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USDOT Finalizes Rule To Modernize Gas Pipeline Methane Emissions Detection Requirements

On January 17, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration transmitted a final rule to the Federal Register to enhance the safety of natural gas pipelines through updated leak detection and repair requirements.

The rule is expected to deliver up to $1.5 billion in annual net benefits to the public and eliminate up to 500,000 metric tons of methane emissions from approximately 2.8 million miles of gas transmission, distribution, and gathering pipeline facilities, 398 underground natural gas storage facilities (UNGSF), and 173 liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities across the United States.

“This new rule was developed by building a consensus with the pipeline industry, public interest representatives, and representatives from labor unions that are actually on the ground doing the work to maintain the world’s largest gas pipeline system,” said PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown. “It will harness the tremendous new potential we are seeing from mobile leak detection systems, unmanned aerial systems, and other innovative technologies to mitigate this threat to people and the environment—keeping valuable natural gas in pipelines so they arrive safely for use in homes and businesses, and ensuring America is the global leader in safely transporting methane.”

The rule issued by PHMSA updates decades-old leak detection rules to require pipeline operators to establish advanced leak detection programs aimed at detecting and repairing all gas leaks by:

-- Increasing the frequency of required surveys and requiring use of commercially available advanced leak detection technology—such as aerial or vehicle surveys, handheld detection devices, and continuous monitoring systems.

-- Reducing volume of gas released due to unintentional emissions such as leaks and equipment failures and revising the reporting minimum threshold to detect smaller leaks sooner.

-- Minimizing releases caused by equipment venting or blowdowns, associated with pipeline maintenance, repair, and construction and encouraging operators to consider cost-effective equipment that can capture methane and other gases for later use.

-- Establishing clear criteria and timeframes for timely repair of all leaks that pose a risk to public safety or the environment.

The new rule is in response to Section 113 of the PIPES Act of 2020 (signed into law by then-President Trump), which mandates the issuance of new rules to require gas pipeline operators to develop advanced leak detection programs capable of identifying, locating, and categorizing natural gas leaks from pipeline infrastructure for timely repair.

The PIPES Act also requires this rulemaking to include minimum performance standards and repair deadlines and make use of advanced technologies.

The new requirements are based on 28 consensus recommendations from representatives of the pipeline sector, developed over the course of months of discussions and weeks of Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) meetings in November of 2023 and March of 2024.

The Leak Detection and Repair rule plays a critical role in the U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan, leveraging all available tools to reduce methane emissions while protecting public health, promoting U.S. innovation in new technologies, lowering energy costs for families by reducing inefficiency and waste, and supporting good-paying jobs for thousands of skilled workers across the country.

This rule also builds on other national and international actions advanced in recent years to mitigate methane emissions—a greenhouse gas with 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

The full text of the final rule will be available in the Federal Register on publication. PHMSA has posted an unofficial version of the final rule on its website, pending publication in the Federal Register.

Click Here for a copy of the final rule.

Click Here for a copy of the DOT announcement.

Reaction

The York County-based national Evangelical Environmental Network issued this statement on the final rule--

As evangelicals committed to defending the life and health of every child, the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) celebrates today’s announcement from the Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding an updated Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) leak detection rule.

With over 2.6 million miles of pipelines in the U.S.–enough to circle the earth 100 times–pipeline leaks and safety are issues we cannot afford to ignore. We are grateful to the DOT and PHMSA for their work on publishing this rule that will cut down on dangerous and wasteful methane emissions from pipelines with stronger safeguards.

EEN Director of Member Mobilization Kim Anderson said this-- “This rule focuses on the health and safety of millions of Americans who live near natural gas pipelines.

“Leaks pose a considerable safety risk to communities because they can cause explosions, property damage, and injury or death to those living near them.

“Pipeline leaks near homes, schools, and businesses also expose nearby residents to harmful pollution, putting our children–whose hearts, minds, and lungs are more vulnerable and still developing–at particular risk.

“In the United States, there are over 2.6 million miles of pipelines, and the average age of the infrastructure is 40-50 years old.

“Current standards only require operators to fix pipeline leaks if they pose an immediate safety hazard. This has left many pipelines unmonitored and not subject to inspection.

“2023 was the deadliest year in decades for gas pipeline incidents, but with today’s new pipeline safeguards, our children have a greater hope for the clean and healthy future they deserve.

“PHMSA’s updated leak detection safeguards will improve our ability to find leaks and ensure timely repair. This will increase safety and decrease health risks by cutting methane and associated pollutants.

“The time is now to ensure our children are healthy and safe in 2025 and beyond.”

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how you can get involved, visit the Evangelical Environmental Network website. ENN is based in New Freedom, York County.

The mission of ENN is to inspire, equip, educate, and mobilize evangelical Christians to love God and others by rediscovering and reclaiming the Biblical mandate to care for creation and working toward a stable climate and a healthy, pollution-free world.

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