Short Takes – 1-15-26 – Federal Register Edition

Pipeline Safety: Class Location Change Requirements. Federal Register, PHMSA final rule. Summary: “PHMSA is updating its regulations to allow operators to apply modern risk management principles in addressing the safety of gas pipelines affected by class location changes. Relying on an approach originally developed in the 1950s, PHMSA's regulations use class locations to provide an additional margin of safety in the design, construction, testing, operation, and maintenance of gas pipelines based on population density. When the class location of a pipeline changes due to an increase in population density, an operator may need to take certain actions to confirm or to revise the maximum allowable operating pressure of a segment. Because the methods traditionally used for that purpose do not account for modern risk management principles, PHMSA has granted special permits for more than two decades allowing operators to use an integrity-management-based alternative. This final rule adopts that `IM alternative' by regulation to provide operators with an additional method for confirming or restoring the maximum allowable operating pressure of certain eligible segments that experience class location changes.” Effective date: March 16^th, 2026.

Hazard Communication Standard. Federal Register, OSHA extension of compliance dates. Explanation: “The initial compliance deadline in section 1910.1200(j)(2)(i) of January 19, 2026, for manufacturers, importers, and distributors evaluating substances, is imminent. Members of the regulated community have asked for additional guidance to comply with the updated HCS. Although OSHA has been working to finalize key guidance about the updated HCS for both the regulated community and agency personnel, the agency has not been able to complete these documents with sufficient time for the regulated community and OSHA personnel to benefit from them before the initial compliance date. OSHA has determined it is necessary to extend the initial compliance date in paragraph (j)(2)(i) by four months to allow time for the agency to publish the necessary guidance materials and for the regulated community to review those materials before the revised provisions take effect. To maintain the tiered approach to compliance adopted in the final rule (89 FR 44144, 44302), OSHA is also extending each of the subsequent compliance dates in paragraph (j)(2)(ii) and (j)(3) by four months.”

Revision to License Review Policy for Advanced Computing Commodities. Federal Register BIS final rule. Summary: “The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is revising its license review policy for exports of certain semiconductors to China and Macau—changing it from a presumption of denial to a case-by-case review. The semiconductors covered by this rule are the Nvidia H200 and its equivalents, as well as less advanced chips—provided that (1) the semiconductors are commercially available in the United States at the time of publication of this rule and (2) the exporter certifies that: there is sufficient supply of this product in the United States; production of this product for exports to China will not divert global foundry capacity for similar or more advanced products for end users in the United States; the recipient has demonstrated sufficient security procedures; and the item undergoes independent, third-party testing in the United States to verify its performance specifications.”

EO 14373 - Safeguarding Venezuelan Oil Revenue for the Good of the American and Venezuelan People. Federal Register.