Technical Assistance Grants

archived

The Technical Assistance Grants (TAG) program, first authorized in the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-355, codified at 49 U.S.C. 60130), offers new opportunities to strengthen the depth and quality of public participation in pipeline safety matters. Section 9 of the Act, titled: “Pipeline Safety Information Grants to Communities” authorized the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to local communities and organizations for technical assistance relating to pipeline safety issues. The TAG program was then amended by Section 5 of the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act of 2006. However, FY 2009 was the first year in which PHMSA has received appropriations to fund the grant program. These grants will allow 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, local 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 by pipeline safety issues.

High