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

<NOTICE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration</SUBAGY> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0011]</DEPDOC> <SUBJECT>Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC; Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA); U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Notice. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> 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. </SUM> <DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Submit any comments regarding this special permit request by November 29, 2024. </DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> Comments should reference the docket number for this special permit request and may be submitted in the following ways: • <E T="03">E-Gov Website: http://www.Regulations.gov.</E> This site allows the public to enter comments on any <E T="04">Federal Register</E> Notice issued by any agency. • <E T="03">Fax:</E> 1-202-493-2251. • <E T="03">Mail:</E> 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. • <E T="03">Hand Delivery:</E> 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. <E T="03">Instructions:</E> 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> <HD SOURCE="HED">Note:</HD> There is a privacy statement published on <E T="03">http://www.Regulations.gov.</E> Comments, including any personal information provided, are posted without changes or edits to <E T="03">http://www.Regulations.gov.</E> </NOTE> <E T="03">Confidential Business Information:</E> 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. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> <E T="03">General:</E> Ms. Kay McIver by telephone at 202-366-0113, or by email at <E T="03">kay.mciver@dot.gov.</E> <E T="03">Technical:</E> Ms. Mary McDaniel by telephone at 713-235-0035, or by email at <E T="03">mary.mcdaniel@dot.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> 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. <SIG> <DATED>Issued in Washington, DC, on October 23, 2024, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.</DATED> <NAME>Alan K. Mayberry,</NAME> Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety. </SIG> </SUPLINF> <FRDOC>[FR Doc. 2024-25129 Filed 10-29-24; 8:45 am]</FRDOC> </NOTICE>