Notice2026-04785
Pipeline Safety: 2026 Pipeline Safety Research and Development Forum
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 12, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
Abstract
This notice announces the 2026 Pipeline Safety Research and Development Forum (R&D Forum). PHMSA periodically holds this R&D Forum to generate a national research agenda that identifies technical challenges and fosters solutions to improve pipeline safety.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12276-12277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04785]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[Docket No. PHMSA-2025-0017]
Pipeline Safety: 2026 Pipeline Safety Research and Development
Forum
AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA),
DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the 2026 Pipeline Safety Research and
Development Forum (R&D Forum). PHMSA periodically holds this R&D Forum
to generate a national research agenda that identifies technical
challenges and fosters solutions to improve pipeline safety.
DATES: The R&D Forum will be held March 31 through April 1, 2026, from
8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On-site registration will begin at 7:00 a.m. on
both days. Public input on research gaps may be submitted year-round
through the R&D gap portal at the following site: <a href="https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/gap-suggestions/">https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/gap-suggestions/</a>. Online pre-registration for
the R&D Forum opens on March 9, 2026, and will close on Thursday, March
26, 2026.
Individuals requiring accommodations, such as sign language
interpretation or other ancillary aids for the R&D Forum, should notify
Andrea Ceartin by phone at 406-577-6818, or by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#50313e342235317e3335312224393e10343f247e373f26"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e5848b81978084cb86808497918c8ba5818a91cb828a93">[email protected]</span></a>, no later than March 20, 2026. For additional
information, see the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
ADDRESSES: The R&D Forum will be held in person in the Washington, DC,
metropolitan area. The hotel reservation link, meeting agendas, and
instructions on how to attend will be published on the following public
meeting registration pages: <a href="https://primis-meetings.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/ddb31d47-73da-48de-856b-fee8ee1fa7f5">https://primis-meetings.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/ddb31d47-73da-48de-856b-fee8ee1fa7f5</a>.
Presentations: Presentations will be available on the meeting
website and on the E-Gov website, <a href="https://regulations.gov">https://regulations.gov</a>, at docket
number PHMSA-2025-0017 no later than 30 days following the meeting.
Submitting Comments: You may submit comments, identified by Docket
No. PHMSA-2025-0017 (R&D Forum), by any of the following methods:
E-Gov Website: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. This site allows the
public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice issued by any
agency. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Docket Management System, U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery: DOT Docket Management System: 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-
0001, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
Fax: 202-493-2251. The Docket Management Facility, DOT will not
issue confirmation notices for faxed comments.
Instructions: Identify Docket No. PHMSA-2025-0017 at the beginning
of your comments. If you submit your comments by mail, please submit
two copies. If you wish to receive confirmation that PHMSA received
your comments, you must include a self-addressed stamped postcard.
Internet users may submit comments at: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Confidential Business Information: Confidential Business
Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both
customarily and treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure.
If your comments in response to this notice contain commercial or
financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you
actually treat as private, and is relevant or responsive to this
notice, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Pursuant to 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
190.343, you may ask PHMSA to provide confidential treatment to
information you give the agency by taking the following steps: (1) mark
each page of the original document submission containing CBI as
``Confidential''; (2) send PHMSA a copy of the original document with
the CBI deleted along with the original, unaltered document; and (3)
explain why the information you are submitting is CBI. Submissions
containing CBI should be sent to Kandilarya Barakat, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, DOT: PHMSA--PHP-80, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Any comments
PHMSA receives that are not specifically designated as CBI will be
placed in the public docket.
Privacy Act: DOT may solicit comments from the public regarding
certain general notices. DOT posts these comments, without edit,
including any personal information the commenter provides, to
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/
ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at <a href="http://www.dot.gov/privacy">www.dot.gov/privacy</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrea Ceartin, Engineering and
Research Division, at 406-577-6818 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3d5c53594f585c135e585c4f4954537d595249135a524b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f3929d97819692dd90969281879a9db3979c87dd949c85">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The mission of PHMSA is to advance the safe
transportation of energy products and other hazardous materials that
are essential to our daily lives. The Pipeline Safety R&D Forum is held
biennially to generate a national research agenda that addresses
challenges to improve pipeline safety. The R&D Forum also provides a
venue for information exchange among key stakeholders, including the
pipeline industry, public, States, Tribal governments, other Federal
agencies, and international colleagues. The R&D Forum allows PHMSA to
meet the congressional requirements in section 12, paragraph 2 of the
Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-355).
Public Participation: The R&D Forum will be open to the public.
Members of the public who wish to attend must register on the meeting
website(s), including their names and organizational affiliation. PHMSA
is committed to providing all participants with equal access to these
meetings. If you need disability accommodations for the R&D Forum,
please contact Andrea Ceartin by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6908070d1b0c08470a0c081b1d0007290d061d470e061f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6b0a050f190e0a45080e0a191f02052b0f041f450c041d">[email protected]</span></a>.
PHMSA is not always able to publish a notice in the Federal
Register quickly enough to provide timely notification of last-minute
changes that impact scheduled meetings. Therefore, individuals should
check the meeting website listed in the ADDRESSES section of this
notice or contact Andrea Ceartin by phone at 406-577-6818 or via email
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#20414e445245410e4345415254494e60444f540e474f56"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1c7d72786e797d327f797d6e6875725c787368327b736a">[email protected]</span></a> regarding any possible changes to the R&D
Forum.
PHMSA invites public participation on the pipeline safety topics to
be addressed during the R&D Forum. Please review the SUBMITTING
COMMENTS section of this notice for information on how to submit
written comments.
[[Page 12277]]
Issued in Washington, DC, under authority delegated in 49 Code
of Federal Regulations Sec. 1.97.
Linda Daugherty,
Acting Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2026-04785 Filed 3-11-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
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