PHMSA outlines community steps to reduce pipeline incident risks

The US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration released a guide to best practices for communities to reduce risks from pipeline incidents, including those caused by natural hazards.

"Hazard Mitigation Planning: Practices for Land Use Planning and Development near Pipelines" was prepared by PHMSA’s Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) communications team, the US Department of Transportation agency said.

It said the guidance aims to provide emergency managers, planners, and others involved with developing hazard mitigation plans with the knowledge and understanding of how pipelines operate, the common products that may be transported through transmission pipelines, the potential impacts of pipeline incidents, and mitigation strategies communities can implement to reduce these risks.

PHMSA said it is sponsoring the document in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a primer for incorporating pipeline hazards into hazard mitigation plans.

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