DOT Announces Pipeline Rules to Lower Emissions, Boost Safety

Pipelines will be required to install automatic or remote-controlled shut-off valves to increase safety and reduce methane emissions, the Transportation Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced Thursday.

The new rule, effective 180 days from March 31, applies to all new or replaced onshore pipelines six or more inches in diameter. Pipeline operators will also have to comply with performance standards that require their closure no more than 30 minutes after a rupture or emergency event. The standards will reduce environmental threats like methane emissions and promote environmental justice for minority and low-income populations, the pipeline agency said ...