On June 30, PHMSA is co-sponsoring a one-day public awareness workshop with the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR) at the Hotel Intercontinental in Houston, TX from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (CT). 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. In addition, the workshop will be webcast.

John Erickson has been invited to speak on behalf of public gas systems. He will emphasize the results of the APGA GOAL program that nearly 200 systems are using to measure the effectiveness of their gas safety education to customers and non-customers living near distribution lines. This is timely since utilities completed their first effectiveness assessment this month.

APGA also conducted an on-line survey of members to learn more about how members are complying with the public awareness regulation. Information gleaned from the June 22 roundtable and survey will provide good preparation for APGA to participate in PHMSA’s workshop.

To view the preliminary agenda and register for the PHMSA/NAPSR workshop or webcast, use this link: http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=65&nocache=9351.

For more information please contact John Erickson, APGA Vice President, Operations 202-464-2742, ext 1002 or jerickson@apga.org.

* If you are planning to watch the Public Awareness Workshop webcast next week the webcast access information has been added to the meeting record for the June 30 Public Awareness Workshop, and is provided below.

Please note that all Agenda times shown in the meeting record are Central Daylight Time.

Instructions

a.  Click the following link to view the webcast: http://events.variview.net/clients/usdot/20100630

b.  Viewers are instructed to turn off their pop-up blockers.

c.  The webcast will stream in Windows Media only, therefore, Internet Explorer 6 or better is recommended.

As a reminder, the meeting will be at the Intercontinental Hotel, 2222 W. Loop-South, Houston, TX, and will begin at 8:00 AM (CST).

If you have further questions, please contact Christie Murray, PHMSA, at 202-366-4996 (office); 202-493-2311 (fax); Email: Christie.murray @ dot.gov

Return to Archives