Over the past several months, a series of meetings have been held between OPS and state regulators and the gas pipe line industry on how best to add protection to pipe lines in high consequence areas (HCAs). The purpose of these meetings was to develop background information for a NPRM covering gas pipe lines to be published by mid-yearThe latest step of the rulemaking was a public meeting held by OPS on February 12-14, 2001, with over 200 representatives from federal and state government, industry and the public attending.OPS has issued a final rule defining "Areas Unusually Sensitive to Environmental Damage," and a final rule on "Integrity Management in High Consequence areas for Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Operators Operating 500 or More Miles of Pipe." OPS is mandated by Congress to publish a rule for pipe line integrity for gas pipe lines in HCAs.
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