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PHMSA Webinar: “Safety of the Nation’s Gas Transmission Pipelines – NPRM”

JUNE 8, 2016 The webinar scheduled for May 12th for the gas mega-rule was cancelled and rescheduled for June 8th at 1:30 p.m. EDT. This public webinar is being hosted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to discuss the proposed rulemaking for the safety of the nation’s gas…

Summer Conference Schedule

Have you registered and confirmed your reservations for these upcoming conferences? RCP will be attending. We hope to see you there! SGA Operating Conference & ExhibitsJuly 25-27, 2016George R. Brown Convention Center – Houston, TX Mark your calendar and plan to attend the 2016 “Mega Rule” Notice of Proposed Rule Overview session on Monday, July…

Michigan Proposes Regulatory Changes for Underground Facility Damage Prevention

Michigan has proposed regulatory additions to the Michigan Public Service Commission of a portion of its state code titled R 460.11 to .40 – Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety. These new sections provide definitions, listings of excavator and operator duties, complaint procedures and Commission enforcement authority relating to Act 174 of 2013 – MISS…

California Requirements for Underground Gas Storage Projects

TITLE 14, CHAPTER 4 The California Department of Conservation (DOC) has released pre-rulemaking draft regulations (Discussion Draft) for the purpose of receiving public input on the development of updates to the regulations governing the DOC’s Gas Storage Program. On January 6, 2016, Governor Jerry Brown issued a proclamation of a state of emergency relating to…

PHMSA Public Awareness Workshop

JULY 13, 2016 (CHICAGO, IL) PHMSA is sponsoring a one-day Public Awareness workshop in Chicago, IL on July 13th at the Hyatt Chicago – Magnificent Mile; 633 N. St Clair St; Chicago, IL 60611. The workshop will bring pipeline safety stakeholders together to review the findings from the joint Public Awareness Program Working Group’s (PAPWG)…

Request for Comments – Gaseous CO2 Pipeline Regulations

[DOCKET NO. PHMSA-2016-0049] PHMSA is seeking public comment on a PHMSA-authored report titled: “Background for Regulating the Transportation of Carbon Dioxide in a Gaseous State,” which is available in the docket at PHMSA-2016-0049. The report evaluates existing and potential future gaseous carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines and outlines PHMSA’s approach for establishing minimum pipeline safety standards…

Inflation-Adjusted Penalties

PHMSA is publishing an Interim Final Rule to revise references in its regulations to the maximum civil penalties for violations of the Federal Pipeline Safety Laws, or any PHMSA regulation or order issued thereunder, to account for changes in inflation. These adjusted penalties will apply to violations occurring on or after the effective date of…

Revised NPMS Data Proposal

[DOCKET NO. PHMSA-2014-0092] On June 22, 2016, PHMSA proposed to make revisions to the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS), to incorporate new and / or revised data concerning gas distribution, gas transmission, and liquid transmission pipeline systems (81 CFR 40757). This proposal modifies PHMSA’s previous proposal on August 27, 2015 (79 FR 44246). It contains…

PHMSA Advisory Bulletin Concerning Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)

[DOCKET NO. PHMSA-2016-0071] The Department of Transportation/Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued an Advisory Bulletin (ADB–2016–04) to remind all owners and operators of hazardous liquid, carbon dioxide, and gas pipelines of the need to ensure that pipelines that are both buried and insulated have effective coating and corrosion-control systems to protect against cathodic protection…

PIPES Act of 2016

[114TH CONGRESS S.2276 / H.R. 4937] On June 22, 2016, President Obama signed into law the “Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2016.” This bill reauthorizes PHMSA’s oil and gas pipeline programs through 2019 and includes new mandates aimed at strengthening PHMSA’s existing safety procedures and programs. Pipeline Safety: The…

RCP’s Web-Based Compliance Management Systems

RCP’s Compliance Management System (CMS) is an invaluable tool for managing all aspects of regulatory workflow. Some examples of how our clients are using the CMS include: O&M Scheduling and Data Acquisition; Cathodic Protection Inspection and Data Management; One-Call Screening and Ticket Management; Repair / Replacement Programs; Operator Qualification Administration and Workflow Integration; Leak Life…

Late Summer Conference Schedule

Have you registered and confirmed your reservations for these upcoming conferences? RCP will be attending. We hope to see you there! LGA 2016 Pipeline Safety ConferenceAugust 8-12, 2016Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel – New Orleans, LA RCP is once again a proud sponsor and exhibitor at this year’s conference, which has been referred to as the…

Underground Gas Storage Workshops

The Department of Energy, supported by several national laboratories, sponsored a “Workshop on Well Integrity for Natural Gas Storage in Depleted Reservoirs and Aquifers” on July 12-13, 2016, followed by a 1-day meeting workshop hosted by PHMSA on “Underground Natural Gas Storage.” All 3 days of meetings were attended by PHMSA Administrator, Marie Therese Dominguez,…