Pennsylvania Code
Pennsylvania Code & Bulletin
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

• No statutes or acts will be found at this website.

The Pennsylvania Bulletin website includes the following: Rulemakings by State agencies; Proposed Rulemakings by State agencies; State agency notices; the Governor’s Proclamations and Executive Orders; Actions by the General Assembly; and Statewide and local court rules.

PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 06-550

NOTICES

Ratification and Adoption of Amendment to Part 192 and Part 195 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations; Doc. No. M-00061947

[36 Pa.B. 1563]

Public Meeting held
March 16, 2006

Commissioners Present: Wendell F. Holland, Chairperson; James H. Cawley, Vice Chairperson; Bill Shane; Kim Pizzingrilli; Terrance J. Fitzpatrick

Order

By the Commission:

   At 52 Pa. Code § 59.33(b) the Commission has adopted, except as otherwise indicated, the federal safety standards for natural gas transmission and distribution facilities. The federal standards are established by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) at 49 U.S.C. §§ 60101, et seq., and are set forth in Parts 191, 192, 193 and 199 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Section 59.33(b) provides, in pertinent part, that amendments to Title 49 will become effective in Pennsylvania upon the date of entry of a Commission ratification order where that order is served upon all jurisdictional natural gas companies or, alternatively, upon the date of such order's publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

   A.  On May 19, 2005, at Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 96, page 28833, Amendments 192-100 and 195-84 were adopted and codified by the Federal Department of Transportation at 49 C.F.R. Parts 192 and 195. This Final Rule amends the requirements for pipeline operators to develop and implement public awareness programs. The changes are part of PHMSA's Office of Pipeline Safety's (OPS) broad pipeline communications initiative to promote pipeline safety. This Final Rule took effect on June 20, 2005.

   B.  On June 15, 2005, at Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 114, page 34693, Amendments 192-100 and 195-84 were adopted and codified by the Federal Department of Transportation at 49 C.F.R. §§ 192 and 195. The direct final rule published March 3, 2005, went into effect on July 15, 2005. The document confirmed the effective date of the direct final rule published in the Federal Register on March 3, 2005. The direct final rule amended regulations that require operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines to conduct programs to evaluate the qualification of individuals who perform certain safety-related tasks on pipelines.

   C.  On October 25, 2005, at Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 205, page 61571, Amendments 192-101 and 195-85 were adopted and codified by the Federal Department of Transportation at 49 C.F.R. §§  192 and 195. The Final Rule's effective date was November 25, 2005. This rule was written in response to a statutory directive. The Final Rule prescribes integrity management standards operators must meet when they use direct assessment on certain other onshore gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipelines. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA--formerly known as the Office of Pipeline Safety--OPS) believes broader applications of direct assessment standards will enhance public confidence in the use of direct assessment to assure pipeline safety.

   D.  On June 20, 1996, at Federal Register, Vol. 61, No. 120, page 31449, Amendment 192-794 was adopted and codified by the Federal Department of Transportation at 49 C.F.R. § 192. In this final rule, Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation, developed standards for the performance of Excess Flow Valves (EFV) used to protect single-residence service lines.

   Keeping in mind the safety of the public, we have reviewed the above-referenced amendments in accordance with the provisions of 52 Pa. Code § 59.33. Based upon this review, we find that the Department of Transportation amendments to be in the public interest and adopt them as our own. The effective date of our adoption of the aforementioned amendments shall be the date upon which this order is entered.

Therefore:

It Is Ordered That:

   1.  The following amendments adopted by the U. S. Department of Transportation is hereby ratified and adopted in accordance with the provisions of 52 Pa. Code § 59.33(b):

   (a)  Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 96, page 28833, Amendments 192-100 and 195-84 were adopted and codified by the Federal Department of Transportation at 49 C.F.R. Parts 192 and 195;

   (b)  Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 114, page 34693, Amendments 192-100 and 195-84 were adopted and codified by the Federal Department of Transportation at 49 C.F.R. §§ 192 and 195;

   (c)  Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 205, page 61571, Amendments 192-101 and 195-85 were adopted and codified by the Federal Department of Transportation at 49 C.F.R. §§ 192 and 195;

   (d)  Federal Register, Vol. 61, No. 120, page 31449, Amendment 192-794 was adopted and codified by the Federal Department of Transportation at 49 C.F.R. § 192.

   2.  The Secretary shall serve copies of this order upon all jurisdictional gas utilities. Accordingly, the effective date shall be the entry date of this order. Concurrently, the Secretary shall cause this order, to be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

JAMES J. MCNULTY,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 06-550. Filed for public inspection March 31, 2006, 9:00 a.m.]


No part of the information on this site may be reproduced for profit or sold for profit.

This material has been drawn directly from the official Pennsylvania Bulletin full text database. Due to the limitations of HTML or differences in display capabilities of different browsers, this version may differ slightly from the official printed version.