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DOT Selects Members to Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee
Nine individuals representing government and industry interests in pipeline safety were selected by U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta to serve on the department’s Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (THLPSSC).
The THLPSSC provides the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) with a peer review of proposed pipeline safety regulations to assure the technical feasibility, reasonableness, cost effectiveness, and practicability of the regulations of DOT's Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS). The committee also serves as a public sounding board for pipeline safety issues.
Required by law, the committee is chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. DOT's Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) is the committee sponsor.
“Public participation in pipeline safety is important to help ensure that our regulations will achieve the highest level of safety while enabling this infrastructure to service the vital needs of our economy and citizens,” said Acting RSPA Administrator Samuel G. Bonasso.
The committee is composed of 15 members appointed to serve three-year terms. The membership is equally divided among three representative groups of government, industry, and the general public. The nine new appointees are:
Government:
Marilyn Showalter -
Commissioner, Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission (reappointment),
Olympia, WA
Donald L. Mason,
Public Utilities Commissioner for the State of Ohio, Columbus, OH
Drue Pearce,
Department of Interior, Washington, DC
James McDonnell,
III, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC
Industry
Denise M. Hamsher,
Enbridge (U.S.) Incorporated (reappointment), Houston, TX
O.B. Harris,
Longhorn Pipeline Partners, L.P. (reappointment), Houston, TX
Leonard W. Mallett,
TEPPCO Partners, L.P., Houston, TX
Buzz Fant, Kinder
Morgan Energy Partners, L.P., Houston, TX
Larry J. Davied,
Williams Energy Services, Tulsa, OK
RSPA is soliciting applications to fill additional existing and future vacancies for all three groups on the THLPSSC. Applications for all three groups may be sent to Cheryl Whetsel (cheryl.whetsel@rspa.dot.gov) or Jean Milam (jean.milam@rspa.dot.gov) in OPS.
Current public members serving on the Department's THLPSSC are:
· Larry Miller, Houston Port Authority, Houston, TX
· Ruth Ellen Schelhaus, Environmental Specialist, Arnold, MD
· Lois N. Epstein, P.E., Cook Inlet Keeper, Anchorage, AK
RSPA associate administrator for pipeline safety, Stacey Gerard, is executive director of the committee.
RSPA has public responsibilities for safe and secure movement of hazardous materials to industry and consumers by all transportation modes, including the nation's pipelines, as well as the safe and secure operation of liquid natural gas facilities; rapid response to emergencies by government agencies; and applying science and technology to meet national transportation needs.
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