2023-08207. Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on a request for special permit received from the Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC (FGT). 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 May 19, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should reference the docket number for this 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: [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 9:00 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 (2) 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.Regulations.gov. Comments, including any personal information provided, are posted without changes or edits to http://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 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. Steve Nanney by telephone at 713–272–2855, or by email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

PHMSA received a special permit request from FGT on March 27, 2023, seeking a waiver from the requirements of 49 CFR 192.611(a)(3)(iii): Change in class location: Confirmation or revision of maximum allowable operating pressure. Section 49 CFR 192.611(a)(3)(iii) requires a pressure test of 0.667 times the alternative maximum allowable operating (Alternative MAOP) for a Class 3 location.

This special permit is being requested in lieu of a pressure reduction or new pressure tests for Class 1 or 2 to Class 3 location changes on four (4) gas transmission special permit segments totaling 3,135 feet (approximately 0.594 miles). The proposed special permit segments have been previously pressure tested to either 1,899 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) or 1,900 psig. An Alternative MAOP of 1,333 psig in a Class 3 location requires a pressure test of 2,000 psig. The pipe wall thickness and strength meet the requirements of 49 CFR 192.611(a) for a Class 1 or 2 to Class 3 location change. The pipeline segments are as follows:

Proposed special permit segment No.	Outside diameter (inches)	Line name	Length (feet)	Class location change	County, State	Number dwellings	Year installed	Seam type	Alternative MAOP (psig)	Current test pressure (psig)	Required test pressure (psig)
201350	18	St. Petersburg Sarasota Connector	703	Class 1 to Class 3	Hillsborough, Florida	2	1992	DSAW	1,333	1,899	2,000
188251	30	West Leg Station 27 to Ft Myers	783	Class 2 to Class 3	Hillsborough, Florida	8	2000	DSAW	1,333	1,900	2,000
188253	30	West Leg Station 27 to Ft Myers	1,255	Class 1 to Class 3	Hillsborough, Florida	2	2000	DSAW	1,333	1,900	2,000
188257	30	West Leg Station 27 to Ft Myers	394	Class 1 to Class 3	Hillsborough, Florida	36	2000	DSAW	1,333	1,900	2,000
Note: DSAW is double submerged arc welded longitudinal seam pipe. The pipe is externally coated with fusion bonded epoxy coating.

The special permit request, proposed special permit with conditions, and draft environmental assessment (DEA) for the above listed FGT pipeline segments are available for review and public comments in Docket Number PHMSA–2023–0022. 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 comments 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.