82 FR 44698 - Pipeline Safety: Meeting of the Voluntary Information-Sharing System Working Group

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 184 (September 25, 2017)

This notice announces a public meeting of the Voluntary Information-Sharing System (VIS) Working Group. The VIS Working Group will convene to continue the discussion on the need for, and the identification of, a voluntary information-sharing system.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 184 (Monday, September 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44698-44699]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20389]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2016-0128]


Pipeline Safety: Meeting of the Voluntary Information-Sharing 
System Working Group

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting of the Voluntary 
Information-Sharing System (VIS) Working Group. The VIS Working Group 
will convene to continue the discussion on the need for, and the 
identification of, a voluntary information-sharing system.

DATES: The VIS Working Group will meet on November 29, 2017, from 8:30 
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on November 30, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 
p.m., ET. Members of the public who wish to attend in person are asked 
to register no later than November 19, 2017. Individuals requiring 
accommodations, such as sign language interpretation or other ancillary 
aids, are asked to notify the working group by November 22, 2017. For 
additional information see the ADDRESSES section.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hilton Arlington, 950 North 
Stafford Street, Arlington, Virginia 22203. The meeting agenda and any 
additional information will be published on the following VIS Working 
Group and registration page at: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=126.
    The meeting will not be web cast; however, any documents presented 
will be available on the meeting Web site and posted on the E-Gov Web 
site: http://www.regulations.gov under docket number PHMSA-2016-0128 
within 30 days following the meeting.

Public Participation

    This meeting will be open to the public. Members of the public who 
wish to attend in person are asked to register at: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=126 to facilitate entry 
and guarantee seating. Members of the public who attend in person will 
also be provided an opportunity to make a statement during the meeting.
    Services for Individuals with Disabilities: The public meeting will 
be physically accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals 
requiring accommodations, such as sign language interpretation or other 
ancillary aids, are asked to notify Cheryl Whetsel at 
[email protected].
    Written comments: Written comments on the meeting may be submitted 
to the docket in the following ways:
    E-Gov Web site: 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 Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation 
(DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground level of the DOT West 
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. 
and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.
    Instructions: Identify the docket number PHMSA-2016-0128 at the 
beginning of your comments. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided. You should know that anyone is able to search the 
electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets by the 
name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, 
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
Therefore, you may want to review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement 
in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000, (65 FR 19477) or 
view the Privacy Notice at www.regulations.gov before submitting any 
such comments.
    Docket: For access to the docket or to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to Room W12-
140 on the ground level of the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    If you wish to receive confirmation of receipt of your written 
comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped postcard with the 
following statement: ``Comments on PHMSA-2016-0128.'' The Docket Clerk 
will date stamp the postcard prior to returning it to you via the U.S. 
mail.

Privacy Act Statement

    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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the meeting, 
contact Cheryl Whetsel by phone at 202-366-4431 or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The VIS Working Group is a recently created advisory committee 
established in accordance with Section 10 of the Protecting our 
Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2016 (Pub. L. 
114-183), the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., App. 2, 
as amended), and 41 CFR 102-3.50(a). On December 15, 2016, the 
Secretary of Transportation (the Secretary) appointed 24 members to the 
committee. The first committee meeting convened on December 19, 2016, 
to conduct committee and staff introductions, review the mandate 
requirements, review the committee charter and bylaws, introduce the 
concept of voluntary information-sharing, and discuss plans for future 
meetings. The last committee meeting was on June 29-30, 2017, to 
discuss existing integrity management regulations, assessment types and 
tools, geographic information system pipeline data, operator 
implementation, and the potential need for short-term subcommittees.

II. Meeting Details and Agenda

    The VIS Working Group agenda will include briefings on topics such 
as the mission and objective of the VIS effort, best practices, 
examples of existing information-sharing systems, safety management 
systems, and the establishment of subcommittees. As part of its work, 
the committee will ultimately provide recommendations to

[[Page 44699]]

the Secretary, as required and specifically outlined in Section 10 of 
Public Law 114-183, addressing:
    (a) The need for, and the identification of, a system to ensure 
that dig verification data are shared with in-line inspection operators 
to the extent consistent with the need to maintain proprietary and 
security-sensitive data in a confidential manner to improve pipeline 
safety and inspection technology;
    (b) Ways to encourage the exchange of pipeline inspection 
information and the development of advanced pipeline inspection 
technologies and enhanced risk analysis;
    (c) Opportunities to share data, including dig verification data 
between operators of pipeline facilities and in-line inspector vendors 
to expand knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of the 
different types of in-line inspection technology and methodologies;
    (d) Options to create a secure system that protects proprietary 
data while encouraging the exchange of pipeline inspection information 
and the development of advanced pipeline inspection technologies and 
enhanced risk analysis;
    (e) Means and best practices for the protection of safety and 
security-sensitive information and proprietary information; and
    (f) Regulatory, funding, and legal barriers to sharing the 
information described in paragraphs (a) through (d).
    The Secretary will publish the VIS Working Group's recommendations 
on a publicly available DOT Web site. The VIS Working Group will 
fulfill its purpose once its recommendations are published online.
    The agenda will be published on the PHMSA meeting page https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=126, once it is 
finalized.

    Issued in Washington, DC on September 19, 2017, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2017-20389 Filed 9-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P