Secretary Chao seeking reauthorization of pipeline safety program

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is seeking Congressional approval for a bill that would reauthorize the Department’s pipeline safety programs.

The proposed legislation would reauthorize the Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) safety programs for fiscal years 2020-2023. It would also modernize PHMSA’s incident and construction data collection, establish a voluntary safety information sharing program, encourage replacement for aged local pipeline systems, and clarify certain regulatory measures to promote safety.

“The Department looks forward to working with Congress to pass a robust pipeline safety reauthorization bill that will strengthen the safety of critical energy transportation infrastructure,” Chao said.

The legislation also seeks to streamline PHMSA’s support for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, enabling the United States to export natural gas globally. Further, it promotes research and development initiatives aimed at deploying new technologies to enhance pipeline safety and reliability.

“This proposal renews our commitment to pipeline safety by encouraging innovation and greater stakeholder collaboration, as well as by clarifying certain pipeline replacement practices for local distribution systems to help prevent future incidents,” PHMSA Administrator Skip Elliott said.

House Energy and Commerce Chairman Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) is optimistic about the proposal.

“With millions of miles of pipeline transporting energy across the country – often right beneath our homes, businesses, and schools – the American people deserve to know that those pipelines are safe. Yet it’s clear from growing opposition to new pipelines that the public has lost trust in our system. We must fix that and ensure our pipeline rules put safety before expediency or profit,” Pallone said. “While I have some concerns with Secretary Chao’s proposal, I’m optimistic that we can work together on this.”