Public Awareness Workshop

Please note that all Agenda times shown below are Central Daylight Time.

Instructions

1. Click the following link to view the webcast: http://events.variview.net/clients/usdot/20100630
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3. The webcast will stream in Windows Media only, therefore, Internet Explorer 6 or better is recommended.

Webcast Support Page: http://www.800rollcall.com/htm/webcasting_support.html

Webcast Technical Support Email: Webcast @ 800rollcall.com

Purpose:

PHMSA is co-sponsoring a 1-day public awareness workshop with the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR). The workshop will be an opportunity, following the initial four-year implementation cycle, to review the implementation process, identify what implementation strategies have worked well, discuss challenges faced by the pipeline industry, discuss Federal and state regulatory oversight, learn about public interest and need for information about pipelines in their communities, and identify critical elements of a successful operator public awareness program. Pipeline trade associations, the Pipeline Safety Trust, the National Transportation Safety Board, and pipeline operators will share lessons learned from implementing their public awareness programs based on Federal regulations. PHMSA and state partners will discuss the scope of and timeline for conducting effectiveness evaluations. PHMSA and our state partners will use the results from this event, in addition to existing inspection activities, to further develop our programs for evaluating pipeline operator public awareness programs. The workshop will be webcast live, in real time; details on the webcast will be provided here, in advance of the meeting. Workshop presentations will be made available on this website following the workshop.

Background:

To address public awareness requirements, in 2005 PHMSA incorporated by reference the American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 1162, "Public Awareness Programs for Pipeline Operators", into its regulatory program under 49 CFR 192.616 and 49 CFR 195.440. This RP was developed with participation from various concerned stakeholder groups and is based on the knowledge and experience of subject matter experts.

Under these regulatory requirements, pipeline operators must provide the affected public with information about how to recognize, respond to, and report pipeline emergencies. The importance of using the one-call notification system prior to excavation is to be emphasized for excavators and all stakeholders. Emergency officials and local public officials must be provided information about the location of transmission pipelines to enhance emergency response and community growth planning. Affected municipalities, school districts, businesses, and residents must be advised of pipeline locations.

In June 2005, PHMSA issued Advisory Bulletin ADB-06-02, requesting pipeline operators submit their written public awareness programs to the PHMSA Public Awareness Program Clearinghouse for review. The Clearinghouse review team compared these programs with API RP 1162 using criteria developed by pipeline safety staff from PHMSA and state pipeline safety agencies. In addition, several states conducted their own reviews outside of the Clearinghouse process.

1. Meeting Announcement: Docket ID: PHMSA-2010-0133

For general questions on the workshop, including agenda and other logistics, contact: