WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) this evening kicked off debate on the House amendment to S. 2276, the PIPES Act of 2016, which includes text from H.R. 5050, the Pipeline Safety Act of 2016, passed in April by the committee. Pending a House vote this week, the bill moves one step closer to providing much-needed reforms to PHMSA regulations that affect the transportation of over two thirds of the energy consumed in the United States.
(Chairman Upton’s remarks as prepared for delivery)
Pipeline safety is especially personal for me. We experienced a spill in Southwest Michigan in 2010 that impacted the Kalamazoo River. Ask anyone who was directly affected - seeing the aftermath first hand smacks the senses and leaves a lasting impression. And while a spill can happen in an instant, the damage can take decades and billions of dollars to fix. Underscoring the need for strong safety laws.
Congress tasked the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to develop and enforce pipeline safety regulations. PHMSA doesn’t do the job by itself - it relies heavily on partnerships with states and local governments to inspect pipelines and enforce the law. But the reality is that more can be done to prevent accidents from occurring and mitigating spills when the unthinkable happens.
The amendment to the Senate bill before us today incorporates text from two House bills, both of which were approved unanimously in committee: H.R. 5050, the Pipeline Safety Act of 2016, which passed the Energy and Commerce Committee, and H.R. 4937, the PIPES Act of 2016, which passed the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This important legislation will reauthorize PHMSA’s pipeline safety program through 2019, press PHMSA to complete overdue safety regulations, and impose additional new safety requirements for pipeline operators.
I’ve often said that certain pipelines should be subject to greater scrutiny and more frequent inspections, and those that cross the Straits of Mackinac are a perfect example. The Straits is a narrow waterway that separates Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas and connects Lake Michigan with Lake Huron. The exceptionally strong and complex currents make this area tremendously sensitive. If a spill were to occur the consequences would be unthinkable.
Our solution improves protections for the Great Lakes and other areas around the country where the threat of a spill poses the greatest risk to public safety and the environment. It also requires pipeline operators to consider a worst-case discharge into icy waters and conduct more frequent, and in some cases annual, inspections of deep underwater crossings.
We also update and improve PHMSA’s pipeline safety program in a number of other ways by closing gaps in federal standards for underground natural gas storage and liquefied natural gas pipeline facilities. It promotes better use of data and technology and improves communication with pipeline operators to incorporate lessons-learned from past incidents.
We promised action, and today, I am proud that we have a bipartisan agreement that will make a real difference. We are here today thanks to our enduring partnership with Chairman Shuster and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I also want to thank Mr. Whitfield, Ranking Member Pallone, and Mr. Rush for their continued efforts to improve the safety of the 2.6 million miles of pipelines that crisscross our country with the fuel that powers our economy. We have a thoughtful, bipartisan bill today that will make a real difference.
