The U.S. Department of Transportation’s fiscal year 2013 budget request includes $276 million and 647 positions to increase oversight of hazardous materials transportation and the process of repairing, replacing and rehabilitating existing pipelines. This request is $75 million more than what DOT received for FY 2012.

In addition to funding IT modernization for DOT, the budget requests the following:

• Pipeline safety funding would be allocated to:
  • 150 new employees – 120 new inspectors and 30 program personnel
  • Grants to states to standardize their pipeline safety programs 
  • Pipeline safety R&D, National Pipeline Information Exchange database of pipeline safety information 
  • National public awareness campaigns
  • Pipeline safety design review user fees
  • A new Accident Investigation Team which will review significant incidents not reviewed by the NTSB.
• Hazardous materials funding would be allocated to:
  • 22 new employees
  • A new Special Permit and Approvals user fee to be collected from those seeking special permits and approvals for transporting hazardous materials
  • Special permit processing and evaluation 
• Read more about PHMSA’s 2013 budget request here