The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is seeking stakeholder feedback to inform a rulemaking proposal to “update decades old regulations for liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, fast-track new LNG infrastructure projects, expand domestic export capacity, and grow the small-scale LNG market,” the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) reported April 29.
According to the USDOT, PHMSA will soon publish in the Federal Register an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for Amendments to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Facilities (download below the document submitted to the Register on April 28). Stakeholders will be able to submit comments on potential opportunities for the amendment of regulations governing the siting, design, installation, construction, inspection, testing, operation, and maintenance of LNG facilities at 49 CFR Part 193.
Facility requirements have not been substantially revised for more than two decades, according to PHMSA’s submitted ANPRM. “In the years since,” it noted, “the U.S. LNG industry has become truly global in scale and geopolitical importance; the sophistication of technology and operating practices within LNG facilities regulated by PHMSA have similarly evolved at a breakneck pace. In recognition of these developments, Congress, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and industry stakeholders have repeatedly called on PHMSA to update its Part 193 regulations to better align with current technologies, operational best practices, and lessons learned. PHMSA now solicits stakeholder feedback on potential amendments to its Part 193 LNG facility requirements that will inform a forthcoming notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in this proceeding.”
The USDOT in its April 29 announcement said the ANPRM “is the first in a series of priority PHMSA actions.” Three other priority areas where PHMSA will be updating or revising its rules will be:
- “Hazardous Liquid and Gas Transmission Pipeline Repair Criteria—PHMSA will issue an ANPRM to modernize pipeline repair requirements to improve safety and efficiency.
- “Pipeline Class Location Change Requirements—PHMSA will finalize new safety requirements allowing for modern technologies to be used to safely account for population changes near existing natural gas pipelines. These regulations have not been updated in over 50 years.
- “Modal Safety Advancements—PHMSA will complete a pending rulemaking to revise and streamline hazardous materials requirements for the transportation of petroleum-based fuels and other essential energy products to reduce compliance complexity and eliminate unnecessary burdens on shippers and motor carriers.”
“Increased U.S. energy production is creating heightened demands on pipeline infrastructure and export facilities, making the safety and reliability of our energy transportation network more critical than ever,” PHMSA Acting Administrator Ben Kochman said. “These rulemakings would reduce the burden on those who produce and transport American energy by allowing them to take advantage of advances in technology and engineering best practices and removing out-of-date regulatory requirements. These rules would contribute to lower costs for American consumers and help our allies abroad.”
