This recommended practice (RP) provides guidance for pipeline operators to develop and manage public awareness programs tailored to meet the needs of the community. It is meant to raise the quality of public awareness programs and align baseline core safety messages across the oil and gas industry.

The scope of this RP covers the development, implementation, evaluation, and documentation of public awareness programs associated with the normal operation of existing pipeline systems and facilities, including transmission pipelines, local distribution systems and gathering lines.

Two important objectives of this RP are to provide a framework to help each pipeline operation create and manage a public awareness program as well as to give guidance for the periodic program evaluation to encourage each operator to enhance the program, at the operator's discretion, as circumstances warrant.

Communications related to new pipeline construction, offshore operations, and during emergencies are not covered by this RP, nor is it intended to provide guidance to operators for communications about operator-specific performance measures that are addressed through other means of communication or regulatory reporting.

This RP provides the operator with the elements of a recommended baseline public awareness program and considerations to determine when and how to enhance the program to provide the appropriate level of public awareness outreach. Enhancements may affect messages, delivery frequency and methods, geographic coverage areas, program evaluation, and other elements.