[Docket No. PHMSA-2010-0229; Amdt. No. 195-102]
On January 12, 2017, PHMSA posted the text of a pending final rule concerning hazardous liquid pipelines. The corresponding NPRM was published on 10/13/2015. This pending final rule has not yet actually been published in the Federal Register, and will no doubt undergo further review and possibly revision under the new administration. The posted version is summarized below, for your information only (as it isn’t actually a rule at this point in time). PHMSA plans to:
- Extend reporting requirements to certain hazardous liquid gravity and rural gathering lines;
- Require inspection of pipelines in areas affected by extreme weather, natural disasters, and other similar events;
- Require integrity assessments at least once every 10 years of onshore, piggable, transmission hazardous liquid pipeline segments located outside of high consequence areas (HCAs);
- Incorporate additional conservatism into the existing repair criteria and establish an adjusted repair schedule to provide greater flexibility;
- Extend the required the use of leak detection systems beyond HCAs to all regulated, non-gathering hazardous liquid pipelines;
- Require all pipelines in or affecting HCAs be capable of accommodating in-line inspection tools within 20 years, unless the basic construction of a pipeline cannot be modified to permit that accommodation;
- Clarify other regulations; and–Incorporate Sections 14 and 25 of the PIPES Act of 2016.
- Incorporate Sections 14 and 25 of the PIPES Act of 2016.