I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5120 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide enhanced safety and 
environmental protection in pipeline transportation, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 15, 2019 
Mr. DEFAZIO (for himself and Mr. PALLONE) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a 
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide enhanced 
safety and environmental protection in pipeline transpor-
tation, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Environmentally Respon-
sible Pipelines Act of 2019’’ or the ‘‘SAFER Pipelines Act 
of 2019’’. 
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 3. Purpose and general authority. 
Sec. 4. State pipeline safety program certifications. 
Sec. 5. State pipeline safety grants. 
Sec. 6. Inspection and maintenance. 
Sec. 7. Risk analysis and integrity management programs. 
Sec. 8. Community right-to-know and emergency preparedness. 
Sec. 9. Cost recovery for design reviews. 
Sec. 10. Actions by private persons. 
Sec. 11. Civil penalties. 
Sec. 12. Criminal penalties. 
Sec. 13. Emergency response grants. 
Sec. 14. Verification of pipeline qualification programs. 
Sec. 15. National pipeline mapping system. 
Sec. 16. Congressional access to oil spill response plans. 
Sec. 17. Leak detection technology. 
Sec. 18. Gas pipeline repair criteria. 
Sec. 19. Methane release mitigation. 
Sec. 20. Unusually sensitive areas. 
Sec. 21. User fees for underground natural gas storage facilities. 
Sec. 22. Seismicity. 
Sec. 23. Pipeline safety testing. 
Sec. 24. Workforce. 
Sec. 25. Hiring report. 
Sec. 26. Plan to combine State damage prevention and one-call notification pro-
grams. 
Sec. 27. Gas gathering lines. 
Sec. 28. Regulatory updates. 
Sec. 29. Component verification. 
Sec. 30. Codification of final rule. 
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation for 
the necessary operational expenses of the Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration the following 
amounts: 
(1) $24,215,000 for fiscal year 2020. 
(2) $24,941,450 for fiscal year 2021. 
(3) $26,460,000 for fiscal year 2022. 
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(4) $27,254,000 for fiscal year 2023. 
(b) 
GAS
AND
HAZARDOUS
LIQUID.—Section 
60125(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs 
(A) through (D) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) $160,800,000 for fiscal year 2020, of 
which $10,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $60,000,000 
shall be expended for making grants; 
‘‘(B) $165,624,000 for fiscal year 2021 of 
which $10,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $61,800,000 
shall be expended for making grants; 
‘‘(C) $170,600,000 for fiscal year 2022, of 
which $10,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $63,650,000 
shall be expended for making grants; and 
‘‘(D) $175,700,000 for fiscal year 2023, of 
which $10,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $65,560,000 
shall be expended for making grants.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraphs 
(A) through (D) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be expended for car-
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rying out such section 12 and $9,000,000 shall 
be expended for making grants; 
‘‘(B) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $9,000,000 shall 
be expended for making grants; 
‘‘(C) $26,000,000 for fiscal year 2022, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $9,000,000 shall 
be expended for making grants; and 
‘‘(D) $26,000,000 for fiscal year 2023, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be expended for car-
rying out such section 12 and $9,000,000 shall 
be expended for making grants.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘$8,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2019’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$9,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 
through 2023’’. 
(c) 
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE
GRANTS.—Section 
60125(b)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 
through 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘$12,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2020 through 2023’’. 
(d) PIPELINE SAFETY INFORMATION GRANTS
TO 
COMMUNITIES.—Section 60130(c) of title 49, United 
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(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) 
and (G) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respec-
tively; and 
(2) by striking paragraphs (3) through (7). 
(b) SAFETY-RELATED CONDITION REPORTING.— 
(1) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION TO FIRST 
RESPONDERS.—Section 60102(h) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘Notice 
of the condition shall be given concurrently to 
appropriate State authorities.’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3)(A) Notice of the condition of an intrastate 
or interstate pipeline facility shall be given concur-
rently to appropriate State authorities. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall require that, upon re-
ceipt of a report on a safety-related condition sub-
mitted under this section, a State agency shall pro-
vide the report, upon request, to any relevant State 
emergency response commission, tribal emergency 
response commission, tribal emergency planning 
committee, local emergency planning committee, 
local government, or public agency responsible for 
emergency response, including any updates to the re-
port received by the State agency.’’. 
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(2) EXEMPTION REMOVAL.—Section 60102(h) 
of title 49, United States Code, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) Regulations prescribed by the Secretary 
under this section may not exempt a condition from 
being subject to reporting requirements if the ex-
emption of such condition would reduce or eliminate 
the value of the reports as leading indicators of safe-
ty or environmental hazards.’’. 
(c) AUTOMATIC
OR REMOTE-CONTROLLED SHUT- 
OFF VALVES.—Section 60102(n)(1) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) HIGH CONSEQUENCE AREAS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of the SAFER 
Pipelines Act of 2019, the Secretary shall issue 
regulations to require operators of transmission 
pipeline facilities to install and use automatic or 
remote-controlled shut-off valves for such pipe-
line facilities that are located in high con-
sequence areas (as defined in part 192 or 195 
of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, as ap-
plicable). 
‘‘(B) OTHER AREAS.—The Secretary may 
issue regulations to require operators of trans-
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mission pipeline facilities to install and use 
automatic or remote-controlled shut-off valves 
for such pipeline facilities that are not located 
in areas described in subparagraph (A).’’. 
(d) CRACK MANAGEMENT.—Section 60102 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(q) CRACK MANAGEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) HIGH
CONSEQUENCE
AREAS.—Not 
later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this subsection, the Secretary shall issue reg-
ulations to require operators of gas pipeline fa-
cilities and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities 
that are located in high consequence areas (as 
defined in part 192 or 195 of title 49, Code of 
Federal Regulations, as applicable) to address 
and repair cracks in such facilities. 
‘‘(B) OTHER AREAS.—The Secretary may 
issue regulations to require operators of gas 
pipeline facilities and hazardous liquid pipeline 
facilities that are not located in areas described 
in subparagraph (A) to address and repair 
cracks in such facilities. 
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‘‘(2) 
REQUIREMENTS.—Regulations 
issued 
under paragraph (1) shall specify— 
‘‘(A) under what conditions an engineering 
assessment of cracks, including environmentally 
assisted cracks, must be performed; 
‘‘(B) acceptable methods for performing an 
engineering assessment on a pipeline, including 
the assessment of cracks coinciding with corro-
sion; 
‘‘(C) criteria for determining whether the 
excavation of a pipeline segment is required due 
to a probable crack, and deadlines for com-
pleting any excavation so required; 
‘‘(D) pressure restriction limits for pipe-
lines for which a determination is made to exca-
vate such pipeline pursuant to the requirements 
of subparagraph (C); and 
‘‘(E) acceptable methods for determining 
crack growth for any cracks not required to be 
repaired 
under 
the 
regulations, 
including 
growth caused by fatigue, corrosion fatigue, or 
stress corrosion cracking, as applicable.’’. 
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SEC. 4. STATE PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAM CERTIFI-
CATIONS. 
Section 60105(e) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘In carrying out this sub-
section, the Secretary may request that a State au-
thority provide records of any inspection of a pipe-
line facility made by the State authority or any in-
vestigation described in subsection (c)(1)(B).’’ after 
‘‘with the certification.’’; and 
(2) by inserting after ‘‘under this subsection’’ 
the following: ‘‘, including, upon request by the Sec-
retary, by authorizing the Secretary to participate in 
such an inspection or investigation’’. 
SEC. 5. STATE PIPELINE SAFETY GRANTS. 
Section 60107 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) GRANTS FOR RENDERING AID.—The Secretary 
may make an additional payment, to a State receiving a 
payment under subsection (a), to pay the costs incurred 
by the State in rendering aid to another State to respond 
to a natural disaster or major pipeline incident.’’. 
SEC. 6. INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE. 
Section 60108 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(f) PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT DATA COL-
LECTION.—The Secretary may require the owner or oper-
ator of a pipeline facility to provide to the Secretary infor-
mation the Secretary determines appropriate regarding 
construction of the pipeline facility, including relating to 
any shutdown of such construction.’’. 
SEC. 7. RISK ANALYSIS AND INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT 
PROGRAMS. 
Section 60109(c) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(12) USE OF DIRECT ASSESSMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) TRANSMISSION PIPELINE FACILITIES 
REGULATION.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this paragraph, the Sec-
retary shall issue regulations for appropriate 
methods of assessment of transmission pipeline 
facilities under paragraph (3) that prioritize 
methods that provide a greater level of safety 
than direct assessment, including the use of in-
ternal inspection devices or pressure testing. 
‘‘(B) DISTRIBUTION PIPELINES STUDY.— 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enact-
ment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Energy and Com-
merce and Transportation and Infrastructure of 
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the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate a report containing— 
‘‘(i) the results of a study of methods 
of assessment of distribution pipelines that 
may be used under paragraph (3), other 
than direct assessment, to determine 
whether any such methods— 
‘‘(I) would provide a greater level 
of safety than direct assessment of 
such pipelines; and 
‘‘(II) are feasible; and 
‘‘(ii) any recommendations based on 
such study.’’. 
SEC. 8. COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW AND EMERGENCY 
PREPAREDNESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 60116 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 60116. Community right-to-know and emergency 
preparedness 
‘‘(a) PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each owner or operator of 
a gas or hazardous liquid pipeline facility shall carry 
out a continuing program to educate the public on— 
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‘‘(A) the use of a one-call notification sys-
tem prior to excavation and other damage pre-
vention activities; 
‘‘(B) the possible hazards associated with 
unintended releases from the pipeline facility; 
and 
‘‘(C) the physical indications that a release 
from a pipeline facility may have occurred, the 
steps that should be taken for public safety in 
the event of such a release, and how to report 
such a release. 
‘‘(2) REVIEW AND MODIFICATION OF EXISTING 
PROGRAMS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the SAFER Pipelines Act of 2019, 
each owner or operator of a gas or hazardous liquid 
pipeline facility shall— 
‘‘(A) review its existing public education 
program for effectiveness, and modify the pro-
gram as necessary; and 
‘‘(B) submit to the Secretary for review a 
detailed description of its public education pro-
gram, including any modifications made to the 
program under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(3) STANDARDS; MATERIAL.—The Secretary 
may— 
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‘‘(A) issue standards for public education 
programs under this subsection, including 
standards providing for periodic review of such 
programs and modification of such programs as 
needed; and 
‘‘(B) develop material for use in the pro-
grams. 
‘‘(b) LIAISON WITH STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE ENTITIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of the SAFER Pipelines Act 
of 2019, an operator of a gas or hazardous liquid 
pipeline facility shall establish liaison with— 
‘‘(A) any State entity with responsibility 
for pipeline emergency response in each State 
in which the pipeline facility is located; 
‘‘(B) the appropriate local emergency plan-
ning entity in each emergency planning district 
in which the pipeline facility is located; and 
‘‘(C) any Tribal entity with responsibility 
for pipeline emergency response or planning in 
the area in which the pipeline facility is located. 
‘‘(2) COMMUNITIES WITHOUT LOCAL OR TRIBAL 
EMERGENCY PLANNING OR RESPONSE ENTITIES.— 
In a community for which a local or Tribal entity 
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described in paragraph (1) does not exist, the oper-
ator of a gas or hazardous liquid pipeline facility 
shall liaise, to the extent practicable, with the local 
fire, police, and other emergency response entities. 
‘‘(3) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(A) EVALUATION.—Not later than 2 
years after the date of enactment of the 
SAFER Pipelines Act of 2019, and based on 
the consultation required under subparagraph 
(C), the Secretary shall conduct an evaluation 
and determine whether State, local, and Tribal 
entities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) 
have sufficient access to pipeline emergency re-
sponse information. 
‘‘(B) REGULATION.—If the Secretary de-
termines under subparagraph (A) that State, 
local, and Tribal entities described in para-
graphs (1) and (2) do not have sufficient access 
to pipeline emergency response information, the 
Secretary shall issue regulations not later than 
3 years after the date of enactment of the 
SAFER Pipelines Act of 2019 specifying rel-
evant emergency response information and re-
quiring each operator of a gas or hazardous liq-
uid pipeline facility to make such information 
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available to the applicable State, local, and 
Tribal entities described in paragraphs (1) and 
(2). 
‘‘(C) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the 
evaluation under subparagraph (A), the Sec-
retary shall consult with national organizations 
representing State, local, and Tribal entities de-
scribed in paragraphs (1) and (2) and the tech-
nical safety standards committees described in 
section 60115.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions for chapter 601 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by striking the item relating to section 60116 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘60116. Community right-to-know and emergency preparedness.’’. 
SEC. 9. COST RECOVERY FOR DESIGN REVIEWS. 
Section 60117(n)(1)(B)(i) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘$2,500,000,000’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$250,000,000’’. 
SEC. 10. ACTIONS BY PRIVATE PERSONS. 
Section 60121 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) MANDAMUS.—A person may bring a civil action 
in an appropriate district court of the United States to 
compel the Secretary to perform a nondiscretionary duty 
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under this chapter that the Secretary has failed to per-
form.’’. 
SEC. 11. CIVIL PENALTIES. 
Section 60122(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$200,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$20,000,000’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘The maximum civil pen-
alty under this paragraph for a related series of 
violations is $2,000,000.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘$50,000’’ and 
inserting ‘‘$20,000,000’’. 
SEC. 12. CRIMINAL PENALTIES. 
Section 60123(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘knowingly and willfully’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘knowingly or recklessly’’. 
SEC. 13. EMERGENCY RESPONSE GRANTS. 
Section 60125(b)(1) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘and local governments in high 
consequence areas, as defined by the Secretary,’’ and in-
serting ‘‘local, and Tribal governments, and nonprofit or-
ganizations providing pipeline emergency response train-
ing,’’. 
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