Pipeline operators would be required to notify federal authorities no more than hour after discovering an incident under new rules proposed by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
The rules would also expand the scope of operator qualification to include new construction and operation and maintenance tasks that were previously excluded from pipeline safety regulations signed into law in 2012. In addition, pipeline operators would be required to report to PHMSA permanent pipeline flow reversals lasting more than 30 days and electronically report drug and alcohol testing results.
The proposal comes on the heels of a crude oil pipeline spill in Santa Barbara County, Calif., that sent 21,000 gallons of oil into the Pacific Ocean, where it fouled a popular state beach and spread tar balls as far as Los Angeles County. Last month it was reported pipeline owner Plains All American Pipeline did not notify the National Response Center of the incident until almost 90 minutes after confirming the spill.
MORE PIPELINE NEWS: Plains said spill from California pipeline was 'extremely unlikely'
