Former PHMSA Official and Former API Policy Advisor Join Babst Calland’s Energy and Pipeline & HazMat Safety Practice
Babst Calland announced the addition of two professionals to its Washington, D.C. office – former PHMSA Official Christopher Hoidal as Senior Director of Safety and former API Policy Advisor, Christopher Kuhman as an Associate.
Chris Hoidal recently joined Babst Calland as Senior Director of Safety in the Energy and Natural Resources, Environmental and Pipeline and HazMat Safety groups. Mr. Hoidal advises clients throughout the United States on the regulation of transportation pipelines, LNG facilities and other regulated energy facilities. He has over 30 years of experience in various leadership roles with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
Mr. Hoidal has extensive knowledge of the pipeline safety regulations, industry codes and standards, and agency policy. He guides industry stakeholders seeking to improve regulatory compliance and safety performance, conducting transactional due diligence, and building remedial programs to address accidents and near-miss events. Mr. Hoidal also advises clients on special permits, inspection preparation, enforcement, rulemaking and policy development.
Mr. Hoidal worked for the United States Department of Transportation from 1990 to 2021, and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s Office of Pipeline Safety since 1993. Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Hoidal served as a Senior Technical Advisor in PHMSA’s Office of Pipeline Safety between 2018 and 2021. In this role, he supported PHMSA in the development of recent rules and guidance, including the 2019 Gas “Mega Rule.” Before this role, Chris served for 20 years as PHMSA’s Western Region Director for the Office of Pipeline Safety.
Mr. Hoidal has his Bachelor of Science in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Nevada (1980), and Master of Business Administration from the University of Colorado (1983).
Chris Kuhman recently joined Babst Calland as an associate in the Energy and Natural Resources and Pipeline and HazMat Safety groups. Mr. Kuhman advises energy clients on a variety of pipeline safety-related matters.
Prior to joining the Firm, he worked as a Policy Advisor for the American Petroleum Institute (API) where he helped to develop API’s legislative and regulatory positions on pipeline safety matters. Before his work at API, Chris served as an engineer for a gas distribution company and an upstream energy services company where he gained practical technical knowledge. Firm clients benefit from Chris’ unique mix of policy and engineering experience. He is a 2021 graduate of American University Washington College of Law.
Commenting on their move to the Firm, Jim Curry, Managing Shareholder of Babst Calland’s Washington, D.C. office said, “We are very pleased to welcome Chris Hoidal and Chris Kuhman to our Firm. They have great backgrounds in the energy sector and a commitment to client service, and both are a natural fit for our pipeline practice. They join our growing Washington, D.C. office and will support our energy clients nationwide.”