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Summary of Enforcement Activity - Nationwide

This report provides a high level summary of PHMSA's overall enforcement activity. It indicates how many enforcement cases are both initiated ("opened") and "closed" in a given year. PHMSA generally initiates enforcement cases in response to an accident or when an inspection identifies one or more probable violations of the pipeline safety statutes or regulations. These same cases are "closed" only after PHMSA has determined that the required corrective actions have been completed by the operator, and after any corresponding civil penalties have been paid. In some cases, the corrective actions are so extensive or the agency's monitoring period is so protracted that the case may remain open for months or even years. This means that many of the cases which are shown as "closed" in a given year may have been initiated in prior years.

Enforcement Activity: 2002-2013 (1)
Year Cases Initiated Cases Closed
2002 160 108
2003 143 120
2004 223 141
2005 296 264
2006 233 271
2007 255 263
2008 181 205
2009 181 240
2010 198 243
2011 207 217
2012 274 263
2013 21 26

Note: Tables may be sorted by clicking on the column heading. Also, numbers that appear as links can be clicked for more detailed information.

Cases shown as closed in a given year may have been originally initiated in prior years, reflecting a multi-year time period of PHMSA follow-up.

Also see

Sources

  1. PHMSA Safety Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) for the Pipeline Safety Enforcement Tracking System as of February 12, 2013.

For comments and questions on the enforcement information presented on this site, please send us feedback.

Information provided on this website is intended to enhance public understanding of PHMSA's enforcement program. Aggregate and company-specific statistical information reflecting PHMSA's enforcement actions is provided beginning with 2002. Key documents associated with new administrative enforcement cases are provided beginning with 2007. Agency orders issued since 2002 are also provided. The search feature may not retrieve every document associated with each individual enforcement action. Enforcement data is updated monthly as additional cases are initiated and other cases are resolved. Historical totals will change over time to reflect changes in case status.

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