WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. House of Representatives today unanimously approved bipartisan legislation to enhance pipeline safety, clarify safety oversight efforts, and provide greater regulatory certainty in the transportation of energy commodities.
The PIPES Act of 2016 is a collaborative product of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the legislation (House amendment to S. 2276 ) incorporates text from separate bills passed out of each committee in April.
The PIPES Act reauthorizes the federal pipeline safety program within the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for four years and requires the agency to update safety regulations, increase transparency, and embrace emerging technologies. The bill speeds up the process of completing outstanding safety requirements included in the 2011 reauthorization, and reforms PHMSA to be a more efficient and data-driven agency.
“Americans rely on the safe and effective transport of energy products through our nation’s system of pipelines. The PIPES Act improves the safety of this critical infrastructure network, and brings some needed reforms to the federal pipeline safety agency. This legislation was produced in a bipartisan manner, and we look forward to the bill moving through the Senate and to the president’s desk," said the sponsors of the original House legislation, Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Energy and Power Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Rush (D-IL), Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA), Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Denham (R-CA), and Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Ranking Member Michael Capuano (D-CT).
* #RecordOfSuccess: TSCA, & Ozone, & Pipelines, Oh My!
* BREAKING: President Signs Bipartisan Pipeline Safety Bill Into Law
