Pipeline safety rules will no longer apply to pipes inside chemical plants

The US pipeline safety agency wants to remove some pipes from its safety rules. These are pipes that stay within the boundaries of a single chemical or processing plant.

For decades, the US pipeline safety agency has treated pipes inside plants the same as pipes running between cities. This meant the agency had to inspect pipes that were already under other safety rules. The proposed change means the agency will focus its limited resources on long-distance pipelines.