National Safe Digging Month was supported through many nationwide efforts, including one of the most popular races of the season. Kevin Harvick raced the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet to victory lane and celebrated his first points win of the season just recently in Talladega. During the race, Harvick helped celebrate National Safe Digging month, by…
May 2010
Students Learn Important Lessons about Underground Utility Safety
The Educational Programs Committee of the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) partnered with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation to design an underground utility safety curriculum for Safety Day events throughout the United States. Safety Days are one-day events that teach children safety lessons to keep them safe at home, on a farm or ranch. The goal is…
RCP Adds More Experience to its Roster
In March/April, RCP added two new employees to our roster. Gary Welch, PHD, recently joined RCP as an Executive Consultant. In his 32 years of industry experience, Gary has demonstrated his expertise in several technical disciplines including nearly all aspects of Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE), corrosion research and materials selection, and production engineering.…
PHMSA/RRC Pipeline Safety Seminar June 16 – 18, 2010 in Corpus Christi
The Texas Gas Association (TGA) will be hosting the Texas PHMSA/RRC pipeline safety seminar immediately following the O&M Conference. PHMSA will be discussing and instructing on requirements of 191, 192 and 195. The natural gas portion of the pipelines seminar will be on Wednesday and Thursday and the liquid portion will run from Thursday to…
TGA O&M Conference June 13-16, 2010 in Corpus Christi
Meet us at the 2010 TGA Operations Conference at the Omni Bayfront Hotel in Corpus Christi, Texas. RCP representatives will be attending the conference and look forward to meeting you. Bill Byrd will be speaking on SPCC issues at a breakout session on Tuesday, June 15 and will provide a regulatory overview to liquid operators…
RCP President Elected to SERAD Executive Committee
RCP is proud to announce that its President, Bill Byrd, PE, has been elected to the Executive Committee of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering’s Safety Engineering and Risk Analysis Division (SERAD). The interests of SERAD extend across most of the other ASME Divisions. This Division works with industry, ASME Codes & Standards, and other…
AGA Operations Conference May 11-14, 2010 in New Orleans
Meet us at the 2010 AGA Operations Conference at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans. RCP representatives will be attending the conference and look forward to meeting you. If you plan on attending, mark your calendar for Wednesday, May 12, for Chris Foley’s presentation on Distribution Integrity Management Program (DIMP). This presentation will describe…
PHMSA Announces New Central Region Director
PHMSA has announced the appointment of David (Dave) A. Barrett as Director, Central Region for the Office of Pipeline Safety. Dave joined PHMSA in 2000 as an engineer in the Central Region office in Kansas City. During his career at PHMSA, Dave has had increasing responsibilities as a project manager, and most recently as supervisor…
Proposed Changes to Gas Pipeline Regulations in Maine
[Docket No. 2010-106] The Public Utilities Commission in Maine has initiated a rulemaking to repeal and replace Chapter 420 of its rules on safety standards for natural gas transmission and distribution systems and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. The proposed Chapter 420 includes the federal requirements that the Commission must enforce as a certified agent…
Proposed Changes to TRRC – TCEQ Memorandum of Understanding
The Railroad Commission of Texas has proposed amendments to 16 TAC §3.30, relating to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Railroad Commission of Texas (TRRC) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), as found in Title 16, Part 1, Chapter 3 of the Texas Administrative Code. The proposed amendments affect the Texas Health and…
Revision to Effective Date for Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is changing the effective date of the Revisions to the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs (Mandatory Guidelines) from May 1, 2010, to October 1, 2010. The Mandatory Guidelines establish the scientific and technical guidelines for drug testing programs and establish standards for certification of…
Public Awareness Effectiveness Evaluations due June 2010
The clock is ticking on the due date on completion of effectiveness surveys for operators implementing public awareness programs. Most plans must be completed by June, 2010 to be in compliance with the regulations. According to API RP 1162, operators should conduct these effectiveness evaluations “no more than four years apart.” The effectiveness evaluation is…
Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Proposed Rule
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0923; FRL-9131-1]; RIN 2060-AP99 EPA is proposing a supplemental rule to require reporting of fugitive and vented greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from petroleum and natural gas systems, including: Onshore petroleum and natural gas production, Offshore petroleum and natural gas production, Natural gas processing, Natural gas transmission compressor stations, Underground natural gas storage, Liquefied natural gas…
Advisory Bulletin (ADB-10-04) – Electronic Reporting System is Live
On February 3, 2010 (75 FR 5460), PHMSA published Advisory Bulletin ADB-10-01 in the Federal Register to notify operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities of newly revised incident/accident report forms and instructions. (See related article in the February 2010 edition of the DOT Pipeline Compliance News.) In ADB-10-01, PHMSA announced that the revised…