
not create legally enforceable rights, assign duties, or impose new 
obligations not otherwise contained in the existing regulations and 
standards. However, an operator who is able to demonstrate compliance 
with the FAQs is likely to be able to demonstrate compliance with the 
relevant regulations.
    The draft FAQs and other supporting documents are available online 
on the Federal eRulemaking Portal, https://www.regulations.gov; search 
for Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0225. Before finalizing the draft FAQs, PHMSA 
will evaluate all comments received on or before the comment closing 
date. Comments received after the closing date will be evaluated to the 
extent
    practicable. Once finalized, the FAQs will be posted in the docket 
and on PHMSA's public website at https://www.phmsa.dot.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC on December 22, 2020, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2020-28777 Filed 1-14-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P


