SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On July 17, 2026, PHMSA published a Federal Register notice (91 FR 44965) announcing a joint public meeting of the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, also known as the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC), and the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, also known as the Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committee (LPAC), to discuss 13 NPRMs related to regulatory modernization. In the notice, PHMSA announced that the public meeting would be held on July 30, 2026, and specified that comments on the proceedings of the Committees must be submitted by August 31, 2026.

Following the conclusion of the meeting, PHMSA received comment extension requests from the Pipeline Safety Trust (PST) and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). PST and EDF requested an additional 30 days to provide comment on the proceedings of the Committees, which would bring the comment deadline to October 1, 2026.

Based off these requests, PHMSA will reopen the comment submission deadline for the joint proceedings of the GPAC and the LPAC on the 13 NPRMs from August 31, 2026, to September 4, 2026. Consistent with 49 CFR 190.323, PHMSA will consider late-filed comments to the extent practicable.

Instructions: Identify the docket number PHMSA-2026-1156 and the docket number corresponding to the relevant proposal at the beginning of your comments. The rulemakings and their dockets are as follows:

(1) Pipeline Safety: Rationalize Special Permit Conditions, Docket Number PHMSA-2025-0135. PHMSA proposed amendments to ensure that special permit conditions are connected directly to the provision being waived.

(2) Pipeline Safety: Integration of Innovative Remote Sensing Technologies for Right-of-Way Patrols on Gas and Hazardous Liquid Pipelines, Docket Number PHMSA-2025-0118. PHMSA proposed to clarify that right-of-way patrol requirements for gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipelines are technology neutral, and that operators can use remote sensing technologies, such as unmanned aerial systems and satellites, to satisfy those requirements.

(3) Pipeline Safety: Property Damage Definition for Reporting Incidents on Gas Pipelines and Accidents on Hazardous Liquid and Carbon Dioxide Pipelines, Docket Number PHMSA-2025-0109. PHMSA proposed to revise the definition of property damage for determining when a release from a gas, hazardous liquid, or carbon dioxide pipeline facility meets the definition of a reportable incident or accident, including for immediate notifications to the National Response Center.

(4) Pipeline Safety: Adjustment to OPID Notifications for Construction, Docket Number PHMSA-2026-1551. PHMSA proposed to increase the monetary threshold for Operator Identification Number (OPID) notifications for certain construction and maintenance tasks on gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipeline facilities. PHMSA also proposed to providea mechanism in 49 CFR part 191, appendix A for annual updates to these thresholds.

(5) Pipeline Safety: Timeframe to Make RMVs Operational, Docket Number PHMSA-2026-1553. PHMS Aproposed to amend the required timeframes for making rupture-mitigation valves and alternative equivalent technology operational on gas transmission, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipelines.

(6) Pipeline Safety: Exception for In-Plant Piping Systems, Docket Number PHMSA-2025-0112. PHMSA proposed amendments to codify an exception in the gas pipeline safety regulations for in-plant piping systems.

(7) Pipeline Safety: Adjust Annual Report Deadlines, Docket Number PHMSA-2025-0108. PHMSA proposed to extend from March 15 to June 15 the annual report data submission deadline ( printed page 56283) for operators of gas pipelines, specifically gas distribution pipelines, gas transmission pipelines, regulated gas gathering pipelines, Type R gas gathering lines, underground natural gas storage facilities, and liquefied natural gas facilities. PHMSA also proposed to extend the National Pipeline Mapping System information submission deadline for operators of gas transmission and liquefied natural gas facilities.

(8) Pipeline Safety: Eliminating Limitations on Welders and Welding Operators, Docket Number PHMSA-2026-1552. PHMSA proposed to remove the exclusion from welding on compressor station pipe and components for welders or welding operators qualified by nondestructive testing.

(9) Pipeline Safety: Harmonize Class Change Pressure Test Requirements with Subpart J Pressure Test Requirements, Docket Number PHMSA-2025-0116. PHMSA proposed amendments to align the minimum pressure testing duration for certain short segments affected by class location changes with the longstanding pressure test duration requirements for other short segments.

(10) Pipeline Safety: Removing Unnecessary Provision for Material Properties Verification During MAOP Reconfirmation, Docket Number PHMSA-2026-1549. PHMSA proposed to remove an unnecessary provision from the MAOP reconfirmation requirements for testing pipe materials cut out from test manifold sites.

(11) Pipeline Safety: Codify Enforcement Discretion on Incidental Gathering Lines, Docket Number PHMSA-2025-0113. PHMSA proposed to codify a 2022 exercise of limited enforcement discretion applicable to certain incidental gathering lines.

(12) Pipeline Safety: Eliminating Burdensome and Duplicative Deadlines for Gas Pipeline Coating Damage Assessments and Remedial Actions, Docket Number PHMSA-2025-0114. PHMSA proposed to eliminate unnecessarily prescriptive and burdensome deadlines on gas transmission and certain gas gathering lines for completing coating damage assessments following trench backfilling of newly installed pipe and remedial actions following failed coating assessments.This proposal would replace those existing requirements with a general requirement to complete, prior to the in-service date of the pipeline, any coating damage assessments for newly installed pipe, as well as remedial actions undertaken in response to a failed coating damage assessment.

(13) Pipeline Safety: Atmospheric Corrosion Reassessment for Pipeline Replacements, Docket Number PHMSA-2025-0115. PHMSA proposed to eliminate an existing requirement for a 3-year atmospheric corrosion reassessment interval for gas distribution service lines following replacement of pipeline segments or components undertaken in response to a previous identification of atmospheric corrosion. Operators replacing a pipeline facility would instead be able to employ on that replacement facility the default 5-year reassessment interval provided for elsewhere in the Federal pipeline safety regulations.

Note:

All comments received are posted without edits to www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.

• Privacy Act Statement: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at www.dot.gov/​privacy.
• Confidential Business Information: Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments in response to this notice contain commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to this notice, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Pursuant to 49 CFR 190.343, you may ask PHMSA to provide confidential treatment to information you give to the agency by taking the following steps: (1) mark each page of the original document submission containing CBI as “Confidential;” (2) send PHMSA a copy of the original document with the CBI deleted along with the original, unaltered document; and (3) explain why the information you are submitting is CBI. Unless you are notified otherwise, PHMSA will treat such marked submissions as confidential under the Freedom of Information Act and they will not be placed in the public docket of this notice. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Joseph Berry at the email address listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT . Any material PHMSA receives that is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket.
• Docket: Access the dockets of each rulemaking at www.regulations.gov. The dockets contain background documents and comments received. Alternatively, you may review the documents in person at the street address listed above.

91 FR 56282