The Research and Special Programs Administration’s (RSPA) Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) will convene a meeting of the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (TPSSC) to discuss and vote on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, “Pipeline Integrity Management for Gas Transmission Pipelines in High Consequence Areas” ( 67 FR 4278 ) and on the associated risk assessment. In addition, RSPA/OPS will brief the TPSSC on the draft Cost-Benefit Study of Excess Flow Valve Installation on Gas Service Lines completed by RSPA’s Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. Other briefings and votes may include proposals on periodic underwater inspection and on clarifications and updates to the liquefied natural gas facilities section of the pipeline safety regulations.

The meetings will be held at Loews L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, 480 L’Enfant Plaza, SW., Ballroom A-Lobby Level, Washington, DC on Wednesday, May 28 from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and Thursday, May 29 from 9 to 5 p.m. Friday, May 30 is reserved should additional business need to be conducted. (Editor’s note: the federal register notice contains a typo concerning these dates.)

Members of the public may attend the meetings, and an opportunity will be provided for the public to make short statements on the topics under discussion. Anyone wishing to make an oral statement should notify Jean Milam, (202) 493-0967, not later than May 19, 2003, on the topic of the statement and the length of the presentation. The presiding officer at each meeting may deny any request to present an oral statement and may limit the time of any presentation. You may also submit written comments to the Dockets Facility [Docket No. RSPA-98-4470].