PHMSA’s advisory clarifies the agency’s plan for implementing the national registry of pipelines and LNG operators (and updates PHMSA’s prior Advisory Bulletin published on January 13, 2012, 77 Fed. Reg. 2126), and specifically announces that the Operator Data Entry System (ODES) will be active on March 27, 2012. PHMSA is now requiring that (1) as of March 27, 2012, existing operators provide on-line notifications for certain events pursuant to 49 C.F.R. Parts 191.22(c) and 195.64(c) including operator name changes, or major acquisition or divestitures; and (2) new operators established after December 31, 2011 obtain an operator identification number (OPID). There are several exemptions from these requirements, including (1) notifications for certain hazardous liquid operators’ new facility construction less than $10M; and (2) master meter operators and small LPG operators (fewer than 100 customers) in existence prior to December 31, 2011 are not required to obtain OPIDs. Beginning on March 27, 2012, the online validation process under 49 C.F.R. Parts 191.22(b) and 195.64(b) for all OPIDs issued prior to January 1, 2012 will be available at https://opsweb.phmsa.dot.gov (webpage retired) for use, but PHMSA has extended the deadline for validation from June 30, 2012 to September 30, 2012. Click here for the Advisory (published in the Federal Register on March 21, 2012).