PHMSA Submits Crude Oil Volatility ANPRM to OMB

Yesterday the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) from DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) concerning a potential rulemaking setting volatility standards for the safe shipment of crude oil. This rulemaking first appeared in the Fall 2016 Unified Agenda.

According to the abstract in the Unified Agenda this rulemaking is being considered because of a petition for rulemaking submitted by the Attorney General of the State of New York regarding vapor pressure standards for the transportation of crude oil. PHMSA could potentially apply vapor pressure standards to crude oil shipments and other class 3 materials.

Even if this ANPRM is published before January 20^th (not very probable given the holidays and other time constraints), it is unlikely that this rulemaking would proceed under the Trump Administration because of the opposition of crude oil and other flammable liquid shippers.

Note: I have discussed some of the issue related to  measuring crude oil volatility in my blog post about the introduction of HR 1679. The failure of that bill to even be considered in Committee is probably indicative of the lack of interest in Congress and the Republican leadership in general in considering this type of regulation.