Department of Transportation

On March 20, 2020, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Office of Pipeline Safety issued a Notice to gas and hazardous liquid pipeline, underground natural gas storage and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility operators, as well as PHMSA state partners, explaining that it will stay enforcement of certain PHMSA pipeline safety requirements in light of the President’s March 13, 2020, Declaration of National Emergency relating to COVID-19. The Notice acknowledges that operators may have limited personnel resources in light of the COVID-19 National Emergency and may need to take actions to meet ongoing operational and maintenance needs in a manner that “may not fully meet federal operator qualification (OQ), control room management (CRM), and employment drug testing requirements.”
Continue Reading PHMSA Issues Notice of Stay of Enforcement to Pipeline Operators

The Trump Administration’s recent executive order signals potentially significant changes to the regulatory landscape for domestic energy infrastructure generally and LNG in particular. Among the notable features of the order are the provisions directing US DOT to (1) update its 49 C.F.R. Part 193 regulations for LNG facility safety; and (2) issue regulations allowing LNG to be transported in approved rail tank cars.
Continue Reading LNG a Focus of Recent Executive Order