On August 29, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled Pipeline Safety: Periodic Standards Update II. PHMSA states that this NPRM “proposes amendments that would incorporate by reference all or parts of updated editions of some of those standards. This NPRM also proposes non-substantive edits and clarifications to certain other provisions of the [pipeline safety regulations].”
Updated standards of interest to APGA members include ASME B16.40, Manual Operated Thermoplastic Gas Shutoffs and Valves in Gas Distribution Systems, ASTM D513-20, Standard Specification for Polyethylene (PE) Gas Pressure Pipe, Tubing, and Fittings, and ASTMF1005-16a, Standard Specification for Electrofusion Type Polyethylene Fittings for Outside Diameter Controlled Polyethylene and Crosslinked Polyethylene (PEC) Pipe and Tubing. In each case, the updated versions of these standards contained largely clarifications or slight edits to terminology. For example, the changes to ASTM D513-20 were the addition of notes concerning the regulatory prohibition of rework materials for PE pipe.
PHMSA also asks for comments on the potential future incorporation of the 22nd edition of API Standard 1104: Welding Pipeline sand Related Facilities. PHMSA did not include this July 2021 update in this NPRM as it includes extensive changes and expanded requirements compared to its predecessors. PHMSA would like to better understand what impacts these new changes will have on the pipeline industry before proposing its incorporation by reference into pipeline safety regulations.
APGA’s Operations & Safety Committee will determine if comments should be filed and the content of those comments. Comments are due on October 28, 2022. Read more at
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/08/29/2022-17219/pipeline-safety-periodic-standards-update-iiFor questions on this article, please contact Erin Kurilla of APGA staff by phone at 202-464-2742 or by email at
ekurilla@apga.org.