This recommended practice (RP) provides guidance to hazardous liquids and gas transmission and gathering pipeline operators, the general public, stakeholders, governments, and rights holders for effective stakeholder engagement. The goal of this document is to provide pipeline operators with a scalable and flexible framework to review an existing engagement program or develop and implement a new one. Developing or improving a program can enhance the effectiveness of engagement. The RP also provides guidance on operationalizing environmental justice in pipeline public engagement practices.

The benefits of applying this RP are to develop relationships, build trust, and achieve meaningful involvement in the engagement process, with the ultimate objective of improving pipeline safety and environmental stewardship. Pipeline operators can benefit from this guidance as they consider and develop pipeline projects and operate pipeline systems. Members of the public can benefit from this guidance as they learn and understand more about pipelines and as they provide input on pipelines in their community. This guidance can benefit government as it supports public safety and environmental protection.

This RP comprehensively defines a set of elements (i.e., processes) to be consistently applied throughout the pipeline life cycle from early siting and design to abandonment or decommissioning. The six primary elements of this framework are as follows:

1) Commit and Align
2) Identify, Understand, and Confirm
3) Plan and Prepare
4) Share Information
5) Ask, Listen, and Respond
6) Monitor, Evaluate, and Adjust

This RP builds upon and augments existing provisions and is not intended to duplicate requirements of any other consensus standards or regulations, including API RP 1162, Public Awareness Programs for Pipeline Operators, and API RP 1173, Pipeline Safety Management Systems (PSMS). Public awareness activities are only a part of public engagement. Stakeholder engagement is one of the core elements of a pipeline safety management system as set forth in API RP 1173, which establishes basic requirements for stakeholder engagement. RP 1185 builds on the high-level requirements in RP 1173, providing provisions for operators as well as stakeholders to consider in engagement. Operators can build upon established processes within their public awareness programs, and as applicable, engagement processes, to establish new or improve existing engagement programs.