[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 140 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39360-39362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19428]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[Docket No. RSPA-98-4029; Notice 1]
Pipeline Safety: Implementation of One-Call Systems Study
AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA); Office of
Pipeline Safety (OPS).
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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[[Page 39361]]
SUMMARY: This notice announces RSPA's intent to establish a team of
government, industry, and public representatives to study best
practices in damage prevention to underground utilities. The team will
evaluate the effectiveness of various existing one-call notification
systems in protecting the public, individuals engaging in excavation
activities, and the environment, and in preventing disruptions to
public services and damage to underground facilities like pipelines,
telecommunications, electric, water and sewer lines. This notice also
announces a public meeting to solicit views and recommendations on the
direction of this study of one-call system best practices and to
identify sources of information which should be considered as part of
the study. RSPA invites interested parties to attend this public
meeting, and to make presentations on views and areas of investigation
which should be considered in the study, and to identify persons and
organizations who should participate on the study team.
DATES AND LOCATION: The public meeting will be held on August 25-26,
1998, at the Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City, 1250 South Hayes Street,
Arlington, Virginia.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the subject matter of this notice should be sent
to the Dockets Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Plaza 401,
400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001, or you can E-Mail
your comments to ops.comments@rspa.dot.gov. Comments should identify
the docket number RSPA-98-4029. The Dockets facility is open from 10:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eben M. Wyman, (202) 366-0918, or by
e-mail (eben.wyman@rspa.dot.gov), regarding the subject matter of this
Notice. Further information can be obtained by accessing OPS' Internet
Home Page at: ops.dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Excavation damage is the leading cause of pipeline failures and a
leading cause of service interruptions for other underground
facilities; it is usually preventable. Excavation damage affects vital
services and products delivered through all underground facilities:
telecommunications, electricity, cable television, fiber optics, water
and sewer lines, and petroleum and natural gas pipelines. These
accidental dig-ins can result in loss of life, injuries, severe
property damage and loss of vital services for homes and businesses.
At the heart of damage prevention is better communications between
excavators and operators of underground facilities. One-call systems
provide a mechanism for excavators to notify facility operators of
planned excavation, so that underground utilities can mark where their
equipment and facilities are located to prevent damage. The approach to
improving protection need not be costly or complicated.
Study of Best Practices
RSPA's Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is planning to study damage
prevention practices associated with existing one-call notification
systems. The purpose of the study is to gather and assess hard factual
data in order to determine which existing one-call notification systems
practices appear to be the most effective in protecting the public,
excavators, and the environment and in preventing disruptions to public
services and damage to underground facilities. The findings of the
study will inform state agencies and one-call system operators about
practices, technologies and methods that can improve overall system
performance.
Subsequent to the completion of the study in FY 1999, OPS and other
organizations planning implementation expect to provide financial
assistance to States as an incentive for one-call systems to implement
those practices, technologies and methods which best can improve
overall one call system performance.
Damage Prevention Quality Action Team
In recent years, when OPS needed to bring diverse parties together
for problem-solving on approaches to risk management, mapping, and
damage prevention, the Quality Action Team (QAT) model has been an
effective process for data gathering, determining options and
collecting and addressing issues. Most recently, OPS has used this
approach to address damage prevention education. The peer joint
government/industry Damage Prevention Quality Action Team (DAMQAT), was
established in October 1996. DAMQAT's mission is to increase awareness
of the need to protect underground facilities, including pipelines, and
to promote safe digging practices.
DAMQAT is composed of representatives from federal and state
government agencies, gas and hazardous liquid pipeline trade
associations, a contractor, a one-call systems association, and the
insurance and telecommunications industries. The team launched a
nationwide damage prevention public education campaign in May, 1998,
that is currently being pilot tested in three states. The campaign
instructs professional excavators and the public on underground damage
prevention, including use of one-call systems, and effective ways to
locate underground facilities at excavation sites. The goals are to
emphasize damage prevention measures beyond one-call and enhance
communication among all parties at an excavation site. The team will
evaluate the pilot findings to adapt the materials before launching the
nationwide campaign.
The team described in this notice will work in parallel with the
DAMQAT, but will focus on the range of damage prevention issues beyond
education. The new team will be drawn from the key players in damage
prevention, with experience in best practices for operating one call
systems and centers, and developing and using new technologies for
communications, locating and marking underground facilities, and
monitoring excavation activities.
Scope of the New Study
Numerous factors affect the effectiveness and efficiency of one
call system operations. Improving system efficiency is expected to
reduce the risk of damage to underground facilities in numerous ways by
increasing the number of excavators who call, by improving the accuracy
of the marking and locating process, and improving communications
between the operator and the excavator. Area for improvements that will
be considered include, but are not limited to:
(1) Encouraging participation by all parties concerned with
underground facility damage prevention;
(2) Promoting awareness;
(3) Receiving and distributing information;
(4) Verifying system effectiveness;
(5) Mapping and locating underground facilities;
(6) Preventing damage through notification;
(7) Rapid response to emergency situations;
(8) Marking accuracy and timeliness;
(9) Risk to personnel;
(10) Other characteristics relative to effective damage prevention
notification; and
(11) Encouraging compliance through effective enforcement.
[[Page 39362]]
Composition of the New Quality Action Team
OPS seeks to identify organizations who are interested in
contributing to the study as a working member of this joint government/
industry team. OPS plans to establish a core team of 12-15
representatives of diverse organizations concerned with damage
prevention systems. Subteams will be formed to devote attention to in-
depth assessment of particular subject areas.
In conducting the study, it is important to include the broadest
possible representation of parties who are concerned about damage
prevention to comprehensively investigate all aspects of the
notification, locating, marking and excavation process. Among the
organizations who have expressed interest in participating in the study
process are:
Association of Oil Pipelines;
American Gas Association;
American Petroleum Institute;
Interstate Natural Gas Association of America;
American Public Gas Association;
American Road and Transportation Builders Association;
Associated General Contractors;
National Utility Contractors Association;
Competitive Telecommunications Association;
Edison Electric Institute;
Gas Processors Association;
American Public Works Association;
One Call Systems International;
National Cable Television Association;
United States Telephone Association;
UTC, the Telecommunications Association;
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners;
National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives;
and
Office of Pipeline Safety.
OPS wishes to identify other organizations who wish to contribute
as well as any members of the public who want to be considered and are
willing to work on the study team. Specifically, OPS would like to hear
from:
other Federal government agencies (i.e. Federal
Communications Commission;
State government agencies, such as State DOTs, planning
organizations, etc;
underground public utility organizations (water, sewer,
electric, fiber optics, etc.;
representatives from the railroad industry;
representatives from the insurance industry
agencies and organizations representing environmental
interests;
other organizations representing excavators;
organizations representating other transportation
interests; and
representatives from the public.
In order for OPS to effectively identify, consider and assemble all
parties interested in participating on the team, it is important that
actual representatives of the constituencies attend the public meeting
to express their interest and qualifications.
Criteria for Study Participants
1. To assure the broadest possible data, OPS seeks participation
from individuals who represent organizations with defined missions and
objectives related to preventing damage to underground utilities. Their
organizations should have the means and ability to communicate to their
membership throughout the study process.
2. To provide for timely and efficient assessment of one-call
system methods, individuals interested in contributing should have
existing knowledge of the factors, factual data, history and aspects
affecting one-call system performance either nationally, regionally or
locally, and/or in-depth understanding of a particular method or
process for improving the performance of the 11 factors listed above.
3. To conduct the review of methods and complete and produce a
final report, individuals interested in contributing should have
abilities to work both individually and in a group environment.
4. To benefit from public perspective on one-call services, OPS
would like for members of the public to participate in the public
meeting, and serve on the team. These individuals should be capable of
assessing the issues of one-call systems and damage prevention
techniques, and ideally would be affiliated in some capacity with an
organization(s) affected by, or concerned with, damage prevention
programs.
Information Sharing
OPS would like interested parties to propose topics that they feel
the team should address, including best practices of one-call systems,
locating and marking techniques, data collection, and other
technological advances that the team should assess and evaluate during
the course of the study.
OPS plans to promote information exchange between the team and
interested public parties, and to provide current information regarding
the study group proceedings. We will communicate about issues the team
is considering and the study progress by numerous means including
electronic and newsletter/print media. Details regarding communication
will be provided at the public meeting.
Schedule for Implementation
Following the meeting, OPS and organizations who have expressed an
interest in participating will synthesize the information presented at
the meeting and select a group of representatives to serve on the core
team and the subteams. OPS believes the team will meet about every four
to six weeks once the group has been established for up to a year in
duration. Contract support will also be addressed at the post-meeting
gathering, including discussion of appropriate parties to assist the
team with facilitation, recording meeting notes, providing technical
assistance, and report writing.
The planning organizations will also discuss how the team will
produce the final report that identifies those practices of one-call
systems that are the most successful in preventing damage to
underground facilities, and that provide effective and efficient
service to excavators and underground facility operators.
Meeting Agenda
For planning purposes, RSPA requests that parties interested in
joining the team, or commenting on the team's focus, should be prepared
to:
make a presentation at the meeting about their
qualifications, or necessary qualifications for one to serve on the
team or subteam to represent an organization;
or express their views and recommendations on issues or
practices that should be considered.
Interested persons should notify Eben Wyman on (202) 366-0918 by
August 17, 1998, with name, organization or interest, and type of
presentation so that an agenda can be planned and all parties can be
accommodated. In the event parties cannot attend, they can send a
presentation in writing to OPS and we will present a summary during the
meeting.
RSPA anticipates attendance and participation by government, the
public, and a broad range of interested parties in the excavation and
public utility communities, and representatives of other underground
facility organizations.
Issued in Washington, DC on July 16, 1998.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Acting Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 98-19428 Filed 7-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
