Stakeholder Communications

Workshops on Operator Public Awareness Programs

PHMSA hosted a public workshop on pipeline operator public awareness programs on February 20, 2008 in Houston, TX. The agenda topics included:

• Findings from the Clearinghouse review of written operator public awareness programs.
• Potential changes to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 1162.
•  Information on lessons learned by pipeline operators during the implementation of API RP 1162-style public awareness programs.

In 2005, PHMSA co-sponsored public workshops to help ensure full compliance with the new public awareness program requirements for pipeline operators. The workshops provided a forum for operators to share strategies for successfully implementing the new requirements, and PHMSA provided an update on its compliance review plan.

In 2003, PHMSA along with its state partners and pipeline industry trade associations co-sponsored two public workshops introducing API RP 1162, "Public Awareness Programs for Pipeline Operators". At these workshops, OPS and the pipeline industry representatives:

1. Reviewed the API RP 1162 program elements and guidance;
2. Provided panel discussions and case studies on designing and implementing public awareness programs;
3. Provided technical assistance on the "evaluation of effectiveness" element of API RP 1162; and
4. Helped pipeline operators gain a better understanding of the maturity of their existing public awareness programs relative to the API RP 1162 guidelines.

The presentation slides from these workshops are available below for download.