PHMSA reopened the public comment period on 13 pipeline safety rulemaking proposals, moving the deadline from August 31 to September 4, 2026.
PHMSA's Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committee (LPAC) held a joint meeting on July 30, 2026, to discuss the 13 proposed rules for gas and liquid pipelines, covering topics from special permit conditions and right-of-way patrols to remote valves and limitations on welding. PHMSA had set the original comment deadline, August 31, when it announced the meeting on July 17, 2026.
After the meeting, the Pipeline Safety Trust and the Environmental Defense Fund asked PHMSA for an additional 30 days to comment, which would have pushed the deadline to October 1, 2026. PHMSA reopened the comment period through September 4 instead. The agency said it will consider late-filed comments "to the extent practicable," consistent with 49 CFR 190.323.
Comments go under docket number PHMSA-2026-1156, plus the docket tied to each specific proposal. Some of the rulemakings under discussion:
| Proposal | Docket | What it would do |
|---|---|---|
| Special permit conditions | PHMSA-2025-0135 | Tie special permit conditions directly to the provision being waived |
| Remote sensing for right-of-way patrols | PHMSA-2025-0118 | Clarify that patrol requirements are technology neutral, allowing tools such as unmanned aerial systems and satellites |
| Property damage definition | PHMSA-2025-0109 | Revise how a release qualifies as a reportable incident or accident, including notifications to the National Response Center |
| OPID notifications for construction | PHMSA-2026-1551 | Raise the monetary threshold that triggers Operator Identification Number notifications |
| Rupture-mitigation valve timelines | PHMSA-2026-1553 | Amend the required timeframe for making rupture-mitigation valves operational |
