Some Not-So-Good News Out of Washington, D.C. for Pipeline Operators – Feds Increase Fines for Pipeline Safety Violations

By Mike Mills and Shannon Morrissey on May 2, 2017 Posted in Oil & Gas

President Trump’s recent executive orders have benefited the oil pipeline industry in a number of ways, including most notably, giving the final “okay” to the Dakota Access Pipeline. But some legislative mandates have been out of the reach of the President’s pen. On April 27, the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”), within … Continue Reading

In Effort to Increase Both Transparency and Safety, PHMSA Releases Civil Penalty Framework

By Mike Mills and Shannon Morrissey on November 29, 2016 Posted in Oil & Gas, Pipelines, Regulation

The Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) issued a General Policy Statement for civil penalties (“Penalty Framework”) on October 17, 2016. The Penalty Framework allows a respondent in a PHMSA enforcement case to request a proposed civil penalty calculation related to its case, and provides a penalty range with corresponding factors … Continue Reading

New Law Streamlines Federal Permitting and Environmental Review Processes

By Jared Wigginton on December 14, 2015 Posted in Legislation, Natural Gas Storage, Oil & Gas, Permitting, Pipelines

Major infrastructure developers received a notable holiday gift from Capitol Hill and the White House earlier this month with the December 4, 2015 enactment of the Highway Authorization Act. Title XLI of the Act promises to streamline both the authorization (license, permit, approval, etc.) and environmental review processes for covered projects. Who Benefits? To benefit … Continue Reading