The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is its implementing new statutory authority to strengthen and improve federal pipeline safety regulations. The new rules are the first steps of the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty and Job Creation Act of 2011 to go into effect.
The act encourages PHMSA to increase the maximum civil penalty for pipeline safety violations from $100,000 to $200,000 per violation and per day. The new maximum will apply to violations that happened after January 3, 2012.
PHMSA will also regain control of enforce the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Authority was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard during the establishment of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The public is also welcome to provide input on what they would like to see done regarding pipeline safety.