Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2002 / Proposed Rules 3675
Issued in Washington, DC, on January 18, programs may be obtained by accessing Authority: 49 U.S.C. 60102 et seq.; 49 CFR 2002 under authority delegated in 49 CFR OPS’s Internet page at http:// 1.53. part 106. ops.dot.gov. Issued in Washington, D.C. on January 22, Robert A. McGuire, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In Section 2002. Associate Administrator for Hazardous 102 and 202 of the Pipeline Safety James K. O’Steen, Materials Safety, Research and Special Deputy Associate Administrator for Pipeline Programs Administration. Reauthorization Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100–561, October 31, 1988), Congress Safety. [FR Doc. 02–1862 Filed 1–24–02; 8:45 am] directed RSPA to establish standards to [FR Doc. 02–1909 Filed 1–24–02; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–60–P require pipeline operators to complete BILLING CODE 4910–60–P and maintain an inventory of gas and DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION hazardous liquid pipelines, including information on the location and history DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Research and Special Programs of leaks. Administration This requirement was to equalize as Fish and Wildlife Service far as possible the requirements that gas 49 CFR Parts 192 and 195 and hazardous liquid pipeline operators 50 CFR Part 17 keep maps and records to show the RIN 1018–AH50 [Docket No. RSPA–97–2426; Notice 4] location and other characteristics of RIN 2137–AB48 pipelines. Operators would have been Endangered and Threatened Wildlife required to keep an inventory of pipe and Plants; Proposed Rule To Remove Maps and Records of Pipeline and periodically report mileage and the Mariana Mallard and the Guam Locations and Characteristics; other facts to Federal and State agencies. Broadbill From the Federal List of Notification of State Agencies; Pipe A rulemaking action was considered Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Inventory because of congressional and State concerns about the need for appropriate AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, AGENCY: Research and Special Programs public officials to have pipeline Interior. Administration (RSPA). information. ACTION: Proposed rule. ACTION: Notice of removal of regulatory Since the publication of this agenda agenda item. item in 1997, RSPA has developed a SUMMARY: Under the authority of the non-regulatory alternative approach to Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), SUMMARY: This agenda item ensuring that information on the as amended, we, the U.S. Fish and contemplated a rulemaking action to location and characteristics of gas and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to equalize as far as possible the hazardous liquid pipelines is available remove the Mariana mallard (Anas requirements that gas and hazardous to Federal and State agencies. RSPA has platyrynchos oustaleti) and the Guam liquid pipeline operators keep maps and worked with other Federal and State broadbill (Myiagra freycineti) from the records to show the location and other agencies and the pipeline industry to Federal List of Endangered and characteristics of pipelines. Operators create the NPMS. The NPMS shows the Threatened Wildlife. All available would have been required to keep an location and selected attributes of the information indicates that these birds inventory of pipe and periodically major natural gas and hazardous liquid are extinct. The Mariana mallard was report mileage and other data to federal pipelines and liquefied natural gas endemic to the islands of Guam, Tinian, and State agencies. This action was facilities in the Untied States. Saipan, and possibly Rota, of the considered because of congressional and The NPMS is a full-featured Mariana Archipelago in the western State concerns about the need for geographic information system that Pacific ocean. It was listed as appropriate public officials to have allows RSPA, for the first time, to endangered on June 2, 1977, because its pipeline information. Since this accurately view pipelines in relation to population was critically low due to contemplated rulemaking was initiated the communities and environments they excessive hunting and loss of wetland in 1997, RSPA has developed the cross. The pipeline data layers now habitat. No confirmed sightings of the National Pipeline Mapping System being populated cover both interstate Mariana mallard have been made since (NPMS), a non-regulatory approach, to and intrastate natural gas transmission 1979. The Guam broadbill, endemic to address these needs. Furthermore, pipelines and hazardous liquid Guam, was listed as endangered on pipeline security issues have been pipelines. It includes data depicting August 27, 1984, because its population raised by recent events. In light of the population, urbanized areas, political was critically low. No confirmed development of the NPMS and the boundaries, roads, railroads, sightings or other evidence of the Guam security issues, this item is removed hydrography, consequence and hazard broadbill in the Pajon Basin have been from the regulatory agenda. areas, and unusually sensitive areas. At made since May 15, 1984. This FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: present, the NPMS includes data on 85– proposal, if made final, would remove Richard Huriaux, by telephone at (202) 90 percent of the hazardous liquid Federal protection provided by the Act 366–4565, by fax at (202) 366–4566, or pipeline milage and on more than 50 for these species. Removal of the by e-mail at percent of the gas transmission pipeline Mariana mallard and the Guam [email protected], regarding mileage. broadbill from the Federal list of the subject matter of this notice. You In addition, pipeline security issues Endangered and Threatened Wildlife may contact the Dockets Facility by have been raised by recent events. In does not alter or supersede their phone at (202) 366–9329, for copies of light of the development of the NPMS designation by the government of Guam this notice or other material in the and the security issues, a rulemaking as endangered species. The Mariana docket. All materials in this docket may action is no longer necessary. mallard is not a protected wildlife be accessed electronically at http:// On the basis of the foregoing, RSPA species by the government of the dms.dot.gov. General information about hereby removes this action from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana the RSPA Office of Pipeline Safety regulatory agenda. Islands (CNMI).
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