considered, and provide an opportunity for public 
comment for not less than 60 days. 
‘‘(2) RESPONSE FROM SECRETARY.—Not later 
than the date on which the Secretary issues an order 
providing an effective date of a testing program no-
ticed under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall re-
spond to each comment submitted under that para-
graph. 
‘‘(k) REPORT.—At the conclusion of each testing pro-
gram, the Secretary shall make publicly available on the 
website of the Department of Transportation a report con-
taining— 
‘‘(1) the findings and conclusions of the Sec-
retary with respect to the testing program; and 
‘‘(2) any recommendations of the Secretary 
with respect to the testing program, including any 
recommendations for amendments to laws (including 
regulations) and the establishment of standards, 
that— 
‘‘(A) would enhance the safe operation of 
interstate gas or hazardous liquid pipeline fa-
cilities; and 
‘‘(B) are technically, operationally, and 
economically feasible. 
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‘‘(l) STANDARDS.—If a report under subsection (k) 
indicates that it is practicable to establish technically, 
operationally, and economically feasible standards for the 
use of a safety-enhancing technology and any correspond-
ing operational practices tested by the testing program de-
scribed in the report, the Secretary, as soon as practicable 
after submission of the report, may promulgate regula-
tions consistent with chapter 5 of title 5 (commonly known 
as the ‘Administrative Procedures Act’) that— 
‘‘(1) allow operators of interstate gas or haz-
ardous liquid pipeline facilities to use the relevant 
technology or practice to the extent practicable; and 
‘‘(2) establish technically, operationally, and 
economically feasible standards for the capability 
and deployment of the technology or practice.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 601 of title 49, United States Code, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘60143. Pipeline safety technology testing programs.’’. 
SEC. 12. PIPELINE SAFETY VOLUNTARY INFORMATION- 
SHARING SYSTEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 601 of title 49, United 
States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘§ 60144. Voluntary information-sharing system 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability 
of funds, the Secretary may establish a confidential 
and nonpunitive voluntary information-sharing sys-
tem (referred to in this section as the ‘System’) to 
encourage collaborative efforts to improve inspection 
information feedback and information sharing, with 
the purpose of improving natural gas transmission 
and hazardous liquid pipeline safety. 
‘‘(2) COMPONENTS.—The System— 
‘‘(A) shall include pipeline integrity risk 
analysis information; and 
‘‘(B) may include other information relat-
ing to reducing pipeline incidents, such as— 
‘‘(i) lessons learned from accidents 
and near misses; 
‘‘(ii) process improvements; 
‘‘(iii) technology deployments; and 
‘‘(iv) other voluntary information- 
sharing systems. 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENT.—The System shall protect 
proprietary information while encouraging the ex-
change of data, including in-line inspection and dig 
verification data, among operators, tool vendors, and 
the representatives of the Secretary to facilitate the 
development of— 
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‘‘(A) advanced pipeline-inspection tech-
nologies; and 
‘‘(B) enhanced risk analysis. 
‘‘(4) CONSULTATION.—If appropriate, the Sec-
retary may involve other public and private stake-
holders in establishing and maintaining the System. 
‘‘(b) DATA MANAGER.—In carrying out this section, 
the Secretary may engage a partner agency or nongovern-
mental entity to receive, store, manage, and provide for 
the use of— 
‘‘(1) system data; and 
‘‘(2) information submitted to the System. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON DISCLOSURE.— 
‘‘(1) APPLICABILITY OF FOIA.—Any part of any 
record (including, but not limited to an analysis by 
a pipeline operator of the safety risks of the pipeline 
operator and a statement of the mitigation measures 
identified by the pipeline operator to address those 
risks) provided to the Secretary and retained in the 
System is exempt from the requirements of section 
552 of title 5, and specifically exempt from release 
under subsection (b)(3) of that section, if the record 
is— 
‘‘(A) supplied to the Secretary for purposes 
of the System; or 
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‘‘(B) made available for inspection and 
copying by an officer, employee, or agent of the 
Secretary for purposes of the System. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding paragraph 
(1), the Secretary in consultation with the informa-
tion owner, may disclose deidentified material or any 
part of any record comprised of facts otherwise 
available to the public if, in the sole discretion of the 
Secretary, the Secretary determines that disclosure 
would be consistent with the confidentiality needed 
for the System and improve pipeline safety. 
‘‘(d) EXCLUDED EVIDENCE.—Except as provided in 
subsection (f), any data or information submitted to or 
stored, managed, analyzed, or produced by the System 
shall not be used— 
‘‘(1) as evidence for any purpose in any Fed-
eral, State, local, Tribal, or private litigation, includ-
ing any action or proceeding; or 
‘‘(2) to support any corrective action relating to 
a probable violation under this chapter (including 
any regulation promulgated or order issued under 
this chapter). 
‘‘(e) EXCLUSION FROM DISCOVERY.—Except as pro-
vided in subsection (f), any data or information submitted 
to or stored, managed, analyzed, or produced by the Sys-
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tem shall not be subject to discovery in any Federal, State, 
local, Tribal, or private litigation or other proceeding. 
‘‘(f) LIMITATIONS ON EXCLUSION.—The exclusions 
described in subsections (d) and (e) shall not apply to— 
‘‘(1) evidence of a knowing and willful violation; 
‘‘(2) a reportable release under sections 191.7 
or 195.50 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations 
(or a successor regulation); 
‘‘(3) a safety-related condition under sections 
191.7 or 195.55 of title 49, Code of Federal Regula-
tions (or a successor regulation); or 
‘‘(4) data or information obtained by the Sec-
retary independently of the System. 
‘‘(g) GOVERNING BOARD.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall establish a governing board co-chaired by the Admin-
istrator and a representative of the pipeline industry to— 
‘‘(1) govern the System through consensus of 
the board and co-chairs; 
‘‘(2) develop governance documents and oversee 
their enforcement; and 
‘‘(3) establish and appoint members of issue 
analysis teams; 
‘‘(h) CONFIDENTIALITY.—No person, including any 
System governing board member, program manager, 
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third-party data manager, issue analysis team member, 
nor any Federal, State, local or tribal agency, having or 
obtaining access to any data or information submitted to, 
stored, managed, analyzed or produced by the System, 
shall release or communicate that information to any per-
son outside the System, with the sole exception being the 
publication of reports by the System based on analysis of 
de-identified information and safety related findings that 
the System governing board in its sole discretion deter-
mines to publish or authorize the Administration to pub-
lish. 
‘‘(i) VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION.—No person may 
be compelled to participate in or submit data or informa-
tion to the System. 
‘‘(j) SUSTAINABLE FUNDING.—The Secretary shall 
explore sustainable funding sources for the System, in-
cluding public-private partnerships. 
‘‘(k) EFFECT.—Nothing in this section affects any 
Federal or State pipeline safety law. 
‘‘(l) LIMITATION ON FUNDING.—The Secretary may 
expend not more than $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2020 through 2024 to establish the System. 
‘‘(m) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Notwithstanding the pro-
tections provided under this section, no pipeline operator 
may use the submission of information to the System as 
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protection against enforcement actions or corrective orders 
that are based on information or evidence obtained outside 
of the System.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 601 of title 49, United States Code, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘60144.Voluntary information-sharing system.’’. 
SEC. 13. USER FEES. 
Section 60301(d)(1) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) related to a liquefied natural gas 
pipeline facility may be used only for an activity 
related to liquefied natural gas pipeline facility 
under this chapter; and’’. 
SEC. 14. USER FEES FOR UNDERGROUND NATURAL GAS 
STORAGE FACILITIES. 
Section 60302 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
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(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) may only be used to the extent pro-
vided in advance in an appropriations Act.’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (3) of subsection (c); 
and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) LIMITATIONS.—Fees imposed under subsection 
(a) shall be sufficient to pay for the costs of activities de-
scribed in subsection (c), except that the total amount col-
lected for a fiscal year may not be more than 105 percent 
of the total amount of the appropriations made for the 
fiscal year activities to be financed by fees.’’. 
SEC. 15. LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS FACILITY SAFETY. 
(a) LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS FACILITY STANDARDS 
UPDATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall— 
(A) review the minimum operating and 
maintenance standards for liquefied natural gas 
facilities, including small scale liquefied natural 
gas facilities, peak shaving facilities, and large- 
scale liquefied natural gas facilities, prescribed 
under section 60103(d) of title 49, United 
States Code; and 
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(B) based on the review under subpara-
graph (A), update the safety standards de-
scribed in that paragraph applicable to liquefied 
natural gas facilities to provide for a risk-based 
regulatory approach. 
(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In updating the min-
imum standards under paragraph (1)(B), the Sec-
retary shall consider the report prepared under sub-
section (d)(5). 
(3) REQUIREMENTS.—The updates to the 
standards required under this section shall, at a 
minimum, require operators, consistent with recog-
nized and generally accepted good engineering prac-
tices— 
(A) to develop and maintain written safety 
information 
identifying 
hazards 
associated 
with— 
(i) the processes of liquefied natural 
gas conversion, storage, and transport; 
(ii) equipment used in the processes; 
and 
(iii) technology used in the processes; 
(B) to conduct a hazard assessment, in-
cluding the identification of potential sources of 
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