SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The mission of PHMSA is to protect people and the environment by advancing the safe transportation of energy products and other hazardous materials that are essential to our daily lives. PHMSA oversees the transportation of hazardous materials, including energy products, through all modes of the transportation industry—and is focused on the Biden-Harris Administration's whole-of-government approach to addressing safety, mitigating climate change, and improving the environment. PHMSA collaborates with stakeholders from the public, academia, interagency, international partners, and pipeline industry that share PHMSA's goal of advancing knowledge and technology in the pursuit of improved LNG facility safety. PHMSA's research agenda will adapt to address existing and future LNG safety initiatives such as addressing performance-based risk reduction during site location, design, construction, operations, maintenance, and fire protection, and methane mitigation activities.

Due to the importance of energy products and other hazardous materials to our economy and standard of living, it is essential that research projects promote safety, environmental protection, and reliable and efficient performance of our transportation system. The United States has experienced a significant increase in LNG export over the last decade. The expansion of the domestic and international LNG transportation industry has highlighted the need to ensure the U.S. is leading the world with best safety and environmental mitigation practices. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), “U.S. LNG export capacity increased from less than 1 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per day (Bcf/d) in 2015 to 10.78 Bcf/d at the end of 2020. Total peak export capacity in 2021 was about 12.98 Bcf/d. In 2015, total U.S. LNG ( printed page 64540) exports were about 28 Bcf to seven countries. In 2021, U.S. LNG exports reached a record high of about 3,561 Bcf to 45 countries, and LNG exports accounted for 54% of total U.S. natural gas exports.” ^[1]

This expansion of LNG demand is expected to continue in the near term and brings with it additional safety challenges which must be understood and remedied to mitigate safety impacts and potential environmental damage from releases and incidents. Therefore, LNG transportation research will examine regulatory requirements and standards incorporated into the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for LNG and performance gap analyses so as to keep pace with the growing demand to export LNG. In addition, future research outputs must consider LNG's status as an alternate transportation fuel for multiple modes of transportation particularly as operators transition from conventional oil-based fuels to LNG for marine vessels in order to reduce air pollution.

To this end, PHMSA hopes to discuss and receive public feedback in four areas: (1) LNG facility design and construction, including process, piping, and control system design; process hazard analysis; vapor handling; structural members; and construction testing requirements; (2) LNG facility siting, including passive and active protection and potential safety gaps in 49 CFR 193 and industry technical standards; (3) LNG facility fire protection system design, including firewater system design, fire and gas detection technology, emergency shutdown systems, and hazard controls; and (4) LNG operation and maintenance, including plans and procedures (best practices), safe work practices, human factors, incident investigation and reporting, reporting requirements, inspection and testing, maintenance and repairs—including fugitive and vented methane emissions mitigation, corrosion protection, and personnel protection.

II. Public Meeting and Forum Details and Agenda

The virtual meeting and forum will take place November 15 and 16, 2022. The morning of the first day of the virtual public meeting will include a general session with panel discussions among government, industry, research consortiums, and environmental advocacy stakeholders on LNG facility safety R&D research topics. The afternoon of the first day and the entirety of the second day will be the virtual public forum which will consist of smaller workgroups that members of the public will have an opportunity to sign up for in advance. The workgroups will explore the specific research gaps and topics discussed above in Section I.

III. Public Participation

The virtual public meeting and forum will be open to the public. Members of the public who wish to attend must register on the meeting website, including their names and organization affiliation. PHMSA is committed to providing all participants with equal access to these meetings. If you need disability accommodations, please contact Robert Smith by phone at 202-330-1132 or via email at robert.w.smith@dot.gov.

PHMSA is not always able to publish a notice in the Federal Register quickly enough to provide timely notification of last-minute changes that impact scheduled meetings. Therefore, individuals should check the meeting website listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice or contact Robert Smith by phone at 202-330-1132 or via email at robert.w.smith@dot.gov regarding any possible changes.

PHMSA invites public participation and public comment on the topics addressed in this public meeting and forum. Please review the ADDRESSES section of this notice for information on how to submit written comments.