[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 111 (Friday, June 8, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34123-34124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13991]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[Docket No. PHMSA-2012-0100]
Pipeline Safety: Public Meeting on Integrity Management of Gas
Distribution Pipelines
AGENCY: Office of Pipeline Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice; public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
(PHMSA) and the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives
(NAPSR) are jointly sponsoring a public meeting on Implementing
Integrity Management of Gas Distribution Pipelines. The meeting will be
held on June 27, 2012, in Fort Worth, Texas. At the meeting, PHMSA/
NAPSR will discuss observations from initial inspections of operators'
implementation of integrity management requirements for gas
distribution pipelines and current regulatory topics affecting
distribution pipeline operators. The meeting will also include panel
and breakout session discussions involving gas distribution pipeline
industry representatives on topics relating to their experiences
implementing the distribution integrity management regulation.
DATES: The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 27, 2012,
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT. Name badge pickup and onsite registration
will be available starting at 7:30 a.m. Refer to the meeting Web site
for a more detailed agenda and times at http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/Home.mtg. Please note that the public meeting will be webcast
and presentations will be available on the meeting Web site within 30
days following the public meeting.
ADDRESSES: The meeting is open to all. There is no cost to attend. The
meeting will be held at the OMNI Hotel, 1300 Houston Street, Fort
Worth, TX 76102-6556. Hotel reservations under the ``U.S. DOT DIMP''
room block for the nights of June 26-27, 2012, can be made at 1-800-
843-6664. A daily rate of $139.00 is available. Information about the
meeting room will be posted at the hotel on the day of the public
meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Mclaren, Office of Pipeline
Safety at 281-216-4455 or email at chris.mclaren@dot.gov, regarding the
subject matter of this notice.
[[Page 34124]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A final rule establishing requirements for
assuring the continued integrity of gas distribution pipelines (DIMP)
was published on December 4, 2009, (74 FR 63906). The rule required
that operators of gas distribution pipelines develop and implement
integrity management plans for their pipeline systems by August 2,
2011. PHMSA and states have conducted a number of inspections of gas
distribution pipeline operator integrity management programs. Many more
inspections will follow. This public meeting is intended to allow
PHMSA, NAPSR, and industry representatives to share observations
resulting from these initial inspections.
The public meeting is designed to enhance pipeline safety through
improved integrity management of natural gas distribution pipeline
systems and will consist of presentations and panel discussions
provided by a variety of stakeholders. Panel participants will
represent industry, PHMSA, and NAPSR. Panels will present information
on PHMSA and NAPSR's expectations of implemented distribution integrity
management programs (DIMP) and observations from DIMP Inspections
conducted by PHMSA and NAPSR. PHMSA and NAPSR will promote compliance
with regulations by providing an overview of the rule, including
expectations of regulatory definitions (such as identification of
threats, methodologies for segmentation of assets for evaluation of
risk, risk ranking, measures designed to reduce risk, and measuring and
monitoring performance) and discussing methodologies that industry is
employing to meet the requirements of the rule. Inspection findings
from DIMP inspections conducted by PHMSA and state programs and issue
areas and areas of concern will be discussed.
Participants of the public meeting will benefit from (1) hearing
their peers explain methods of implementation for certain provisions of
the rule and associated questions experienced during program
development and implementation; (2) listening to PHMSA, NAPSR, and
industry experience on implementing the specific elements of the rule;
(3) discussing rule compliance concerns; developing a clearer
understanding of the DIMP rule provisions, and (4) participating in the
development of additional guidance if deemed necessary through
stakeholder feedback.
Interested persons may obtain more information on DIMP by accessing
the DIMP Web site through the PHMSA Pipeline Safety Community page at
http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline by selecting ``Integrity Management
Program (IMP)'' and then ``Integrity Management--Distribution.''
Preliminary Agenda
Discuss Implementation of the DIMP Regulation and
Regulatory Developments affecting Distribution Operators.
Regulators' (NAPSR and PHMSA) Perspective on
Implementation of the DIMP Regulation.
Breakout Sessions to discuss various topics regarding the
implementation of distribution IM Programs and meeting the requirements
of the DIMP rule.
Presentations from representatives of the breakout
sessions, NAPSR, and industry.
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2012.
Jeffrey D Wiese,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2012-13991 Filed 6-7-12; 8:45 am]
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