Committee advances pipeline reauthorization measure

Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL) recently praised the Energy and Commerce Committee’s advancement of the SAFER Pipelines Act of 2019, which they said improves pipeline safety and holds operators accountable.

The measure would also reduce emissions and prevent pipeline leaks.

The legislators said the panel followed through on its promise to safeguard the environment and combat climate change by approving comprehensive legislation protecting the American people and the climate from unsafe pipelines.

“I thank Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush for his leadership on this bill that rebalances the law in favor of people and the environment, rather than industry,” Pallone said. “The legislation will also help protect our climate by reversing the Trump rollback of President Obama’s methane rules. This is a strong bill that is necessary to make our pipelines safe and secure, and I hope the full House will vote on it soon.”

Rush said since the early 2000s, hundreds of incidents have been submitted to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

“Recent pipeline incidents in North Dakota and Massachusetts are crucial reminders of why we need enhanced safety measures for these systems,” he said. “The approval of this important piece of legislation is a win for both the environment and the public health by ensuring that pipelines are safer in every sense of the word.”