83 FR 13005 - Gulf South/Boardwalk Pipeline Partners; Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 58 (March 26, 2018)

PHMSA is publishing this notice to invite public comment on a request received from the Gulf South Pipeline Company for a special permit seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal pipeline safety regulations. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, PHMSA will review the comments received on this notice as part of its evaluation to grant or deny the special permit request.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 58 (Monday, March 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13005-13006]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05982]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2007-0039]


Gulf South/Boardwalk Pipeline Partners; Pipeline Safety: Request 
for Special Permit

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to invite public comment on a 
request received from the Gulf South Pipeline Company for a special 
permit seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements in the 
Federal pipeline safety regulations. At the conclusion of the 30-day 
comment period, PHMSA will review the comments received on 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 
April 25, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the docket number for the specific 
special permit 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 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.
    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: 
    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 email 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 27, 2009, PHMSA issued a special 
permit (PHMSA-2007-0039) to Gulf South Pipeline Company (GSPC) for the 
30-inch diameter transmission pipeline (TPL-880) pipeline located in 
Mobile County, Alabama. Due to several Class 1 to Class 3 location 
change of several areas within a 10.8-mile segment on the TPL-880 
pipeline, GSPC petitioned PHMSA for an extension of the previously 
issued special permit.
    The line transports natural gas from the Gulf of Mexico to other 
pipelines located in Alabama. The special permit inspection area 
includes 22 miles of the TPL-880 pipeline, extending from the beginning 
of the line at Station Number 0+00 to the pig trap at Airport 
Compressor Station Number 1201+68. The new permit request is located 
within the existing inspection area of Special Permit PHMSA-2007-0039, 
extends from Station Number 632+60 to Station Number 1201+68, is 10.8 
miles long, and is in a suburban area of farm, pasture, and woodland. 
The current maximum allowable operation pressure (MAOP) for the TPL-880 
is 1,073 psig. In the special permit request, GSPC seeks to waive 
compliance from the requirements of 49 CFR 192.611(a), which requires 
the pressure reduction, pressure testing, or pipe replacements to

[[Page 13006]]

address class location changes when the MAOP of a segment of pipeline 
is not commensurate with the new class location. Condition #26 of the 
existing special permit PHMSA-2007-0039, allows extensions of the 
original special permit segments to include contiguous segments of the 
TPL-880 pipeline up to the limits of the special permit inspection 
area. GSPC requests one special permit to extend over all three 
existing special permit segments located on the TPL-880 in Mobile 
County, Alabama, where the class location has changed from Class 1 to 
Class 3, and to include additional areas that may experience further 
development and class change in the future. As described in this 
application, GSPC proposes to apply alternative risk control measures 
to the 10.8-mile segment of TPL-880 to provide an acceptable margin of 
safety and environmental protection to meet the requirements of Sec.  
192.611, as outlined in the proposed special permit conditions.
    A combined Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) and proposed 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), proposed special permit 
conditions, and supporting documentation are available at http://www.Regulations.gov, in Docket Number, PHMSA-2007-0039. We invite 
interested persons to participate by reviewing the special permit 
request, DEA and proposed FONSI documents 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 at the close of the comment period. 
Comments received after the close of the comment period 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 a request.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 20, 2018, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2018-05982 Filed 3-23-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P