About The APGA Security and Integrity Foundation

The APGA Security and Integrity Foundation (SIF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. The American

Public Gas Association (APGA), a 501(c)(6), created the SIF in 2004. The SIF is dedicated to promoting the security and operational integrity and safety of small natural gas distribution and utilization facilities. The SIF will focus its resources on enhancing the abilities of gas utility operators to prevent, mitigate and repair damage to the nation’s small gas distribution infrastructure.

Small gas systems are very conscientious and dedicated to maintaining records of safety and operational excellence. For decades, many of the nation’s small systems and master meter systems assisted one another to comply with state and federal pipeline safety standards. APGA assists its members whenever possible through its Operations Committee and by representing small systems on national codes and standards. Recently, APGA published an operator safety manual that is now an essential tool for small operators across the country.

Economies of scale favor larger systems by spreading compliance costs over a greater number of customers. For example, a small operator serving 800 homes and businesses does not have the same economy of scale as a gas utility serving 800,000 meters. Nonetheless, the safety records of our nation’s smallest operators continue to be identical to that of the largest operators. But, as new safety standards are promulgated and the compliance costs grow ever larger, the limited resources of small systems become increasingly strained. And, small systems must now also prepare for incidents that result from both intentional and unintentional acts.

Initial SIF efforts will focus on providing education, training, materials, services and products specifically designed to increase the knowledge, skills and abilities of small distribution system and master meter system operators. The SIF will also focus on increasing small operators’ compliance with DOT Operator Qualification (OQ) requirements.

In initiating, implementing and expanding its efforts in this regard, the SIF intends to work cooperatively with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Under the terms of a cooperative agreement, the SIF will address the four initiatives listed below. These broader initiatives are more fully described in Section Two of this document.

The SIF will—

• Identify B31Q tasks common to small utilities and master meter systems;
• Evaluate commercially available training and evaluation tools for the identified B31Q tasks;
• Acquire or develop training and evaluation tools for common covered tasks; and,
• Conduct training and evaluation sessions for small system operators.