As part of the Bush Administration's response and recovery efforts the Department of Transportation deployed its Transportation Team to the Gulf Region. The team, composed of top DOT executives is providing assistance in facilitating the continuance of key transportation related activities with federal and state heads of government.

Within less than 48 hours, PHMSA facilitated the restoration of vital fuel dissemination through pipelines to ensure the Nation maintained sufficient levels of energy supplies; assisted in the design and implementation of emergency fuel distribution networks for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and aided in the ease of transfer and movement of hazardous materials throughout the hurricane-stricken region.

Through their heroic efforts, pipeline and electric company personnel, the Department's Transportation Team and PHMSA succeeded in restoring the flow of critical fuel supplies to not only the nation, but also to Mississippi.

The regeneration of pipelines carrying fuel supplies from the Gulf area were key in powering diesel generators at local Mississippi hospitals, supporting emergency relief operations, and providing critical gasoline and diesel supplies for FEMA, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and local authorities. Commercial deliveries to the State are also supplied by these pipelines.

At a time when Gulf area pipeline and electric company workers were fraught with worry over their own homes and families, they put a priority on servicing the needs of the Nation. PHMSA is both thankful and proud of all of their efforts in putting the greater good of our country ahead of their own concerns and commends them exemplifying a job well done.

PHMSA continues to fully respond to the Secretary's directive to do everything possible to help safely restore operation of the nation's pipeline infrastructure.

PHMSA is indeed proud of the efforts conducted by its personnel in conjunction with the Department's Transportation Team in supporting the many restoration activities in the Gulf area following Hurricane Katrina. In addition to ensuring the safe and continuous movement of energy products and hazardous goods to essential recipients, PHMSA and the Department's Transportation Team conducted the following actions:

• Facilitated efforts to obtain temporary housing through FEMA for pipeline personnel in the Gulf area. Temporary housing will be provided in the form of mobile homes and trailers.
• Transportation Secretary Mineta visits the Gulf area with Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman to support Federal recovery efforts in the region.
• Worked with operators to restore full capacity to the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port to provide pertinent offshore crude oil to refineries in the Gulf area.
• Worked with the Southern Gas Association to determine the status of natural gas distribution companies in the affected regions to provide assistance with mutual aid for distribution system operators.
• Held discussions with the Department of Energy to ensure companies continue to meet natural gas pipeline requirements to ensure safety is not undermined during emergency processing.
• Worked with the Department of Energy and the Port Authorities of Pascagoula, MS and Richmond, VA to allow marine vessels to unload gasoline and refined products into a major pipeline serving the South and Mid-Atlantic States.
• Confirmed propane pipeline operators are running a full capacity.
• Worked with the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Energy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to locate candidates for generators and transformers that are becoming available as pipeline companies' systems are acquiring electric power.
• Worked with pipeline operators and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss ways to protect pipelines from potential third party damage related to planned excavation work associated with the Katrina disaster recovery and repair work.
• Worked with the Southern Gas Association to find leaks, make repairs, conduct testing and restore service to over 130 natural gas distribution pipeline operators of the hurricane affected region.
• Provided expert analysis to federal and state officials aimed at ensuring the supply of adequate levels of gasoline and diesel fuel to our nation.
• Provided facilitation for pipeline operators with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies involved in clean-up activities to alleviate the potential of third party damages to pipeline systems resulting from earth disturbing recovery and repair efforts.
• Worked with the Common Ground Alliance, State one-call centers, and underground utility damage prevention partners to ensure that recovery operations proceed quickly and safely through the use of existing, proven approaches to minimizing excavation damage to utilities.
• Coordinated federal and state security of transportation assets.
• Advised private citizens and companies, through the Hazardous Materials Information Center, on how to safely transport gasoline and other fuels to and within affected areas.
• Assisted the Federal Railroad Administration with railroad recovery and restoration, particularly related to securing hazardous materials and expediting rail movements of recovery and relief supplies.
• Participated as an agency member of the National Response Team (NRT). The NRT is the Federal interagency organization that provides technical assistance, resources and coordination on preparedness, planning, response and recovery activities for emergencies involving hazardous materials, pollutants and contaminants in natural and technological disasters.
• Staffed the Department's Crisis Management Center, an intermodal communication center that is in direct communication with regional emergency responders to acquire, assess and analyze emergency communication and response activities to support the Secretary of Transportation.

• Two inspectors pre-positioned in Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina response.
• Communicated to all pipeline companies in the affected region to take necessary steps of precaution including having employees available for emergency response.

• Deployed additional inspectors to Mississippi and Alabama
• Visited hurricane impacted areas to survey damage and monitor pipeline service restoration activities throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
• Issued Emergency Hazardous Materials Special Permits (reference Special Permits in the right-hand menu) to State, Local, and Federal officials in the States of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida to transport hazardous materials under authority of and controls stipulated by those officials in the affected States.
• Communicated with all offshore pipeline operators located in the Gulf of Mexico to gather information on their operational status.
• Worked with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to coordinate truck waivers and police escorts for the transportation of generators, transformers and electrical equipment and other supplies to pipeline facilities in the Gulf of Mexico impacted by the hurricane through the loss of power.
• Worked with state and federal agencies such as FEMA, The Mississippi Emergency Management Administration and other public and private entities to locate, transport, and install generators and transformers to immediately restore shipments of gasoline products to the U.S. while power restoration was ongoing.
• Worked with the Department of Energy and local electrical companies such as Entergy Corporation and Southern Company in order to restore power to the electrical grids for fuel transmission and distribution sites in Louisiana and Mississippi.
• Worked with the Department of Interior, Minerals Management Service to analyze and restore production to offshore platforms.
• Worked with federal and state officials to develop and implement a fuel distribution network for relief operations in the affected areas.
• Partnered with energy companies and state and local energy distributors to restore adequate commercial gasoline supplies in the affected areas.
• Worked with the Maritime Administration to locate ships to be used to house pipeline operator personnel located on offshore platforms.
• Issued Advisory Bulletins (reference Advisories in the right-hand menu) to pipeline operators in order to facilitate assessment and repair of systems. The advisories serve as a warning to operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent State waters of the potential for pipeline safety problems and advise owners and operators of natural gas distribution pipeline facilities to communicate the potential for damage to pipeline facilities as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
• Worked with the Federal Aviation Administration to secure power and jet fuel for emergency and commercial flight operations in the affected areas.

PHMSA is indeed proud of the efforts conducted by its personnel in conjunction with the Department's Transportation Team in supporting the many restoration activities in the Gulf area following Hurricane Rita. In addition to ensuring the safe and continuous movement of energy products and hazardous goods to essential recipients, PHMSA and the Department's Transportation Team conducted the following actions:

• Coordinated with the Department of Energy to better understand the impacts of energy supply to other regions of the country to provide solutions and relieve constraints.
• Worked with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Guard to provide security to pertinent energy facilities affected by Hurricane Rita.
• Deployed PHMSA inspector to assist in the National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the Dallas, Texas bus fire.
• Worked with the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Energy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to locate candidates for generators and transformers that are becoming available as pipeline companies' systems acquired electric power.
• Worked with pipeline operators and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss ways to protect pipelines from potential third party damage related to the current and upcoming work associated with the Katrina disaster recovery and repair work.
• Provided facilitation for pipeline operators with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies involved in clean-up activities to alleviate the potential of third party damages to pipeline systems resulting from earth disturbing recovery and repair efforts.
• Worked with the Common Ground Alliance, State one-call centers, and underground utility damage prevention partners to ensure that recovery operations proceed quickly and safely through the use of existing, proven approaches to minimizing excavation damage to utilities.

• Worked with state and federal agencies and private entities to locate, transport, and install generators and transformers to immediately restore shipments of gasoline products to U.S. consumers.
• Issued Emergency Hazardous Materials Special Permits to State, Local, and Federal officials in the States of Texas and Louisiana for the transport hazardous materials under authority of and controls stipulated by those officials in the affected states.
• Held discussions with the Department of Energy to ensure companies continue to meet natural gas pipeline requirements to ensure safety is not undermined during emergency processing.
• Worked with the Federal Aviation Administration to allow pipeline operators to conduct flyovers of their facilities submerged under water, providing an easier way to conduct inspections of potentially damaged facilities.
• Worked with the Department of Interior, Minerals Management Service to analyze and restore production to offshore platforms.
• Worked with the Department of Energy, Gulf area energy companies and state and local energy distributors to restore adequate commercial gasoline supplies in the affected areas.

• PHMSA Acting Administrator Brigham McCown traveled to Texas to provide direct emergency response coordination.
• Staffed the Department's Crisis Management Center, an intermodal communication center that is in direct communication with regional emergency responders to acquire, assess and analyze emergency communication and response activities to support the Secretary of Transportation.
• Communicated to all pipeline companies in the affected region to take necessary steps of precaution including having employees available for emergency response.
• Issued notices to all pipeline operators with facilities in the Gulf region requesting onshore and offshore facilities to conduct needs assessments for continual operation and product distribution.
• Facilitated efforts to obtain temporary housing through FEMA for pipeline personnel in the Gulf area. Temporary housing provided in the form of mobile homes and trailers.

The Hurricane Katrina and Rita emergency hazardous materials special permits allow State, local and Federal officials to modify Federal hazardous materials transportation regulations for hazardous materials transported from and within the hurricane disaster areas to facilitate clean-up and recovery efforts. Most shippers and carriers should be able to transport hazardous materials to and from the recovery areas in accordance with the applicable Federal regulations. We encourage shippers and carriers to take necessary precautions to protect people first, then the environment and property. If you need to request a special permit from Federal regulations to move hazardous materials quickly from or within the affected States on an emergency basis, please contact PHMSA's Office of Hazardous Materials Special Permits and Approvals at 202-366-4535.

DOT-E 14240 -- Authorizes Mercury Marine to transport Self-propelled vehicles (e.g. inflatable boats, motors) and internal combustion engines (e.g., boat motors) with fuel and other fluids that have not been drained to Hurricane Katrina disaster areas, not subject to certain requirements of the HMR.

DOT-SP 14245 -- Authorizes the transportation in commerce of certain cylinders containing hazardous materials that have had DOT hazard communication marking and labeling removed as a result of Hurricane Katrina. This special permit only authorizes those cylinders to be transported one-way, from the Hurricane Katrina disaster areas, to a local gas plant facility in order to identify the contents for proper re-marking and re-labeling, or disposal of the cylinders.

DOT-E 14246 -- Authorizes the filling and offering for transportation in commerce of certain DOT specification cylinders that are up to 12 months overdue for periodic requalification for relief efforts in the regions affected by Hurricane Katrina.

If you have any questions concerning these changes, please call the Special Permits Program at 202-366-4535.

DOT-SP 14241 -- Authorizes Mississippi state, local, and Federal government officials to authorize the shipment and transportation of hazardous materials which may not fully comply with the HMR for the recovery and relief efforts to protect life and property associated with the Hurricane Katrina disaster areas. Revised to extend the expiration date to June 30, 2006 to support ongoing Hurricane Katrina recovery and relief efforts in the State of Mississippi.

DOT-SP 14242 -- Authorizes Louisiana state, local, and Federal government officials to authorize the shipment and transportation of hazardous materials which may not fully comply with the HMR for the recovery and relief efforts to protect life and property associated with the Hurricane Katrina disaster areas. Revised to extend the expiration date to October 31, 2006 to support ongoing Hurricane Katrina recovery and relief efforts in the State of Louisiana.

DOT-E 14243 -- Authorizes Alabama state, local, and Federal government officials to authorize the shipment and transportation of hazardous materials which may not fully comply with the HMR for the recovery and relief efforts to protect life and property associated with the Hurricane Katrina disaster areas.

DOT-E 14244 -- Authorizes Florida state, local, and Federal government officials to authorize the shipment and transportation of hazardous materials which may not fully comply with the HMR for the recovery and relief efforts to protect life and property associated with the Hurricane Katrina disaster areas.

DOT-SP 14242 -- Authorizes Louisiana state, local, and Federal government officials to authorize the transportation in commerce of hazardous materials used to support the recovery and relief efforts to, from and within the Hurricane Katrina and Rita disaster areas under conditions that may not meet the Hazardous Materials Regulations. Revised to extend the expiration date to October 31, 2006 to support ongoing Hurricane Katrina recovery and relief efforts in the State of Louisiana.

DOT-E 14248 -- Authorizes Texas state, local, and Federal government officials to authorize the transportation in commerce of hazardous materials used to support the recovery and relief efforts to, from and within the Hurricane Rita disaster areas under conditions that may not meet the Hazardous Materials Regulations.