2023-11459. 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 a special permit received from 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 June 30, 2023.

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: [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 on March 24, 2023, from FGT 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 2 to Class 3 location change. The requested pipeline segment extensions are proposed to be added to special permit Docket Number PHMSA–2020–0044, due to the pipeline segments being contiguous to existing special permit segments.

This special permit is being requested for extending class location changes in lieu of pressure testing or pressure reduction for five (5) special permit segment extensions totaling 10,219 feet (approximately 1.935 miles) of the FGT pipeline system. The proposed special permit segments have been previously pressure tested to either 1,899 pounds per square inch gauge (psig), 1,920 psig, or 1,925 psig. The pipe wall thickness and strength meet the requirements of 49 CFR 192.611(a)(1)(ii) for a Class 2 to Class 3 location change. The pipeline segments are as follows:

Special permit segment No.	Outside diameter (inches)	Line name	Proposed special permit segment extension (feet)	County, state	Class summary	Year installed	Alternative MAOP/test pressure (psig)	Pressure test to alternative MAOP factor
166347	18	St. Petersburg Sarasota Connector	269	Hillsborough, FL	2 to 3	1992	1,333/1,899	1.424
166349	18	St. Petersburg Sarasota Connector	3,537	Hillsborough, FL	2 to 3	1992	1,333/1,899	1.424
166250	30	West Leg Station 26–27 MP 160.2	5,799	Hernando, FL	2 to 3	1994	1,322/1,920	1.452
166256	30	West Leg Station 26–27 MP 160.2	404	Pasco, FL	2 to 3	1994	1,322/1,920	1.452
166129	36	West Leg Loop	210	Hernando, FL	2 to 3	2007	1,322/1,925	1.456

The FGT pipeline segments have not been pressure tested to a high enough pressure to meet the requirements in 49 CFR 192.611(a)(3)(iii). The special permit segments are included in an existing Alternative MAOP special permit (PHMSA–2008–0077) that allows the special permit segments to operate at class location stress levels that meet 49 CFR 192.620(a)(1).

The special permit request, proposed special permit with conditions, and draft environmental assessment (DEA) for the FGT pipelines are available for review and public comment in Docket No. PHMSA–2020–0044. We invite interested persons to review and submit comments on the special permit request, proposed special permit with conditions, 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 a decision to grant or deny this request.

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

Alan K. Mayberry,

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.