G/TBT/N/USA/2044  
11 September 2023  
(23-6018) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
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) [2075]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to h andle 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 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Pipeline 
safety; gas transmission lines; Pipeline components and pipelines (ICS code(s): 23.040); 
Equipment for petroleum and natural gas industries (ICS code(s): 75.180); Petroleum 
products and natural gas handling equipment (ICS code(s): 75.200)  
5. Title, number  of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Pipeline Safety: 
Safety of Gas Distribution Pipelines and Other Pipeline Safety Initiatives; (59 page(s), in 
English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice of proposed rulemaking - PHMSA proposes revisions t o 
the pipeline safety regulations to require operators of gas distribution pipelines to update 
their distribution integrity management programs (DIMP), emergency response plans, 
operations and maintenance manuals, and other safety practices. These proposal s 
implement provisions of the Leonel Rondon Pipeline Safety Act --part of the Protecting our 
Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2020 --and a National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendation directed toward preventing 
catastroph ic incidents resulting from overpressurization of low -pressure gas distribution 
systems similar to that which occurred on a gas distribution pipeline system in Merrimack 
Valley on 13 September 2018. PHMSA also proposes to codify use of its State Inspection  
Calculation Tool, which is used to help states determine the base -level amount of time 
needed for inspections to maintain an adequate pipeline safety program. Further, PHMSA 
proposes other pipeline safety initiatives for all part 192 -regulated pipelines, including 
gas transmission and gathering pipelines, such as updating emergency response plans 
and inspection requirements. Finally, PHMSA proposes to apply annual reporting 
requirements to small, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operators in lieu of DIMP 
requirements.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health or safety; Protection of the environment  G/TBT/N/USA/2044  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
88 Federal Register (FR) 61746, 7 September 2023; Title 49  Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Parts 191, 192, and 198: 
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-09-07/html/2023 -18585.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-09-07/pdf/2023 -18585.pdf  
This notice of proposed rulemaking is identified by Docket Number PHMSA -2021-0046. 
The Docket Folder is available from Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/PHMSA -2021-0046/document  and provides access 
to primary and supporting documents as well as comments received. Documents are also 
accessible from Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number. WTO Members and 
their stakeholders are asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point  by or 
before 4pm Eastern Time  on 6 November 2023. Comments received by the USA TBT 
Enquiry  Point from WTO Members and their stakeholders will be shared with the regulator 
and will also be submitted to the Docket  on Regulations.gov if received within the 
comment period.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  6 November 2023  
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/2023/TBT/U SA/23_12270_00_e.pdf