[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 25, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64539-64540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-23147]



[[Page 64539]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2022-0124]


Pipeline Safety: Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Research and 
Development (R&D) Public Meeting and Forum

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

ACTION: Notice of virtual public meeting and forum.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a virtual public meeting and forum 
titled: ``Liquefied Natural Gas Research and Development Public Meeting 
and Forum.'' The public meeting and forum will serve as an opportunity 
for pipeline stakeholders to discuss research gaps and challenges in 
the LNG industry. Furthermore, it will also serve as a venue for PHMSA, 
public interest groups, industry, academia, intergovernmental partners, 
and the public to collaborate on PHMSA's future R&D agenda.

DATES: The LNG R&D Public Meeting and Forum will be held on November 15 
and 16, 2022. Members of the public who wish to attend the public 
meeting and forum must register by November 14, 2022. Individuals 
requiring accommodations, such as sign language interpretation or other 
aids, are asked to notify PHMSA no later than November 9, 2022. 
Individuals will be able to sign up to participate in specific 
workgroups by November 7, 2022, on a first come first serve basis. To 
facilitate a collaborative and productive discussion in the working 
groups, each working group will have a maximum capacity of 50 
participants.

ADDRESSES: This public meeting and forum will be held virtually. The 
agenda and instructions on how to attend will be published once they 
are finalized on the following public meeting registration page: 
https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=162. 
Presentations will be available on the meeting website and on the E-gov 
website, https://regulations.gov, at docket number PHMSA-2022-0124, no 
later than 30 days following the meeting. You may submit comments, 
identified by Docket No. PHMSA-2022-0124, by any of the following 
methods:
     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), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground 
Floor, 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. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Instructions: Identify the Docket No. PHMSA-2022-0124, at 
the beginning of your comments. If you submit your comments by mail, 
please submit two copies. If you wish to receive confirmation that 
PHMSA received your comments, you must include a self-addressed stamped 
postcard. Internet users may submit comments at: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Note: All comments received are posted without edits to 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
     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 (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments in response 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) 190.343, you may ask PHMSA to provide 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 a copy of the 
original document with the CBI deleted along with the original, 
unaltered document; and (3) explain why the information you are 
submitting is CBI. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to 
Kandilarya Barakat, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, DOT: PHMSA--PHP-80, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Any commentary PHMSA receives that is not 
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket.
     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.
     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 the street 
address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Smith by phone at 202-330-1132 
or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The mission of PHMSA is to protect people and the environment by 
advancing the safe transportation of energy products and other 
hazardous materials that are essential to our daily lives. PHMSA 
oversees the transportation of hazardous materials, including energy 
products, through all modes of the transportation industry--and is 
focused on the Biden-Harris Administration's whole-of-government 
approach to addressing safety, mitigating climate change, and improving 
the environment. PHMSA collaborates with stakeholders from the public, 
academia, interagency, international partners, and pipeline industry 
that share PHMSA's goal of advancing knowledge and technology in the 
pursuit of improved LNG facility safety. PHMSA's research agenda will 
adapt to address existing and future LNG safety initiatives such as 
addressing performance-based risk reduction during site location, 
design, construction, operations, maintenance, and fire protection, and 
methane mitigation activities.
    Due to the importance of energy products and other hazardous 
materials to our economy and standard of living, it is essential that 
research projects promote safety, environmental protection, and 
reliable and efficient performance of our transportation system. The 
United States has experienced a significant increase in LNG export over 
the last decade. The expansion of the domestic and international LNG 
transportation industry has highlighted the need to ensure the U.S. is 
leading the world with best safety and environmental mitigation 
practices. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration 
(EIA), ``U.S. LNG export capacity increased from less than 1 billion 
cubic feet (Bcf) per day (Bcf/d) in 2015 to 10.78 Bcf/d at the end of 
2020. Total peak export capacity in 2021 was about 12.98 Bcf/d. In 
2015, total U.S. LNG

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exports were about 28 Bcf to seven countries. In 2021, U.S. LNG exports 
reached a record high of about 3,561 Bcf to 45 countries, and LNG 
exports accounted for 54% of total U.S. natural gas exports.'' \1\
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    \1\ https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/liquefied-natural-gas.php (updated as of May 19, 2022).
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    This expansion of LNG demand is expected to continue in the near 
term and brings with it additional safety challenges which must be 
understood and remedied to mitigate safety impacts and potential 
environmental damage from releases and incidents. Therefore, LNG 
transportation research will examine regulatory requirements and 
standards incorporated into the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for 
LNG and performance gap analyses so as to keep pace with the growing 
demand to export LNG. In addition, future research outputs must 
consider LNG's status as an alternate transportation fuel for multiple 
modes of transportation particularly as operators transition from 
conventional oil-based fuels to LNG for marine vessels in order to 
reduce air pollution.
    To this end, PHMSA hopes to discuss and receive public feedback in 
four areas: (1) LNG facility design and construction, including 
process, piping, and control system design; process hazard analysis; 
vapor handling; structural members; and construction testing 
requirements; (2) LNG facility siting, including passive and active 
protection and potential safety gaps in 49 CFR 193 and industry 
technical standards; (3) LNG facility fire protection system design, 
including firewater system design, fire and gas detection technology, 
emergency shutdown systems, and hazard controls; and (4) LNG operation 
and maintenance, including plans and procedures (best practices), safe 
work practices, human factors, incident investigation and reporting, 
reporting requirements, inspection and testing, maintenance and 
repairs--including fugitive and vented methane emissions mitigation, 
corrosion protection, and personnel protection.

II. Public Meeting and Forum Details and Agenda

    The virtual meeting and forum will take place November 15 and 16, 
2022. The morning of the first day of the virtual public meeting will 
include a general session with panel discussions among government, 
industry, research consortiums, and environmental advocacy stakeholders 
on LNG facility safety R&D research topics. The afternoon of the first 
day and the entirety of the second day will be the virtual public forum 
which will consist of smaller workgroups that members of the public 
will have an opportunity to sign up for in advance. The workgroups will 
explore the specific research gaps and topics discussed above in 
Section I.

III. Public Participation

    The virtual public meeting and forum will be open to the public. 
Members of the public who wish to attend must register on the meeting 
website, including their names and organization affiliation. PHMSA is 
committed to providing all participants with equal access to these 
meetings. If you need disability accommodations, please contact Robert 
Smith by phone at 202-330-1132 or via email at [email protected].
    PHMSA is not always able to publish a notice in the Federal 
Register quickly enough to provide timely notification of last-minute 
changes that impact scheduled meetings. Therefore, individuals should 
check the meeting website listed in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice or contact Robert Smith by phone at 202-330-1132 or via email at 
[email protected] regarding any possible changes.
    PHMSA invites public participation and public comment on the topics 
addressed in this public meeting and forum. Please review the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice for information on how to submit written 
comments.

    Issued in Washington, DC, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 
1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2022-23147 Filed 10-24-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P


