Utilities provide a public service. A privilege provided to them if they deliver energy safely and reliably to their customers with minimum impact to our environment.
PHMSA establishes regulatory requirements for the design, construction, operations, maintenance, and integrity management of pipelines. Those safety regulations are formatted to establish performance-based requirements for all pipeline owner and operators across the US. There is an expectation that all these regulated entities, including natural gas utility providers, incorporate industry best practices, recommendations in voluntary consensus standards, and other actions specific to their operations to ensure public safety.
Given the performance-based aspect of regulations, APGA assists its members in determining and prioritizing actions specific to public gas utilities through membership commitments, including the APGA Commitment to Pipeline Safety and the APGA Commitment to Environmental Stewardship. Each commitment identifies ten proactive actions that community or publicly owned gas utilities should consider and if appropriate, implement at their system.