PHMSA proposes rule to require faster notification of pipeline incidents

Washington – Pipeline operators may be required to notify the National Response Center no later than one hour after an incident involving natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines, under a recently proposed rule from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Currently, federal regulations do not outline a time limit for notification of an incident. The proposal also includes several National Transportation Safety Board recommendations for pipeline operators that address topics such as workplace training, drug testing and operator qualification programs.

“We constantly seek to raise the bar on safety,” Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said in a press release.

The proposal was announced July 1, and publication was pending in the Federal Register as of press time. It will be open to public comment for 60 days after its publication.