Senate Commerce Committee Passes Fischer-Duckworth Pipeline Safety Bill

Statement

Today, the Senate Commerce Committee passed bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials and Safety Administration (PHMSA). U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), the chairman of the Transportation and Safety Subcommittee, introduced the bill with Subcommittee Ranking Member Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).

"Pipeline safety is critical to ensuring Nebraskans and all Americans have access to the energy that powers our homes, communities, and businesses. I was proud work closely with Chairman Wicker and Ranking Member Cantwell, as well as Senators Duckworth and Markey on this bipartisan reauthorization of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Now that the bill has been approved by the Commerce Committee, I hope it can swiftly move to Senate passage," said Senator Fischer.

"This bipartisan legislation reauthorizes PHMSA's critical pipeline safety programs, increases funding for state inspection agencies and advances new pipeline safety technologies and approaches. I'd like to thank Senator Fischer for her leadership throughout this process and for working with me to make sure this legislation provides PHMSA with the resources it needs to better protect homeowners and businesses in Illinois and across the country," said Senator Duckworth.

Key Provisions of the bill include:

Ensuring states have the resources they need to enforce the federal regulations they are required to oversee, allowing PHMSA to focus its resources on interstate pipeline safety.

Authorizing PHMSA to take the lead in examining the potential for new technologies to support the safe and efficient inspections of pipelines.

Continuing congressional oversight of PHMSA's work to complete outstanding mandates from the 2012 and 2016 reauthorizations by requiring the agency to periodically update the Senate Commerce Committee on the progress of its works.
I
ncentivizing operators to notify PHMSA of violations prior to discover by the agency. This will encourage greater response to violations and incidents.

Ensuring distribution system operators have plans in place to quickly alert first responders of pipeline incidents.

Requiring a review of current regulations to ensure operators quickly respond to over-pressurization events, such as what happened tragically in Massachusetts last year.

Source