WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will begin taking applications for their Technical Assistance Grants (TAG) for pipeline safety initiatives in communities and local neighborhoods, PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman announced today.

Grant applications are being accepted through March 9, 2012 and the agency will award a total of $1 million by summer 2012. Nonprofit organizations, cities and similar governmental subdivisions, or consortiums of such subdivisions, are eligible to receive the grants.

"Safety is the number one priority of the U.S. Department of Transportation," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This grant program builds on the pipeline safety bill, recently signed by President Obama, by enabling citizens to be better informed and vital players in decision-making that affects the safety of their communities."

The grants provide funds to communities for specialized assistance and analyses of locally focused pipeline safety issues and help promote public participation in official proceedings. Local projects can range from public awareness activities to technology solutions, such as the conversion of paper maps into electronic format.

"The Department recognizes the vital roles that communities play in pipeline safety," said PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman. "These grants will provide them with the resources to develop solutions that make sense where they live and work."

Each grantee may receive up to $50,000. The number of awards will depend on the quality and number of applications received and the dollar amounts requested. Previous grants have funded 69 projects in communities across 26 states.

TAG recipients are required to provide a report to PHMSA within one year chronicling completion of the work as outlined in their grant agreement. To view previous TAG program recipients, projects and reports, please visit http://go.usa.gov/nvh. This year marks the fourth consecutive year that PHMSA offers awards through the TAG program.

To view the solicitation, instructions, and apply for a TAG, visit http://go.usa.gov/nvS and search by Funding Opportunity Number: DTPH56-12-SN-000001. Go to http://go.usa.gov/nwq or contact Sam Hall at sam.hall@dot.gov to learn more about the TAG program.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety develops and enforces regulations for the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operation of the nation's 2.5 million mile pipeline transportation system and the nearly one million daily shipments of hazardous materials by land, sea, and air. Please visit http://phmsa.dot.gov for more information.

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