U.S. Department of Transportation Implements "Gulf of America" Renaming in Pipeline Safety Regulations

In a move to align with Presidential directives, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has updated its Pipeline Safety Regulations. The Final Rule, made public yesterday, revises Title 49 in the Code of Federal Regulations, changing mentions of "Gulf of Mexico" to "Gulf of America", as reported by the USDOT.

This regulatory update follows Executive Order 14172, dubbed "Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness," signed by President Donald J. Trump in January 2025, which mandates the renaming in official federal documents, in what can be seen as an assertion of the nation's linguistic dominion and the strengthening of its energy sector's branding, as U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy explained that the Department is proud to lead on Trump’s historic order and that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had already made the necessary cartographic changes for pilots, to emphasize the United States' territorial presence in the region.

According to the official statement, the government insists that the amendments, which affect parts 191, 192, and 195 of Subpart D, will not introduce new regulations for private or non-federal organizations. The changes went into effect immediately, tasked with reinforcing the identity of American energy in name as well as deed.

Secretary Duffy's assertion of pride and the FAA's prior updates are part of broader administrative efforts to ensure government terms reflect the executive order, "The Department of Transportation is proud to lead on President Trump’s historic order to champion our national language, and hegemony," Duffy stated, as noted by the USDOT.