Contact: PHMSAPublicAffairs@dot.gov

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today announced a safety advisory to operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities highlighting the safety risks associated with extreme winter weather conditions. The advisory bulletin reminds operators of the known safety threats heavy snowfall and ice accumulation, rapid winter thaw and flooding, frost heave and ground movement, and ice expansion can pose to pipeline facilities.

Given current weather conditions in much of the country, PHMSA is advising operators to consider implementing certain measures, including accelerating field patrols, reviewing geohazard plans, and winterizing above-ground facilities, to mitigate risk to pipeline facilities.

PHMSA’s advisory bulletin was sent to the Federal Register today, and a pre-publication copy is available here. This page will be updated when it publishes in the Federal Register.

Advisory bulletins are guidance documents and do not impose new regulatory obligations.

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The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s mission is to protect people and the environment by advancing the safe transportation of energy and other hazardous materials that are essential to our daily lives.  Please visit https://www.phmsa.dot.gov for more information.