96-17111. Regulatory Review; Gas Pipeline Safety Standards; Correction

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 130 (Friday, July 5, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 35139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17111]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

49 CFR Part 192

[Docket PS-124; Amdt. 192-78]
RIN 2137-AC25


Regulatory Review; Gas Pipeline Safety Standards; Correction

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Correction of final regulation.

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SUMMARY: This document corrects a final regulation published June 6, 
1996 (61 FR 28770). The final regulation clarified the circumstances in 
which pipeline operators may adjust the boundaries of Class 2 and 3 
locations that involve clusters of buildings. Because the regulation 
could have a significant, unintended economic impact on the gas 
pipeline industry, it is corrected to remove any substantive change to 
the rules governing boundary adjustment.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 8, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: L.M. Furrow, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RSPA revised the class location definitions 
(Sec. 192.5) to provide clarity and minimize the possibility of 
needless design and construction expenditures (61 FR 28783; June 6, 
1996). One revision concerned the boundary adjustment of Class 2 and 3 
locations that involve a cluster of buildings intended for human 
occupancy (old Secs. 192.5(f)(2) and (f)(3)). With this adjustment, a 
Class 2 or 3 location on a pipeline ends 220 yards from the nearest 
building in the cluster. As revised, the adjustment applies only when 
all buildings in a 1-mile class location unit (the basis for 
classification under Sec. 192.5) are in a single cluster (new 
Sec. 192.5(c)(2)).
    Since the revision was published, RSPA has learned that many 
operators customarily apply the cluster adjustment irrespective of 
buildings outside the cluster. We also learned this practice has been 
tacitly accepted by RSPA enforcement personnel and may be consistent 
with instruction at RSPA's Transportation Safety Institute. Under these 
circumstances, the revised regulation could have a significant, 
unintended economic impact on the pipeline industry. Also, because this 
pipeline classification practice reflects the adjoining population 
density, the practice is consistent with pipeline safety. Therefore, we 
are correcting new Sec. 192.5(c)(2) so there is no substantive change 
from old Secs. 192.5(f)(2) and (f)(3).

Correction of Publication

    Accordingly, the publication on June 6, 1996, of the final 
regulations in FR Doc. 96-13787 is corrected as follows:


Sec. 192.5  [Corrected]

    On page 28783, in the 2nd column, in Sec. 192.5, paragraph (c)(2) 
is corrected to read as follows:
* * * * *
    (c) * * * 
    (2) When a cluster of buildings intended for human occupancy 
requires a Class 2 or 3 location, the class location ends 220 yards 
from the nearest building in the cluster.

    Issued in Washington DC, on June 28, 1996.
Richard B. Felder,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 96-17111 Filed 7-3-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P