Most of you will remember that last year’s Pipeline Safety Act reauthorization included a provision requiring PHMSA to report back to Congress within 60 days on legislative recommendations for implementing the GAO report on reassessment intervals. The GAO has recommended that Congress repeal the current seven-year mandate and replace it with a risk-based interval for each pipeline segment.
PHSMA has prepared its recommended statutory change and has forwarded the recommendation to the White House Office of Management and Budget for final review. Once approved by OMB, the recommendation will go to the Congress. From what we have learned from PHMSA staff, the recommendation will be virtually identical to the provision contained in last year’s Administration bill – a provision INGAA supported and advocated for inclusion in the reauthorization bill. The recommendation should be public in two to three weeks.
