US committee passes pipeline safety reauthorisation bill

The US House Energy and Commerce Committee has passed the pipeline safety reauthorisation bill HR 5050.

The latest action comes on the heels of the approval by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of its own pipeline safety bill, HR 4937 recently.

During 2011, the committee worked with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to ratify the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 into law.

The new Pipeline Safety Act of 2016 is the result of bipartisan work to identify weaknesses in the existing pipeline safety laws.

It contains targeted mandates for Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to increase transparency and accountability.

The legislation also mandates PHMSA to complete overdue regulations and improve pipeline safety.

It tightens provisions allowing the agency to issue emergency orders and brings transparency and interagency reviews to the regulatory process, while maximising inspections for some underwater oil pipelines.

US House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Fred Upton said: "Pipeline safety is something that we should all take seriously, and it’s been a priority of mine since I became chairman following the spill in Southwest Michigan that impacted the Kalamazoo River.

"While an accident can happen in an instant, the damage takes years to fix, underscoring the need for strong safety laws.

"We promised action, and today, we passed a bill that authorises PHMSA for five years and goes a long way in strengthening pipeline safety."

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Image: The new legislation is the result of bipartisan work to identify weaknesses in the existing pipeline safety laws. Photo: courtesy of supakitmod/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net.