Gas Pipeline Deregulation NPRM to OMB

Yesterday the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received a notice of proposed rulemaking from the DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) on “Gas Pipeline Regulatory Reform”.

The Spring 2019 Unified Agenda describes the rulemaking this way:

“This rulemaking would amend the Pipeline Safety Regulations to adopt a number of actions that ease regulatory burdens on the construction and operation of gas transmission, gas distribution and gas gathering pipeline systems. These amendments include regulatory relief actions identified by internal agency review, existing petitions for rulemaking, and public comments on the Department of Transportation Regulatory Review and Transportation Infrastructure notices.”

This rulemaking was initiated by the Trump Administration; first appearing in the Spring 2018 Unified Agenda.