PHMSA Advises Pipeline Operators to Report Incidents to NRC Within One Hour of Discovery

On January 30, 2013, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published an advisory bulletin urging pipeline operators to report pipeline incidents to the National Response Center (NRC) within one hour of discovery.  PHMSA also announced its intent to issue a proposed rule setting specific time limits for notifying the NRC.  Current regulations require operators to notify the NRC at the earliest practicable moment following discovery.  The Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 requires PHMSA to issue a regulation imposing a more specific time limit.