The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) Is considering an amendment to § 192.3 to clarify the existing definition of the term "gathering line." In accordance with the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968, the Federal safety standards (Part 192) apply to the gathering, transmission, or distribution of gas by pipeline in or affecting Interstate or-foreign commerce, except that the standards do not apply to the gathering of gas in rural locations outside populated areas. Thus, a clear definition of the term "gathering line" is necessary to Identify pipelines used in the gathering of gas and to determine applicability of the Federal safety standards to pipelines in rural locations.