Pipeline Safety Coalition Grant Reports

The Coalition has successfully authored, facilitated, and managed twenty US DOT PHMSA Technical Assistance Grants (TAG). The TAG program enables communities and groups of individuals to obtain funding for technical assistance in the form of engineering or other scientific analysis of pipeline safety issues and help promote public participation in official proceedings.

For purposes of grants eligibility, communities are defined as cities, towns, villages, counties, parishes, townships, and similar governmental subdivisions, or consortiums of such subdivisions. A nongovernmental group of individuals is eligible for a grant under the TAG program if its members are affected or potentially affected individuals who are incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State where they are located.  PHMSA first awarded technical assistance grants in 2009.

The following is a list of TAG grants awarded to Pipeline Safety Coalition from 2009-2016, the final reports, supplemental reports, and the names of collaborating organizations and individuals.


09/22/2015-09/21/2016

City of Allentown: Pipeline Safety Protocols and Recommendations for Cities

The City of Allentown and Pipeline Safety Coalition worked together to define and develop grassroots generated pipeline safety protocols for American cities that could influence the advancement of safety recommendations into active and required best practices and achieve safer American communities through collaborative efforts.


09/28/2015-09/27/2016

City of San Bruno: Scoping of Pipeline Survivor Network

The City of San Bruno and Pipeline Safety Coalition leveraged investments, work products, and partnerships begun by the City of San Bruno and the City of Allentown in the bi coastal formation of the Mayors’ Council on Pipeline Safety in order to convert disenfranchised cultures created through pipeline failure tragedy into a resilience based safety culture through the idea of a pipeline survivor network.


09/28/2015-09/27/2016

Pipeline Safety Coalition: The Practice of Real Estate & Pipeline Safety in the US Atlantic Coastal States

Pipeline Safety Coalition conducted a study of the practice of real estate in conjunction with gas, liquids, and hazardous liquids pipeline safety in order to develop informational resources for real estate professionals on pipeline safety and awareness in the US Atlantic Coastal States.


09/25/2014-09/24/2015

East Brandywine Township: Mariner East Pipeline Community Risk Analysis & Public Safety Forums

East Brandywine Township worked with Pipeline Safety Coalition to hire a hydrologist/hydrogeologist for the purpose of research, assessment, and analysis of the Sunoco Logistics LP Mariner East pipeline and pumping station proposals in Chester County with regard to community and environmental safety. As part of this TAG, East Brandywine Township conducted a series of public forums in Chester County for communities to: I) learn about the pipeline siting process for hazardous liquids vs. natural gas pipelines, and 2) to promote a proactive collective community approach to pipeline siting and safety through education.


09/25/2014-09/24/2015

City of Allentown: Mayors’ Council on Pipeline Safety Recommendations & National Planning

The City of Allentown worked with Pipeline Safety Coalition to research and define specific Mayors’ Council on Pipeline Safety (MCPS) recommendations for clear definitions and minimum leak detection regulations such as what qualifies as a leak, how leaks are classified, and what is done about discovered leaks, conduct a needs assessment for a MCPS national campaign for more consistent and prescriptive distribution line safety regulations; create a series of educational video bites for a Mayors National Campaign on Pipeline Safety similar to Marathon Pipe Line, LLC, “Safe Digging with John Ratzenberger” to be posted to the MCPS website and accessible to partner organization websites; and, leverage relationships developed with labor and other partners to produce a more robust national conference.


09/25/2014-09/24/2015

City of San Bruno: Mayors’ Council on Pipeline Safety

The City of San Bruno worked with Pipeline Safety Coalition to leverage investments, work products, and partnerships begun by San Bruno and the City of Allentown in the bi-coastal formation of the Mayors’ Council on Pipeline Safety.


09/25/2014-09/24/2015

PSC: Pipeline Safety Coalition Feasibility Study

Pipeline Safety Coalition conducted a feasibility study of the expansion of pipeline safety education in the Northeast United States in order to enhance the number of informed communities who play a vital role in safety and reliability of pipeline operations within the region.


09/30/2013-09/24/2015

City of Allentown & PSC: Develop the Mayors’ Council on Pipeline Safety

The City of Allentown and Pipeline Safety Coalition worked together to develop a National Mayors’ Coalition for Pipeline Safety and outreached to mayors by educating and promoting participation at local levels of League of Cities and Business Councils. The project scope included organizing and conducting the first National Meeting of Mayors on Pipeline Safety to promote participation, recommendations, and the growth of the National Mayors Coalition, in conjunction with Winter/Spring U.S. Conference of Mayors, in Washington, DC.


09/30/2013-09/24/2014

PSC: Promote PNP in Pennsylvania & Produce an Educate the Educator (PPSEP) Portal

Pipeline Safety Coalition leveraged work from two previous TAG projects (PNP in 2013 and PPSEP in 2012) to support Pipelines Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) recommendations. Tier I advanced the work product of the Pipeline Notification Protocol (PNP) throughout the remaining 66 counties of Pennsylvania by creating a standardized notification protocol for pipeline operators to use in proposed pipeline projects prior to the permitting processes. Tier II advanced the work product of educating the Educators: Pipeline Procedure and Safety Education Program (PPSEP) by producing, activating, and employing the online program.


09/28/2012-09/27/2013

PSC: Chester County First Responder Case Study

Pipeline Safety Coalition conducted a case study of Chester County, PA with first responders to identify first responder education and training needs specific to gas pipelines. Following the case study, recommendations were provided to develop a core curriculum using model firefighters. The final report was developed to share with other first responders and communities.


09/28/2012-09/27/2013

East Brandywine Township: Chester County Commissioner Created Pipeline Notification Protocol (PNP)

Pipeline Safety Coalition worked with East Brandywine Township to research and develop a standardized notification protocol for informing Chester County officials of projected pipeline projects in order to enhance engineering and scientific analysis of pipeline projects that is initiated by and includes full stakeholder participation in the planning stage.


09/28/2012-09/27/2013

City of Allentown: Purchase Safety Equipment & Create a National Mayors’ Council on Pipeline Safety

The City of Allentown and Pipeline Safety Coalition worked on a project that consisted of Tier 1: Purchase four (4) multi gas surveyors GVS 500’s to provide first responders the ability to detect leaks during emergency response to natural gas, pipeline and other emergency incidents, and Tier II: Research and develop a national Mayor’s Council on Pipeline Safety (MCPS), initiated by the Mayor of Allentown, PA to initiate outreach to the Mayor of San Bruno, CA to collaborate on efforts in defining and disseminating pipeline safety initiatives specific to urban cities across the United States.


09/29/2011-09/28/2012

League of Women Voter’s of PA: Overview of the State of Pipelines in Prototypical Lycoming, Pennsylvania

Pipeline Safety Coalition worked with The League of Women Voters of PA Citizen Education Fund developed an overview of the state of pipelines in a Pennsylvania community and county that included: expert, objective information about the safety of the growing number of natural gas pipelines in an area of prototypical region, Lycoming County; review of regulations and status of the existing and evolving gas transmission system; recommendations to serve as a basis for educating the public to prompt participation and an objective knowledge base for informed decision-making by elected officials; promotion of a safer, more efficient, environmentally sensitive natural gas transmission system for Pennsylvania.


09/29/2011-09/29/2012

PSC: Pipeline Procedure and Safety Education Program (PPSEP)

Pipeline Safety Coalition (PSC) researched, defined, created, and delivered a curriculum for training educators. The curriculum was designed for suburban and urban communities, Marcellus Shale communities, and farming communities. It addressed pipeline safety and current issues associated with Pennsylvania’s rapidly developing energy infrastructure. The curriculum was designed to be transferable to other states.


09/29/2011-09/28/2012

S.A.V.E.: Promoting Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) Recommended Practices and Model Ordinances in Multiple Localities Across Pennsylvania

S.A.V.E. promoted Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) recommended practices and model ordinances in multiple localities across Pennsylvania.


09/30/2010-09/29/2012

Penn State University: Forest Vegetation as a Bio-Indicator to Detect Leaking Natural Gas Pipelines

Pennsylvania State University – Office of Sponsored Programs developed educational and outreach efforts to educate the public, informed citizens, municipalities, and pipeline operators on how to detect leaks in natural gas pipelines using forest vegetation as a bio-indicator.


09/30/2010-09/30/2011

S.A.V.E.: Development & Implementation of Chester County Coalition for Safety and Reliability of Pipeline Operations

S.A.V.E., Inc. to create a Chester County, Pennsylvania coalition for pipeline safety.


09/28/2009-03/27/2011

Bradford Glen Homeowners Association: Evaluate and Assess Safety of Co-Locating Proposed AES Pipeline Adjacent to Columbia Pipeline in a High Consequence Area

The Bradford Glen Homeowners Association evaluated and assessed the safety of co-locating the proposed Mid-Atlantic Express, LLC pipeline adjacent to an existing Columbia pipeline in the vicinity of a High Consequence Area.


09/28/2009-09/27/2010

West Vincent Township: Analysis of Dominion Keystone Project for Northern Chester County, Pennsylvania

West Vincent Township analyzed pipeline safety issues affecting the local community with regard to a Dominion Keystone project.


09/28/2009-12/30/2010

S.A.V.E.: Education and Outreach Regarding Existing and Proposed Pipelines

Safety, Agriculture, Villages, & Environment, Inc. (S.A.V.E.) conducted education and outreach on pipeline safety involving the existing Columbia and proposed co-linear AES Mid-Atlantic Express LNG Project pipelines in Pennsylvania.

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