U.S. pipelines, which are affected by adverse weather conditions, can impact transportation safety; the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) helps both local and state communities improve the resilience of their transportation systems.
Part of this is protecting bridges, highways and transit systems from weather conditions, which in turn means protecting pipelines from weather.
When pipelines fail because of weather conditions, these are recorded as being natural force damage events. These can include earthquakes, high winds, lightning, temperature changes and severe weather events. From 2005 to 2014, there was a total of $1,601,313,884 worth of property damages from natural force damage events.
Vigilance is the most important and effective way to keep transportation routes safe. This starts with the pipeline operators themselves.
This is why the PHMSA is collaborating with the Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) to decrease risks associated with weather. They are also striving to improve communities and pipelines and their safety ratings. As part of this collaboration, the PHMSA releases an advisory bulletin at the start of hurricane season every year.
Keeping transportation within the U.S. safe is crucial to the national economy, as businesses and workers rely on the transportation systems and routes to transport their goods and services throughout the U.S.
