PHMSA Pipeline Public Awareness Workshop

The Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration published a notice in today’s Federal Register (78 FR 30964-30965) concerning an upcoming public workshop “to bring pipeline safety stakeholders together to discuss ways to improve public awareness outreach” on pipeline safety. The two day meeting will start on June 19^th and will be held in Richardson (Dallas), TX.

This workshop is part of the PHSMA outreach on its incorporation by reference of the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 1162, "Public Awareness Programs for Pipeline Operators (1st edition)." The goals of the work shop, according to the PHSMA web site, include:

• Provide an overview of the public awareness program and discuss recent inspection findings;

• Understand what's working and not working with RP 1162 (1st edition) from various stakeholder perspectives (industry, pipeline operators, public, emergency response officials, local public officials, and excavators);

• Share ways to improve public awareness outreach efforts; and

• Discuss the path forward for improving public awareness.

The public is invited to attend this workshop or view the web cast (Again I hearted endorse any effort by agencies of the Federal government to utilize web casts to extend the range of participation in any public meeting NPPD PLEASE NOTE). The registration form for the workshop provides for both public and virtual attendance or even follow-up information if not able to attend.