[Docket No. PHMSA-2016-0128]
PHMSA held a public meeting of the Voluntary Information-Sharing System (VIS) Working Group on June 29th and 30th to continue the discussion on the need for, and the identification of, a voluntary information-sharing system. The meeting documents presented will be available on the meeting website and posted on the E-Gov website under docket number PHMSA-2016-0128 within 30 days following the meeting.
The VIS Working Group is a recently created advisory committee. On December 15, 2016, the Secretary of Transportation (the Secretary) appointed 24 members to the committee. The VIS Working Group agenda included briefings on topics such as mandate requirements, existing integrity management regulations, data types and tools, ILI repair methods, geographic information system pipeline data and operator implementation, potential subcommittee needs, past integrity management lessons learned, examples of existing information-sharing systems, safety management systems, and the potential need for additional expertise with committee membership. As part of its work, the committee will ultimately provide recommendations to the Secretary addressing:
- The need for, and the identification of, a system to ensure that dig verification data are shared with in-line inspection operators to the extent consistent with the need to maintain proprietary and security-sensitive data in a confidential manner to improve pipeline safety and inspection technology;
- Ways to encourage the exchange of pipeline inspection information and the development of advanced pipeline inspection technologies and enhanced risk analysis;
- Opportunities to share data, including dig verification data between operators of pipeline facilities and in-line inspector vendors to expand knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of in-line inspection technology and methodologies;
- Options to create a secure system that protects proprietary data while encouraging the exchange of pipeline inspection information and the development of advanced pipeline inspection technologies and enhanced risk analysis;
- Means and best practices for the protection of safety and security-sensitive information and proprietary information; and
- Regulatory, funding and legal barriers to sharing the information described in paragraphs (a) thru (d).
The Secretary will publish the VIS Working Group’s recommendations on a publicly available DOT Web site. The VIS Working Group will fulfill its purpose once its recommendations are published online.
For information about the meeting, contact Cheryl Whetsel by phone at 202-366-4431 or by email at cheryl.whetsel@dot.gov.