  
  
G/TBT/N/USA/1117/Add.2  
7 October 2019  
(19-6460) Page: 1/1 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
Addendum  
The following communication, dated 7 October 2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United States of America .  
 
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TITLE: Pipeline Safety: Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines: MAOP Reconfirmation, Expansion of 
Assessment Requirements, and Other Related Amendments  
AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), DOT  
ACTION: Final rule  
SUMMARY: PHMSA is revising the Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations to improve the safety of 
onshore gas transmission pipelines. This final rule addresses congressional mandates, National 
Transportation Safety Board recommendations, and responds to public input. The amendments in 
this final rule address integrity management requireme nts and other requirements, and they focus 
on the actions an operator must take to reconfirm the maximum allowable operating pressure of 
previously untested natural gas transmission pipelines and pipelines lacking certain material or 
operational records, t he periodic assessment of pipelines in populated areas not designated as "high 
consequence areas", the reporting of exceedances of maximum allowable operating pressure, the 
consideration of seismicity as a risk factor in integrity management, safety featur es on in -line 
inspection launchers and receivers, a 6 -month grace period for 7 -calendar -year integrity 
management reassessment intervals, and related recordkeeping provisions.  
DATES: The effective date of this final rule is 1 July 2020. The incorporation b y reference of certain 
publications listed in the rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of 1 July 2020. 
The incorporation by reference of ASME/ANSI B31.8S was approved by the Director of the Federal 
Register as of 14 January 2004.  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-10-01/html/2019 -20306.htm  
https://www.govinf o.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-10-01/pdf/2019 -20306.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/TBT/USA/19_5511_00_e.pdf  
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