Notice2022-24378
Pipeline Safety: Notice of Availability of the Tier 1 Nationwide Environmental Assessment for the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 9, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
Abstract
PHMSA announces the availability for public review and comment on the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) Grant Program Tier 1 Nationwide Environmental Assessment. PHMSA is using a programmatic, tiered environmental analysis to: describe the effects of implementing the NGDISM Grant Program and ensure that implementation of the NGDISM Grant Program at any project site complies with environmental laws and does not result in a significant environmental impact.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 216 (Wednesday, November 9, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67748-67749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24378]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[Docket No: PHMSA-2022-0123]
Pipeline Safety: Notice of Availability of the Tier 1 Nationwide
Environmental Assessment for the Natural Gas Distribution
Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program
AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA),
DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: PHMSA announces the availability for public review and comment
on the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization
(NGDISM) Grant Program Tier 1 Nationwide Environmental Assessment.
PHMSA is using a programmatic, tiered environmental analysis to:
describe the effects of implementing the NGDISM Grant Program and
ensure that implementation of the NGDISM Grant Program at any project
site complies with environmental laws and does not result in a
significant environmental impact.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
December 9, 2022. To the extent possible, PHMSA will consider late-
filed comments.
ADDRESSES: Comments should reference the Docket number for this notice
and may be submitted in the following ways:
E-Gov website: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. 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 Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground level of DOT, West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and
5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Instructions: Identify docket number PHMSA-2022-0123 at the
beginning of your comments. To avoid duplication, please use only one
of these four methods. Note that all comments received will be posted
without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any personal
information provided. You should know that anyone is able to search the
electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets by the
name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment,
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.).
Therefore, you may want to review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement
in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000, (65 FR 19477) or
visit <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> before submitting any such comments.
Docket: For access to the docket or to read background documents or
comments, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> or DOT's Docket Operations
Office (see ADDRESSES). If you wish to receive confirmation of receipt
of your written comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped
postcard with the following statement: ``Comments on: PHMSA-2022-
0123.'' The Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior to
returning it to you via the U.S. mail. Please note that due to delays
in the delivery of U.S. mail to Federal offices in Washington, DC, we
recommend that persons consider an alternative method (internet, fax,
or professional delivery service) of submitting comments to the docket
and ensuring their timely receipt at DOT.
Privacy Act Statement: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT may
solicit comments from the public regarding certain general notices. DOT
posts these
[[Page 67749]]
comments, without edit, including any personal information the
commenter provides, to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, as described in the system
of records notice (DOT/ALL- 14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at
<a href="http://www.dot.gov/privacy">www.dot.gov/privacy</a>.
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 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 the program
office at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#83d3cbced0c2d3eaf3e6efeaede6c1cacfc4f1e2edf7c3e7ecf7ade4ecf5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7e2e36332d3f2e170e1b1217101b3c3732390c1f100a3e1a110a50191108">[email protected]</span></a>. 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: Shakira Mack by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#481800051b091821382d2421262d0a01040f3a29263c082c273c662f273e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1f4f57524c5e4f766f7a7376717a5d5653586d7e716b5f7b706b31787069">[email protected]</span></a> or by phone at 202-366-7652.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Pub. L. 117-58) was enacted. Under the
heading ``Department of Transportation--Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration--Natural Gas Distribution
Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program'' in title VIII
of division J, the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and
Modernization Grant Program was established. The stated purpose of the
program is to provide grant opportunities to municipality and
community-owned utilities (not including for-profit entities) ``to
repair, rehabilitate, or replace its natural gas distribution pipeline
system or portions thereof or to acquire equipment to (1) reduce
incidents and fatalities and (2) avoid economic losses.'' The statutory
requirements for PHMSA's implementation of the program are mandatory,
and PHMSA is expected to implement the program as swiftly as possible
to reduce incidents, fatalities, and adverse impacts to the public and
the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Under the Federal Pipeline Safety Laws, 49 U.S.C. 60101 et seq.,
the Secretary of Transportation (the Secretary) must prescribe minimum
safety standards for pipeline transportation and for pipeline
facilities. The Secretary has delegated this authority to the PHMSA
Administrator (49 CFR 1.97(a)). Therefore, PHMSA is the Federal safety
agency responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable, and environmentally
sound operations of our Nation's pipeline transportation system.
Through the NGDISM Grant Program, PHMSA seeks to (1) reduce the risk
profile of existing municipality and community-owned (not including
for-profit entities) natural gas distribution pipeline systems,
including pipe prone to leakage of methane, (2) create related jobs,
(3) provide economic impact and growth, and (4) benefit disadvantaged
rural and urban communities.
PHMSA is publishing this notice, in compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), to give stakeholders an
opportunity to comment on PHMSA's Tier 1 Nationwide Environmental
Assessment.
We invite interested persons to review and provide comment on the
Tier 1 Nationwide Environmental Assessment which is included in the
docket for this notice. The document is available at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> under Docket number PHMSA-2022-0123. Please include
comment on potential safety, environmental, and any additional impacts
that should be considered.
Before issuing the Tier 1 Nationwide Environmental Assessment,
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
prior to issuing the Tier 1 Nationwide Environmental Assessment as part
of the NGDISM Grant Program.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter
35, as amended.
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 2, 2022, under authority
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2022-24378 Filed 11-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
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