Pipeline Risk Management Demonstration Program Electronic Teleconference

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. PS-142; Notice 11]

Pipeline Risk Management Demonstration Program Electronic

Teleconference

AGENCY: Office of Pipeline Safety, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Pipeline

Safety (OPS) will sponsor its fourth satellite-based video presentation

on the Pipeline Risk Management Demonstration Program on Thursday,

March 26, 1998, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The program will be aired over

the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) Agency's Emergency Education

Network (EENET).

DATES: The electronic teleconference will be aired on March 26, 1998,

from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eben M. Wyman, (202) 366-0918, or by

e-mail ([email protected]), regarding the subject matter of this

Notice. Contact the Dockets Unit (202) 366-5046, for other material in

the docket.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Demonstration Program tests an

innovative regulatory approach to achieving superior safety performance

by allowing pipeline operators to customize safety activities. OPS is

currently consulting with several pipeline operators about

participating in the Demonstration Program. The companies whose

projects are under most active discussion at this time are Shell Pipe

Line Company, Phillips Pipe Line Company, Chevron Pipe Line Company,

Mobil Pipe Line Company, and the Natural Gas Pipe Line Company. Their

pipelines go through the States of Colorado, Louisiana, Washington,

Utah, Oregon, Arkansas, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois,

Indiana, New Mexico, Texas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. As

consultations near completion, more information will be distributed via

company and project-specific prospectuses.

OPS seeks comments from individuals or groups who can provide

information about local conditions, land use, geological factors,

damage prevention efforts or the practices of these companies.

The broadcast will have three main program segments. First, OPS

representatives will give an update on the status of the Demonstration

Program. The next two segments will present videotaped highlights of

panel discussions from a public meeting which was held in Houston,

Texas, on November 19, 1997.

The first panel was made up of other Federal and State government

representatives who discussed their perspectives on the Demonstration

Program and its effect on their agency's efforts. The second panel was

made up of interested representatives from the public sector. Both

panels discussed issues relative to the Demonstration Program and made

suggestions to both OPS and the candidate pipeline companies during

their presentations.

Several live call-in periods are scheduled during this broadcast.

Callers can ask questions of the panelists, raise issues from their

presentations, or discuss the program with OPS officials. Several

speakers from both panels will be available to provide further input on

these topics. Representatives from the governmental panel will be State

pipeline safety program managers: Joe Finan, Pennsylvania; Dennis

Lloyd, Washington; Tony Karahalios, Colorado; and John Gawronski, New

York. Representing the Community Perspective panel will be Dr. Martha

Rozelle from the International Association for Public Participation,

Ruth Ellen Schelhaus, publisher of the Local Emergency Planning

Committee Newsletter, and Larry Miller, Channel Development Manager

from the Houston Port Authority. If you have questions

[[Page 10673]]

you would like to have addressed on this or future broadcasts, please

send them via e-mail to John Hess at: [email protected].

The electronic teleconference will be broadcast via EENET, which

has been broadcasting for more than ten years and has an extensive

audience in the fire and emergency management communities. By using

EENET, OPS has the opportunity to involve thousands of public safety

and emergency management officials who routinely receive these

programs. EENET sites use the widely available Ku and C band satellite

dish technology.

The following are ways to view this broadcast:

Set up a Television Receive-Only dish at your viewing

facility.

Ask your local television cable company to carry this

EENET video broadcast.

Contact your local government cable access office to carry

the program. Many cable systems have dedicated internal cable channels

to local governments to carry programs such as these to their offices

and other facilities.

Use a local facility which has a Television Receive-Only

dish. Many schools (elementary, secondary, and community colleges),

hospitals, or local hotels and motels have these facilities.

Rent a portable Television Receive-Only dish and have it

set up at your viewing place.

The technical information necessary to align the receiver dish with

the satellite is as follows:

C-Band

Galaxy 4

Transponder: 22

Downlink Freq: 4140 MHZ

Audio Freq: 6.2/6.8 MHZ

Location: 99 degrees West

Polarity: Vertical

Ku-Band

GE-3

Transponder: 21

Downlink Freq: 12120 MHZ

Audio Freq: 6.2/6.8 MHZ

Location: 87 degrees West

Polarity: horizontal

View the broadcast via Internet. Information, links to the

show, and the necessary software to view it are found on the Town

Meeting Homepage. The Internet address is http://ops.dot.gov/tmvid.htm.

If you need assistance in locating a satellite receive site, please

call John Hess at (202)366-4576; E-mail John.H[email protected] or, call

EENET at 1-800-527-4893.

This broadcast and previous broadcasts are available on videotape.

Individuals may contact their State pipeline safety office to borrow

copies of the videotapes or may contact OPS. To request to borrow

copies of the videotapes via the OPS Home page follow the instructions

at http://ops.dot.gov, or contact OPS by E-mail at

[email protected].

Issued in Washington, D.C. on February 26, 1998.

Richard B. Felder,

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.

[FR Doc. 98-5494 Filed 3-3-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-60-P