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General

Legacy ID
21
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2026 Class Change Rule Communications

Communications

Operator compliance with the pipeline safety regulations is critical to preventing pipeline accidents and incidents. Goals of PHMSA's outreach program for the Class Location Change Rulemaking are to expand awareness and knowledge of the Final Rule to PHMSA stakeholders through outreach and education by:

2026 Class Change Rule Fact Sheet

Rule Fact Sheet

Class locations are used in the natural gas Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations in a graded approach to provide conservative safety margins and safety standards commensurate with the potential consequences of pipeline incidents and associated population density near a pipeline. As class locations are defined with relation to the number of dwellings for human occupancy in the area, an onshore gas transmission pipeline's class location can change as the population living or working near a pipeline changes.

2026 Class Change Rule Overview

Rule Overview

PHMSA is revising the Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations to amend the requirements for certain gas transmission pipeline segments that experience a change in class location. The new §192.611(a)(4) Section offers Gas Pipeline Operators a critical alternative to the costly and disruptive requirements of pressure reduction, re-testing, or replacing pipe segments when population growth drives a change from a Class 1 or 2 location to a Class 3 location.