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Standards and Rulemaking

Pipeline Advisory Committees

Pipeline Advisory Committees

PHMSA has two pipeline advisory committees mandated by law. Section 60115 of Title 49, United States Code, requires the establishment and prescribes the duties of the two committees formally named the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (TPSSC) and the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (THLPSSC).

PHMSA informally refers to the committees as the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) and the Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committee (LPAC). When referenced together, the two are known as the Pipeline Advisory Committees (PAC).

Role

The GPAC and LPAC review PHMSA's proposed regulatory initiatives to assure the technical feasibility, reasonableness, cost-effectiveness and practicability of each proposal. The committees also evaluate the cost-benefit analysis and risk assessment information of the proposals.

Charter and Composition

To conduct business, each of the committees must have an approved Charter. The Charters require renewal every two years by the General Services Administration (GSA), Committee Management Secretariat; bylaws provide additional procedural guidance.

Each of the committees has 15 members - with equal representation from Government, industry, and the public. The charter includes a description of the composition and duties delineated in current legislation 49 U.S.C. § 60115.

Notification and Frequency of Meetings

Public announcements of the Pipeline Advisory Committee meetings appear in the Federal Register at least 15 days prior to the meeting date. At that time, a meeting page is established on this website. Relevant information such as the meeting agenda, briefing papers, presentations and the final transcript are filed on the meeting page. The committees typically meet two to four times per year depending on the regulatory actions to be considered.

NEXT MEETING: The next meeting date will appear at the top of the listing below and link to specifics.

Federal Agency Responsibility

The Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees are chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C § 9 (c) (App 2). The charters describe each committee's mission, goals, and objectives as specified by the FACA. The FACA governs advisory committee activities, and requires the Department to review the pipeline technical advisory committee charters every two years to determine the need for continuing the committees. The Secretary of Transportation and the General Services Administration (GSA) must approve each charter. For more information on the requirements of the FACA, contact GSA's Committee Management Secretariat.

Historic Committee Meeting Transcripts

Supplemental information, including transcripts of past advisory committee meetings can be found at www.Regulations.gov under the following docket numbers:

  • PHMSA-RSPA-1998-4470
  • PHMSA-2009-0203
  • PHMSA-2011-0127
  • PHMSA-2013-0156
  • PHMSA-2014-0095 - Pipeline Safety Meeting of the Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees 1960 – 1979
  • PHMSA-2014-0096 - Pipeline Safety Meeting of the Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees 1980 – 1989
  • PHMSA-2014-0097 - Pipeline Safety Meeting of the Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees 1990 – 1998

Application Process & Forms

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