This bill creates a new Office of Public Engagement within the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the federal agency responsible for keeping pipelines safe and regulating how hazardous materials are transported.

The new office would serve as a dedicated point of contact between PHMSA and the public. Its main job would be to actively reach out to communities, pipeline companies, and anyone else affected by pipelines to help them understand and adopt better safety practices. The office would answer questions from the public about pipeline safety, provide expert advice to help companies improve their operations, and work to raise awareness about how to keep pipelines operating safely and reliably.

In practical terms, this means if you live near a pipeline or have concerns about pipeline safety in your area, there would now be a specific office within PHMSA designed to listen to your questions and provide information. It's essentially creating a communication bridge between the government agency that oversees pipeline safety and the people and communities that are affected by these pipelines.

To establish an Office of Public Engagement within the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Strickland, Marilyn

<p>This bill directs the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to establish an Office of Public Engagement. (PHMSA develops and enforces regulations for the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operation of the U.S. pipeline transportation system and shipment of hazardous materials.)&nbsp;</p><p>The purpose of the new office is to proactively engage with pipeline stakeholders, including the public, to</p><ul><li>promote the adoption and increased use of safety programs and activities,&nbsp;</li><li>provide technical expertise,</li><li>raise awareness to continuously improve pipeline safety, and</li><li>assist the public with pipeline safety inquiries.</li></ul>