The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has proposed new requirements to strengthen Federal pipeline safety regulations related to pipeline accident and incident notification. The Operator Qualification, Cost Recovery and Accident Notification proposed rule would also allow PHMSA to recover costs for pipeline design reviews, and addresses several National Transportation Safety Board Recommendations related to operator qualification programs, personnel training, drug and alcohol testing and acceptable methods for assessing crack defects in pipelines.
The proposed rule would require pipeline operators to notify the National Response Center (NRC) of a pipeline release at the earliest practicable moment following the confirmed discovery of an accident or incident involving natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines, but not later than one hour following confirmed discovery.