§  195.59  Abandoned underwater facilities report.

For each abandoned offshore pipeline facility or each abandoned onshore pipeline facility that crosses over, under or through a commercially navigable waterway, the last operator of that facility must file a report upon abandonment of that facility.

(a) The preferred method to submit data on pipeline facilities abandoned after October 10, 2000 is to the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) in accordance with the NPMS "Standards for Pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas Operator Submissions." To obtain a copy of the NPMS Standards, please refer to the NPMS homepage at www.npms.rspa.dot.gov or contact the NPMS National Repository at 703-317-3073. A digital data format is preferred, but hard copy submissions are acceptable if they comply with the NPMS Standards. In addition to the NPMS-required attributes, operators must submit the date of abandonment, diameter, method of abandonment, and certification that, to the best of the operator's knowledge, all of the reasonably available information requested was provided and, to the best of the operator's knowledge, the abandonment was completed in accordance with applicable laws. Refer to the NPMS Standards for details in preparing your data for submission. The NPMS Standards also include details of how to submit data. Alternatively, operators may submit reports by mail, fax or e-mail to the Information Officer, Research and Special Programs Administration, Department of Transportation, Room 7128, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington DC 20590; fax (202) 366-4566; e-mail, roger.little@rspa.dot.gov. The information in the report must contain all reasonably available information related to the facility, including information in the possession of a third party. The report must contain the location, size, date, method of abandonment, and a certification that the facility has been abandoned in accordance with all applicable laws.

(b) Data on pipeline facilities abandoned before October 10, 2000 must be filed by before April 10, 2001. Operators may submit reports by mail, fax or e-mail to the Information Officer, Research and Special Programs Administration, Department of Transportation, Room 7128, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington DC 20590; fax (202) 366-4566; e-mail, roger.little@rspa.dot.gov. The information in the report must contain all reasonably available information related to the facility, including information in the possession of a third party. The report must contain the location, size, date, method of abandonment, and a certification that the facility has been abandoned in accordance with all applicable laws.

[Amdt. 195-69, 65 FR 54444, Sept. 8, 2000]