A pilot cooperative research program focused on hazardous materials transportation was authorized in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program (HMCRP) is sponsored by the PHMSA and managed by the National Academies, acting through its Transportation Research Board (TRB).

PHMSA's Pipeline Safety R&D Program conducts and supports research to support regulatory and enforcement activities and to provide the technical and analytical foundation necessary for planning, evaluating, and implementing the pipeline safety program. This program is sponsoring research and development projects focused on providing near-term solutions that will increase the safety, cleanliness, and reliability of the nation's pipeline system.