[DOCKET NO. PHMSA-2011-0023 RIN 2137-AE72]
The Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) intends to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NRPM) to revise the Pipeline Safety Regulations applicable to the safety of onshore gas transmission and gathering pipelines. The proposals within this rule cover many different aspects of the safety of these pipelines, including:
- New definitions, including Moderate Consequence Areas
- New standards incorporated by reference
- Expansion of regulated gas gathering
- Additional corrosion control measures
- Spike testing requirements
- Material verification
- MAOP verification
- Removal of the “Grandfather Clause” (§192.619(c)) for MAOP determination
- Additional integrity assessment and repair criteria
- Data gathering and integration
- Management of change
- Inspection of pipelines following weather events
- Records retention schedule
Once the NPRM is officially published in the Federal Register, RCP will send out a special edition newsletter that will be just on this rule. In the interim, contact Jessica Foley for a pre-publication version.