Action
Notice; information on class location waiver guideline development.
Summary
On December 15, 2003, the Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA) Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) issued a final rule on gas pipeline integrity management that established a policy to grant waivers of the pipe replacement or pressure reduction requirements after a change in Class Location if an operator can demonstrate an alternative integrity management program for the waiver segment. A pipeline Class Location increase results from an increase in population adjacent to a pipeline segment. RSPA/OPS held a meeting on April 14-15, 2004, in Washington, DC, to discuss the criteria for gas pipeline Class Location change waivers. Waivers will only be granted when pipe condition and active integrity management provides a level of safety greater than or equal to a pipe replacement or pressure reduction.