FOSA Public Policy Committee engaged with House and Senate Committee

The Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Energy Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) sent a letter on November 2nd to Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown encouraging his agency to continue its work implementing the PIPES Act of 2020. Their letter specifically mentions Section 113 of the PIPES Act, which requires PHMSA to issue a final rule directing gathering, transmission, and distribution pipeline operators to conduct leak detection and repair programs that meet minimum performance standards and identify and repair or replace leaky pipes.

The Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act required the rule within one year of when the bill was enacted into law (December 27, 2020). When the deadline passed and no action had been taken by PHMSA, the FOSA Public Policy Committee (PPC) engaged with House and Senate Committee staff and advocated for congressional oversight. After receipt of the chairmen’s letter, PHMSA updated their website and noted that the gas pipeline leak detection rule had been sent to the Office of the Secretary of Transportation.
Read the Letter to PHMSA
PHMSA PIPES Act of 2020 Status Chart