# Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit
**AGENCY:**
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA); Department of Transportation (DOT).
**ACTION:**
Notice.
**SUMMARY:**
PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on a request for a special permit for the North Slope Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Facility (Facility) submitted by Harvest Alaska LNG, LLC (Harvest). Harvest is seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal pipeline safety regulations. PHMSA has proposed conditions to ensure the special permit is consistent with pipeline safety. 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.
**DATES:**
Submit any comments regarding this special permit request by March 5, 2026.
**ADDRESSES:**
Comments should reference the docket number for this special permit request and may be submitted in the following ways:
• *E-Gov Website: http://www.regulations.gov.* This site allows the public to enter comments on any *Federal Register* notice issued by any agency.
• *Fax:* 1-202-493-2251.
• *Mail:* 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.
• *Hand Delivery:* 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.
*Instructions:* 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 copies. To receive confirmation that PHMSA has received your comments, please include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet users may submit comments at *http://www.regulations.gov.*
**Note:**
There is a privacy statement published on *http://www.regulations.gov.* Comments, including any personal information provided, are posted without changes or edits to *http://www.regulations.gov.*
*Confidential Business Information:* Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 United States Code § 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 actually 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 Code of Federal Regulations (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 Lee Cooper, DOT, PHMSA-PHP-80, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Any commentary PHMSA receives that is not designated specifically as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this matter.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
*General:* Mr. Lee Cooper by phone at 202-913-3171 or by email at *[email protected].*
*Technical:* Ms. Chau Tran by phone at 713-249-2483 or by email at *[email protected].*
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
PHMSA received a special permit request from Harvest on July 29, 2025, seeking to deviate from the Federal pipeline safety regulations in 49 CFR 193.2905 and 193.2907 for the Facility located in Alaska's North Slope Borough.
Due to Arctic-specific environmental and operational challenges associated with installing a fence along the boundary of the Facility, Harvest seeks to waive the requirements of 49 CFR 193.2905 and 193.2907, which require protective enclosures surrounding LNG facilities. The draft conditions were determined preliminarily to ensure that the special permit is consistent with pipeline safety for the Facility in Alaska's North Slope Borough.
The special permit request, draft proposed special permit with conditions, and draft environmental assessment (DEA) for the Facility are available for review and public comment in Docket No. PHMSA-2025-0546. PHMSA invites interested persons to review and submit comments in the docket on the special permit request, draft proposed special permit with attachments, and DEA. 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 closing date. PHMSA will consider each relevant comment it receives in making its decision to grant or deny this special permit request.
Issued in Washington, DC, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Linda Daugherty,
Acting Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.