SAFER Pipelines Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-5120
Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4]
Introduced: 2019-11-15 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accidents
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advanced technology and technological innovations
Air quality
Building construction
Business records
Civil actions and liability
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Department of Transportation
Earth sciences
Emergency communications systems
Emergency planning and evacuation
Employee hiring
Energy research
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Environmental regulatory procedures
First responders and emergency personnel
Geography and mapping
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Intergovernmental relations
Members of Congress
Minority employment
Natural disasters
Oil and gas
Pipelines
Pollution liability
Research administration and funding
Research and development
State and local government operations
Student aid and college costs
Transportation costs
Transportation employees
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security
User charges and fees
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Wages and earnings
Women's employment

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-15
text: 

Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Environmentally Responsible Pipelines Act of 2019 or the SAFER Pipelines Act of 2019

 
This bill addresses pipeline safety with respect to natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines.
 
Among other things, the bill
 
 
reauthorizes appropriations through FY2023 for pipeline safety activities;
 
prioritizes assessment methods for transmission pipelines that can provide a greater level of safety than direct assessment, including the use of internal inspection devices or pressure testing;
 
makes it mandatory for each operator of a transmission pipeline facility in a high consequence area to install automatic or remote shutoff valves;
 
directs owners and operators of gas or hazardous liquid pipeline facilities to make critical operational information available to surrounding communities and first responders;
 
increases civil penalties for violations and revises the criminal penalty standard from 
knowingly and willfully
 to 
knowingly or recklessly
;
 
requires advanced leak-detection that can identify leak locations and amounts released on gas pipelines; and
 
directs the Department of Transportation to finalize a rule on gas gathering lines.
 

action_date: 2020-12-17
text: 

Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Environmentally Responsible Pipelines Act of 2019 or the SAFER Pipelines Act of 2019

 
This bill addresses natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines safety.
 
Among other things, the bill
 
 
reauthorizes pipeline safety activities through FY2023;
 
prioritizes assessment methods for transmission pipelines that can provide a greater level of safety than direct assessment, including the use of internal inspection devices or pressure testing;
 
makes it mandatory for each operator of a transmission pipeline facility in a high consequence area to install automatic or remote shutoff valves;
 
directs owners and operators of gas or hazardous liquid pipeline facilities to make critical operational information available to surrounding communities and first responders;
 
increases civil penalties for violations and revises the criminal penalty standard from 
knowingly and willfully
 to 
knowingly or recklessly
;
 
requires advanced leak-detection that can identify leak locations and amounts released on gas pipelines; 
 
directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to finalize a rule on gas gathering lines; and
 
authorizes DOT to establish a confidential and nonpunitive voluntary information-sharing system to improve natural gas transmission and hazardous liquid pipeline safety. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-12-17
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 545.
action_date: 2020-12-17
text: Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
action_date: 2020-12-17
text: Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
action_date: 2020-12-17
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 116-661, Part I.
action_date: 2020-12-17
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 116-661, Part I.
action_date: 2019-11-20
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 32 - 26.
action_date: 2019-11-20
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2019-11-20
text: Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Discharged.
action_date: 2019-11-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
action_date: 2019-11-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2019-11-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2019-11-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2019-11-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-11-15
text: Introduced in House