Pipeline Safety Measure Introduced by Transportation Committee Leaders

Leaders of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today introduced legislation to reauthorize and strengthen pipeline safety programs, continue to improve the nation’s pipeline network, and ensure the regulatory certainty in pipelines transportation necessary to create jobs.

H.R. 2845, the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 (click here to read bill), was introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), Chairman of the Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, and co-sponsored by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL). The Transportation Committee is scheduled to consider the legislation during a 10:00 a.m. committee markup tomorrow.

“Pipelines remain the energy lifelines that power nearly all of our daily activities at home and at work,” Shuster said. “This legislation will build on our strong commitment to our nation’s already safe pipeline infrastructure and provide the regulatory certainty the industry needs to continue to expand and create American jobs.”

“Efficient pipeline transportation is critical to our energy supply and the economy, and this legislation ensures we continue to improve pipeline safety efforts in the United States,” Mica said.

The previous pipelines law expired on September 30, 2010. Government and industry continue to take steps to enhance pipeline safety nationwide, but recent high profile accidents suggest that there continues to be room for improvement.

The Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 renews the federal commitment to improving safety while ensuring a reasonable regulatory process that does not ignore the need for regulatory certainty to provide job growth. Without such regulatory certainty, American businesses cannot create jobs.

The United States has the largest energy pipeline network in the world, and this network continues to provide the safest means of transporting natural gas and liquid products. In fact, since 1986, the volume of products transported by pipeline in the United States has increased by one-third, while the number of reportable incidents has decreased by 28 %. The Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 continues to improve pipeline transportation and safety by:

Providing tougher penalties for pipeline operators that violate pipeline safety laws;
Improving pipeline damage prevention measures and cracking down on third party pipeline damage;
Allowing the Secretary to require automatic and remote-controlled shut-off valves on new pipelines;
Requiring the Secretary to evaluate the effectiveness of expanding pipeline Integrity Management and Leak Detection requirements;
Improving the way DOT and pipeline operators provide information to the public and emergency responders;
Reforming the process by which pipeline operators notify federal, state and local officials of pipeline accidents.