Key Federal Agency Proposes Potential Pipeline Safety Regulations
The federal agency charged with ensuring the safety of the nation’s pipeline system released for public comment earlier this week a proposal to overhaul
Jul 31, 202068.8K Shares1.4M Views
The federal agency charged with ensuring the safety of the nation’s pipeline system released for public comment earlier this week a proposal to overhaul pipeline safety.
The proposal, an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, lays out a number of potential issues the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or PHMSA, may address in final regulations. Under the proposal, the public has until Jan. 17, 2011 to provide its input.
The proposal lays out a number of issues I’ve identified in my ongoingserieson pipeline safetyand the lack of oversight at PHMSA. For example, the proposal raises the possibility of requiring pipeline in rural areas to be subject to more inspections. It also floats the idea of requiring better emergency shutoff valves (as I’ve noted, the segment of pipeline that exploded in San Bruno last month had to be shut off manually) and strengthening standards to prevent pipe corrosion.
The PHMSA proposal comes as Congress is considering a number of pipeline safety proposals, from both the Obama administrationand various lawmakers.
Paula M. Graham
Reviewer
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