WASHINGTON, DC - The Energy and Power Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), today unanimously approved a discussion draft of the Pipeline Safety Act of 2016 to the full committee for consideration. The committee has a long, bipartisan tradition of working to enact pipeline safety reform. In 2011, the committee worked in conjunction with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to enact the Pipeline Safety Act of 2011 into law.
Chairman Whitfield stated, “We’ve built upon the draft that we discussed in the legislative hearing and made some significant improvements. The discussion draft considered today contains targeted mandates for PHMSA to increase transparency and accountability, complete overdue regulations, and improve safety. I look forward to working with my colleagues as we refine the bill before full committee and also with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as we prepare for the floor."
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) concluded, “The discussion draft considered today is a starting point. As we’ve done before, we’re working on a bipartisan basis to identify weaknesses in our pipeline safety laws and develop solutions. I believe it’s particularly important to tighten inspection requirements for certain underwater oil pipelines such as Line 5 which runs cross the Straits of Mackinac separating Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. We can do better to improve pipeline safety. This draft is an important step forward, but we still have more work to do."
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See Also
* Full Committee Clears Bipartisan Pipeline Safety Bill
