2024-23765. Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; TC Energy for Gas Transmission Northwest LLC

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Department of Transportation

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

1. [Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0055]

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comment on a request for a special permit received from TC Energy on behalf of Gas Transmission Northwest LLC (GTN). The special permit request is 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 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 November 14, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should reference the docket number for this specific special permit request and may be submitted in the following ways:

• E-Gov Website: https://www.Regulations.gov. This site allows the public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice issued by any agency.
• Fax: [phone].
• 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 a.m. and 5 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 (2) copies. To receive confirmation that PHMSA has received your comments, please include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet users may submit comments at https://www.Regulations.gov.

Note:

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

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 (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive 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 give 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, along with the original document, a second copy of the original document with the CBI deleted; and (3) explain why the information you are submitting is CBI. Unless you are notified otherwise, PHMSA will treat such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public docket of this notice. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Kay McIver, DOT, PHMSA-PHP-80, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Any commentary PHMSA receives that is not ( print page 83086) specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this matter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

General: Ms. Kay McIver by telephone at 202-366-0113, or by email at [e-mail].

Technical: Mr. Zaid Obeidi by telephone at 202-366-5267, or by email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

PHMSA received a special permit request from GTN dated March 27, 2024, seeking a waiver from the federal pipeline safety regulations in 49 CFR 192.611 and 192.619, where gas transmission pipeline segments have undergone changes from Class 2 to Class 3 locations. The special permit request is for two segments of GTN's 36-inch diameter Mainline A natural gas transmission pipeline, approximately 2.075 miles (10,954 feet) in length, in Idaho. This special permit request, if granted, would allow GTN to operate the two segments at the current operating pressure of 911 pounds per square inch gauge by implementing enhanced integrity management procedures in lieu of confirming or revising the maximum allowable operating pressure of the affected segments when there is a class location change under 49 CFR 192.611.

The special permit request, proposed special permit with conditions, and draft environmental assessment (DEA) for the above described GTN pipeline segments are available for review and public comment in Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0055. PHMSA invites interested persons to review and submit comments on the special permit request and DEA in the docket. Please submit comments on any potential safety, environmental, and other relevant considerations implicated by the special permit request. Comments may include relevant data.

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 it receives in making its decision to grant or deny this special permit request.

Issued in Washington, DC, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.

Alan K. Mayberry,

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.