Ohio Regulator Issues Draft Rules to Strengthen Gas Pipeline Safety

The Ohio Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 14 proposed revisions to gas pipeline safety rules as part of its regular five-year review. The proposed rule would adopt the 2019 federal safety standards and include a requirement for pipeline  operators to develop a plan for abandoning inactive service lines in the state.

The revisions will establish detailed reporting requirements for gathering line owners. The proposal requires the inclusion of the total mileage of gas gathering piping operated in the state and counties of operation in the requisite twenty-four-hour contact report. The agency said that the revisions are intended to minimize adverse impacts to businesses while maintaining operation safety of natural gas infrastructure. Affected entities may incur additional costs to evaluate service lines and abandon unsafe inactive lines, the agency said.

Comments and reply comments are due by Sept. 13 and Sept. 27, respectively.