PHMSA Class Location Methodology Workshop Announced

THE DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a meeting notice in today’s Federal Register (79 FR 16421-16422) announcing a public workshop looking at whether applying the gas pipeline integrity management (IM) requirements beyond high consequence area would mitigate the need for class location requirements. The workshop will be held on April 16^th, 2014 in Washington, DC.

Background

This workshop is a follow up to a notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on the subject published on August 25^th, 2011 and a subsequent notice of inquiry published on August 1^st 2013. Public comments from both of those actions will be addressed during this workshop.

This workshop is being conducted as part of the PHMSA response to the integrity management directives found in §5(a)(2) of the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 (PL 112-90).

Agenda

The Draft Agenda for the workshop indicates that there will be five panel presentations. Those presentations include:

• PHMSA – Class locations vs HCA requirements;

• NAPSR perspective on class locations vs HCA requirements;

• Public perspective

• Pipeline operator presentations – Gas transmission; and

• Pipeline operator presentations – Gas distribution and gathering

There will be question and answer sessions after both the morning and afternoon presentations.

Public Participation

PHMSA is soliciting public participation in this workshop. You can attend in person, view the webcast (live or delayed) or you can just submit written comments. You can register for the workshop on-line. Public comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal (www.Regulations.gov; Docket # PHMSA-2013-0161). Those comments must be submitted by May 27^th, 2014.