The committee will study current and potential methodologies and standards, including regulatory criteria, for deciding when an automatic shutoff valve (ASV), remote-controlled valve (RCV), or other equivalent Emergency Flow Restricting Device (EFRD) should be installed on existing gas transmission pipelines and on existing hazardous liquid pipelines in high-consequence areas, as defined in federal regulation.

The study will examine current federal regulatory requirements governing decisions about where and when to install these devices on existing pipelines, including regulatory criteria on factors to be considered and methodologies to be used for making such decisions. Consideration will be given to the treatment of public safety and environmental risks by these methodologies and the treatment of economic, technical, and operational feasibility. The study will identify and assess other potential methodologies for making such installation decisions on existing pipelines. In doing so, the committee will consider ASV, RCV, and EFRD technological capabilities; statutory and procedural limits on federal regulatory authority to require their use; relevant recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board; and current and proposed regulatory criteria for the installation of ASVs, RCVs, and EFRDs on newly constructed and fully replaced pipelines. The study will take into account issues associated with reliance on manual control valves, including human factors and accessibility concerns. As appropriate, recommendations will be made regarding regulatory or statutory changes that might be considered at the federal and state levels.