GAO-18-461: Published: May 29, 2018. Publicly Released: May 29, 2018
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recently looked into federal and state responsibilities for interstate pipeline inspections. While PHMSA expanded its inspector workforce by 25% between 2012 and 2017, the agency hasn’t planned for future workforce needs—for example, it hasn’t assessed how states can help with pipeline inspections and safety oversight. GAO has recommended that PHMSA should develop a workforce plan for interstate pipeline inspections that is consistent with leading practices in workforce planning, which should include a consideration of the additional resources and safety oversight that state pipeline officials can provide. DOT concurred with GAO’s recommendation and provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate. The complete report can be found on the GAO’s website.