[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86409-86410]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25129]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0011]


Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC; Pipeline Safety: Request for 
Special Permit

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA); 
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on 
a request for special permit received from Rockies Express Pipeline, 
LLC (REX). The special permit request is seeking relief from compliance 
with Federal regulations in one segment of its Class 1 pipeline that 
exceeds the valve spacing requirement by 924 feet. 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 
November 29, 2024.

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: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management System: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140,

[[Page 86410]]

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.

    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 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 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 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 [email protected].
    Technical: Ms. Mary McDaniel by telephone at 713-235-0035, or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA received a special permit request from 
Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC (REX), a subsidiary Tallgrass Energy, on 
January 8, 2024, seeking a special permit to deviate from the Federal 
pipeline safety regulations in 49 CFR 192.179(a)(4), which requires 
transmission line valves to be placed no further than 10 miles apart in 
a Class 1 location. The special permit request is for a single segment 
where the valves are spaced 20.35 miles apart, exceeding the valve 
spacing requirement by 924 feet.
    The proposed special permit would allow REX to continue to operate 
the single 20.35-mile segment of 42-inch diameter gas transmission 
pipeline without modifying the valve location. The 20.35-mile segment 
is in a Class 1 location in Monroe and Belmont Counties, Ohio.
    The special permit request, proposed special permit with 
conditions, and Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA)/FONSI for the 
above listed REX pipeline segment are available for review and public 
comments in Docket Number PHMSA 2024-0011. PHMSA invites interested 
persons to review and submit comments on the special permit request and 
DEA/FONSI 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, on October 23, 2024, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2024-25129 Filed 10-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P