Energy Subcommittee Hearing: Strengthening American Energy: A Review of Pipeline Safety Policy
2025-07-22
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Source: Congress.gov
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Are you ready? Well, good morning. Chair calls a subcommittee on energy to order, and the chair recognizes himself for five minutes for an opening statement. And welcome to today's hearing, Strengthening American Energy, Review of Pipeline Safety Policy. And I want to thank our witnesses for participating today. We will examine the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's PHMSA Pipeline Safety Program. PHMSA is a Department of Transportation agency tasked with developing and enforcing federal safety regulations for the nation's onshore pipeline infrastructure and the transportation of hazardous materials. The witnesses before us represent different segments of PHMSA regulated community and can provide important perspectives on the reauthorization of PHMSA. Pipelines are the safest and most efficient mode of transportation for oil, natural gas, liquid energy products, and hazardous materials, and they play an instrumental role in delivering the products that drive our nation's economy forward. The agency has about 3.3 million miles of pipelines under its purview. In order to ensure these pipelines are operated in a safe and reliable manner, FINSA partners and coordinates with states to administer pipeline safety programs and inspect infrastructure within a state's boundaries. FINTA was last authorized in protecting our infrastructure pipelines and enhancing safety act, the Pipes Act of 2020, through fiscal year of 2023. It is my belief that we can work in a bipartisan fashion in this Congress with our House and Senate colleagues to reauthorize FINTA to continue carrying out its mission and associated duties.
This subcommittee has a responsibility to ensure FINTA maintains a strong focus on safety and operates within its statutory authorities. The Pipes Act of 2020 included several statutorily mandated rulemakings that never fully got out of the gate under the previous administration. Today, the subcommittee will examine implementation of the Pipes Act to ensure that FSMA is on track to carry out congressional intent in a cost-effective and workable manner. Additionally, the subcommittee will examine new challenges and opportunities for pipeline safety. For example, the replacement of aging infrastructure must be a top priority for FINSA, states, and pipeline operators, but it presents costs and operational challenges. Especially as energy demand is projected to increase significantly in the immediate future, the upgrading of our natural gas network must be prioritized to ensure the safe transportation of natural gas and other important energy sources and products. While substantial progress has been made in replacing aging pipes, there is still work to be done. I look forward to the hearing from our witnesses on how FUSA can help address the remaining 1% of the iron distribution pipes. American innovations and net technologies like artificial intelligence technology also present opportunities to bolster the quality of risk assessments and advance safety towards our collective goal of zero incidents. However, these technologies will also pose challenges to information and operational security. It is important that FISA reauthorization gives the agencies the tools needed to have an effective approach for the opportunities and challenges ahead. In his confirmation hearing last week, Paul Roberti, President Trump's nominee for FISA administrator, committed to pursuing opportunities to utilize new, cost-effective technology to enhance safety. The subcommittee hopes to collaborate with FISA and pipeline operators in this endeavor.
As we look at the reauthorization, it must prioritize the improvements to the agency's core responsibility, which is safety. I'm concerned that the previous administration advanced extraneous priorities and set safety onto the side. However, President Trump's administration is recommitted to this critical mission. I believe this committee can produce a reauthorization that maintains safety as a cornerstone of pipeline safety program. Pipelines are imperative to public safety and the energy security of our nation. I look forward to hearing from the pipeline operators today as we vote on American energy leadership and I want to thank again our witnesses for being here today and I yield back and at this time recognize the gentlelady who the from the 14th district of florida who is the vice or i'm sorry the uh ranking member of the subcommittee for five minutes for an open statement
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Mr. Bill Caram
Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning, everyone. Today's hearing is an important reminder of the role of this committee of ensuring the safety of the public and our energy infrastructure. Congress created the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in 2004, and we charged it with ensuring the safety of nearly 3.3 million miles of pipelines across the country. Now pipelines can be dangerous. There are many hundreds of pipeline safety incidents every year, many that result in death and injury. That's why PHMSA's work in setting safety standards and inspecting interstate pipelines is critical. And for years, Democrats have been focused on ensuring that PHMSA has adequate resources and a strong professional workforce. After a number of deadly accidents and the growing magnitude of aged, leaky and unsafe pipelines, Congress passed the Pipes Act of 2020 to improve the safety of gas gathering lines and pipelines, while also addressing wasteful and dangerous methane gas leakages. Congress followed on in 2021 in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and allocated $1 billion over five years for natural gas distribution infrastructure safety and modernization grants to help replace leak-prone pipelines. I noticed in your opening, Mr. Chairman, you said the Trump administration is recommitted to safety. Oh, no. To the contrary. The Trump administration has halted those safety and modernization grants earlier this year, but multiple lawsuits were filed by states, nonprofits, and local communities challenging the freeze. And on April 17th, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reinstate funding, ruling that the freeze was arbitrary and capricious and violated the law. The Department of Energy and EPA were required to resume disbursement of already awarded safety grant funds.
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