[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35313-35314]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15895]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2017-0158]

Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; Empire Pipeline--a
National Fuel Gas Company

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to seek public comments on a
request for a special permit from a natural gas pipeline operator that
seeks relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal
pipeline safety regulations to operate at an alternative maximum
allowable operating pressure (MAOP) of up to 80 percent of the pipe's
specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) on an existing 24-inch diameter
pipeline. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, PHMSA will
review the comments received from 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
August 24, 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.

    Note:  There is a privacy statement published on http://www.Reglations.gov. Comments, including any personal information
provided, are posted without changes or edits to http://www.Regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    General: Ms. Kay McIver by telephone at<PHONE_NUMBER>, or email at
[email protected].
    Technical: Mr. Steve Nanney by telephone at<PHONE_NUMBER>, or by
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Empire Pipeline, owned by National Fuel Gas
Company, has requested a special permit for 49 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) 192.112(c)(1) and (2), 192.112(f)(3), 192.328(a), and
192.328(e) for the Empire Connector Pipeline (ECP) to be able to
operate at alternative MAOP of up to 80 percent SMYS of the pipe. To
operate a natural gas pipeline at alternative MAOP, an operator must
design, construct, and operate the pipeline in accordance with the
Federal pipeline safety regulations of 49 CFR 192.112, 192.328, and
192.620.
    Empire Pipeline is the operator of ECP. ECP is an interstate
natural gas pipeline with 76.6 miles of 24-inch diameter pipe. The ECP
runs north to south, from Victor to Coring, New York, through the
counties of Ontario, Yates, Schuyler, Chemung and Steuben. The special
permit requested segments of ECP total 69.8 miles and are in Class 1
and 2 locations and includes some high consequence areas. The ECP
special permit segments are mostly in rural areas though agricultural
fields, open pastures, wooden areas, and mostly flat to rolling
terrain. The ECP construction began in 2007 and the line was placed in
service on December 10, 2008. The ECP presently has a MAOP of 1,290
pounds per square inch gauge (psig) and has operated at, or below the
MAOP for the life of the pipeline. ECP proposed to utilize alternative
MAOP to allow increasing the pipeline MAOP from 1,290 psig up to 1,440
psig. The ECP has 6.5 miles of Class 3 locations that are designed for
the alternative MAOP. The Class 3 locations will be required to meet
the special permit conditions. The Class 3 locations are proposed to be
included in the special permit for a total mileage of 76.6 miles.
    A draft environmental assessment (DEA) and proposed special permit
conditions for ECP's operations at alternative MAOP are provided in the
docket at http://www.Regulations.gov. In the DEA, Empire proposes
alternative measures and activities that will be taken to mitigate
safety and environmental risks in the continued operation of the ECP at
the alternative MAOP. The proposed special permit conditions are a
draft of operational measures that would be implemented by Empire
throughout the life of the ECP special permit to maintain safety at the
alternative MAOP.
    We invite interested persons to participate by reviewing the
special permit request, DEA, and proposed special permit conditions 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 on or before the comment closing date.
Comments received after the closing date 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 the request.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 20, 2018, under authority
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2018-15895 Filed 7-24-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P


			  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

		        DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

			  OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

			          WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation on October 30, 2003

NOTICE OF ACTION TAKEN -- DOCKET OST 2000-8018

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

This serves as notice to the public of the action described below, taken
by the Department official indicated (no additional confirming order
will be issued in this matter).

Applicant:  CONSORCIO AVIACSA, S.A. de C.V.
                          Date Filed:  October 9, 2003

Relief requested:  Exemption from 49 USC section 41301 to permit the
applicant to continue to conduct scheduled, combination service between
Monterrey, Mexico, and Houston, Texas.

If renewal, date and citation of last action:  November 4, 2002, in this
Docket.

Applicant representative:  Jim J. Marquez,<PHONE_NUMBER>        DOT
analyst:  Allen F. Brown,<PHONE_NUMBER>

Responsive pleadings:  None.

	DISPOSITION

Action:  Approved.			       			                       Action date:
October 30, 2003

Effective dates of authority granted:  October 30, 2003, through
November 7, 2004.

Basis for approval:  United States-Mexico Air Transport Services
Agreement

Except to the extent exempted/waived, this authority is subject to the
terms, conditions, and limitations indicated: Standard exemption
conditions.

Special conditions/Remarks:

Action taken by:   Paul L. Gretch, Director

		      Office of International Aviation

________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

Under authority assigned by the Department in its regulations, 14 CFR
Part 385, we found that (1) our action was consistent with Department
policy; (2) the applicant was qualified to perform its proposed
operations; (3) grant of the authority was consistent with the public
interest; and (4) grant of the authority would not constitute a major
regulatory action under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975.
To the extent not granted/deferred/dismissed, we denied all requests in
the referenced Docket.  We may amend, modify, or revoke the authority
granted in this Notice at any time without hearing at our discretion.

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of the action set
forth in this Notice under the Department’s regulations, 14 CFR
§385.30, may file their petitions within seven (7) days after the date
of issuance of this Notice.  This action was effective when taken, and
the filing of a petition for review will not alter such effectiveness.

An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide
Web at:

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