1.

Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Department of Transportation (DOT) [1604]

Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:

Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [  ], other:

4.

Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Pipelines, valve installation; Quality (ICS 03.120), Accident and disaster control (ICS 13.200), Pipeline components and pipelines (ICS 23.040), Valves (ICS 23.060), Pressure regulators (ICS:23.060.40); Mobile services (ICS 33.070), Components and accessories for telecommunications equipment (ICS 33.120)

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Pipeline Safety: Valve Installation and Minimum Rupture Detection Standards (28 page(s), in English)

6.

Description of content: Notice of proposed rulemaking - PHMSA is proposing to revise the Pipeline Safety Regulations applicable to newly constructed and entirely replaced onshore natural gas transmission and hazardous liquid pipelines to mitigate ruptures. Additionally, PHMSA is revising the regulations regarding rupture detection to shorten pipeline segment isolation times. These proposals address congressional mandates, incorporate recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board, and are necessary to reduce the consequences of large-volume, uncontrolled releases of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline ruptures.

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: Protection of human health or safety; Protection of the environment; Quality requirements

8.

Relevant documents:

·            85 Federal Register (FR) 7162, 6 February 2020; Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 192 and 195:
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-02-06/html/2020-01459.htm
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-02-06/pdf/2020-01459.pdf

·            Supporting documents are available from Regulations.gov at https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=25&so=DESC&sb=commentDueDate&po=0&dct=SR%2BO&D=PHMSA-2013-0255

9.

Proposed date of adoption: To be determined

Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined

10.

Final date for comments: 6 April 2020

11.

Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/USA/20_1096_00_e.pdf