PHMSA Pipeline Data Collection Meeting

The DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a notice in today’s Federal Register (77 FR 61825-61826) announcing a 2-day public meeting conducted jointly with the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR) on October 29^th and 30^th, 2012 in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss how pipeline data is currently used by stakeholders and identify potential improvements in pipeline safety performance measures.

The objectives of the meeting are (77 FR 61826):

• Determine how stakeholders, including PHMSA, industry, and the public use the data.

• Determine how industry and PHMSA currently measure performance, how performance measures could be improved, and what additional data is needed to do so.

• Determine the best method(s) for collecting, analyzing, and ensuring transparency of additional data needed to improve performance measures.

• Summarize the data PHMSA currently collects, who we collect it from, and why we collect it.

• Discuss data quality improvement including past efforts and future opportunities

Presentations at the meeting will be made by PHMSA, the NTSB, NAPSR, the Pipeline Safety Trust and representatives of the pipeline industry. The agenda includes:

• PHMSA’s Data Vision

• Meaningful Performance Metrics – Their Role and Value in Pipeline Safety

• Pipeline Safety Regulators Use of Data

• Industry Use of Data

• Public Use of Data

• Pipeline Safety Regulator Perspective on Improving Performance Measures

• Industry Perspective on Improving Performance Measures

• How additional data best collected, analyzed, and transparency ensured

The meeting web page provides a link to an on-line registration site. There will be a web cast of the meeting and connection details will be provided to registrants indicating that they will attend ‘virtually’. There is nothing in this notice that indicates that PHMSA is soliciting public comments on the topics being addressed at the meeting.