The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) has completed an initial screening of three candidate companies for the System Integrity Inspection (SII) Pilot Program – Conoco Pipe Line Company, El Paso Natural Gas Company, and Portland Pipe Line Corporation. The System Integrity Inspection (SII) Pilot Program is designed to test whether a more broad-based examination of an operator's safety and pipeline integrity programs, including many areas not currently considered during a typical inspection, will improve performance. Although OPS will continue to require an operator's compliance with the pipeline safety regulations, under the SII approach, an SII Team (composed of OPS and interstate agency personnel) will work cooperatively with the operator to address pipeline system integrity issues, including areas that the regulations may not address. Before making its final selection of SII Pilot Program participants, OPS invites public comment on any aspect of a candidate company's participation in the SII Pilot Program. Each company's Application Letter is available via an internet-accessible information system that can be reached through the OPS web site at http://ops.dot.gov. This web site contains descriptive information about the SII Pilot Program, frequently asked questions and answers, and access to program-related documents. OPS will announce its selections of SII Pilot Program participants through the web site. After selection, information on a company's performance will be available through this site. The SII web site also supports OPS's on-going communication and outreach efforts by providing an opportunity for the public to communicate directly to OPS using the "Feedback" feature on the web site. OPS welcomes comments and input throughout the SII Pilot Program. The full Federal Register notice concerning this program is available on RCP's website at

http://www.your-rcp.com/PipelineIntegrityProgram.htm

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