PHMSA's Proposed CO2 Pipeline Safety Rule
Is a good step forward!
In the final days of the Biden Administration, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration released a proposed rule for carbon dioxide (CO2) and hazardous liquid pipelines. This rule seeks to address many of the lessons learned from the Satartia incident, when a 24” pipeline ruptured, spewing CO2 for hours, requiring the evacuation of 200 people and sent 45 to the hospital. Dan Zegert wrote "The Gassing of Satartia", which not only describes this event, but also is a good expose on the hazards of building tens of thousands of new CO2 pipelines throughout this country.

Is it a good rule?
Much to the surprise of many, the draft rule responded to many of the regulatory gaps in pipeline safety that were identified after the February 2020 pipeline rupture just outside the small town of Satartia, Mississippi. For example, the proposed rule:

• Sets contaminant standards to prevent internal corrosion in CO2 pipelines
• Requires vapor dispersion analysis, or plume dispersion modeling, for any section of
  pipeline with people living within two miles of either side of the pipeline.
• Provides standards to mitigate against the risk of running ductile fractures, or a rapid
  “unzipping” of a pipeline, during a failure

That is not to say that there needs to be more clarity or stronger requirements than proposed, but overall, it is a good rule.

But, as good as the rule may be, it was not published in the Federal Register before the inauguration of President Trump. One of the first things the new president did was to issue an executive order that withdrew this - and other rules- until his administration could review it.  

What does this mean? It’s not clear. The proposed rule could be brought back for public comment as drafted. Or, first, it could substantially revised, if President Trump determines this rule to be part of what he calls the wasteful “green new scam”, since the massive build-out anticipated for CO2 pipelines is based on addressing climate change. At this point, we don’t know.

You can read what the Pipeline Safety Trust has to say about PHMSA's draft rule here and work your way through the 346-page rule here.

Next steps
Once a rule is published in the Federal Register, there would be a minimum 60-day public comment period. Then, a PHMSA advisory Committee process would begin, which would be followed by the publishing of a final rule.

It’s our job to make sure the rule is as strong as it was when written. We will want to work together when the rule is published, and provide comments that ensure the rule is clear and strong enough to protect people from a potential leak or rupture. Remember - CO2 can harm or even kill people, depending on concentrations and length of exposure.

To help with this next step, BOLD Alliance and the Pipeline Safety Trust held a webinar to help landowners affected by CO2 pipelines and the general public understand what is included. The Illinois Coalition of CO2 pipelines was one of many across the Midwest who cosponsored the webinar.

You can watch the recording of the January 29 below, and watch this website for next steps, once the rule is published!