2010-30603. Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA invites comments on an information collection under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 2137-0618, titled “Pipeline Safety: Periodic Underwater Inspection.” PHMSA is preparing to request approval from OMB for a renewal of the current information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before February 7, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be submitted 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: [phone].

Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. 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 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.

Instructions: Identify the docket number, PHMSA-2010-0355, at the beginning of your comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change to http://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 visit http://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 West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 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-2010-0355.” The Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior to returning it to you via the U.S. mail. Please note that due to delays in the delivery of U.S. mail to Federal offices in Washington, DC, we recommend that persons consider an alternative method (Internet, fax, or professional delivery service) of submitting comments to the docket and ensuring their timely receipt at DOT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cameron Satterthwaite by telephone at 202-366-1319, by fax at 202-366-4566, or by mail at U.S. DOT, PHMSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., PHP-30, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 1320.8(d), Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, requires PHMSA to provide interested members of the public and affected agencies an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping requests. This notice identifies an information collection request that PHMSA will be submitting to OMB for renewal and extension. The information collection expires March 31, 2011, and is identified under Control No. 2137-0618, titled: “Pipeline Safety: Periodic Underwater Inspection.” As detailed in 49 CFR 192.612 and 195.413, PHMSA requires each operator of a natural gas or hazardous liquid pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico and its inlets to periodically inspect its pipelines in waters less than 15 feet (4.6 meters) deep as measured from mean low water that are at risk of being an exposed underwater pipeline or a hazard to navigation. If an operator discovers that its pipeline is an exposed underwater pipeline or poses a hazard to navigation, the operator must promptly report the location and, if available, the geographic coordinates of that pipeline to the National Response Center. The following information is provided for this information collection: (1) Title of the information collection; (2) OMB control number; (3) Type of request; (4) Abstract of the information collection activity; (5) Description of affected public; (6) Estimate of total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden; and (7) Frequency of collection. PHMSA will request a three-year term of approval for this information collection activity.

PHMSA requests comments on the following information collection:

Title: Pipeline Safety: Periodic Underwater Inspections.

OMB Control Number: 2137-0618.

Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved information collection.

Abstract: The Federal pipeline safety regulations (49 CFR parts 190-199) require operators to conduct appropriate underwater inspections in the Gulf of Mexico. If an operator finds that its pipeline is exposed on the seabed floor or constitutes a hazard to navigation, the operator must contact the National Response Center by telephone within 24 hours of discovery to report the location of the exposed pipeline.

Affected Public: Operators of underwater pipeline facilities.

Estimated number of responses: 82.

Estimated annual burden hours: 1,312 hours.

Frequency of collection: On occasion.

Comments are invited on:

(a) The need for the proposed collection of information for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques.

Issued in Washington, DC on December 1, 2010.

Linda Daugherty,

Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy and Programs.