This page serves as a resource for policymakers, agency staff, advocates, and members of the public who are engaged in improving pipeline safety at the national level. Here, you’ll find resources on the federal rulemaking process, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) oversight, congressional committees, and opportunities for public participation in pipeline safety decision-making.
The United States Congress authorizes and directs PHMSA’s work through federal statutes governing pipeline safety. These laws are periodically updated, typically on a four-to-six-year timeline. When these laws are updated, the draft legislation typically goes through multiple committees, often including hearings where lawmakers hear from and ask questions of key stakeholders, before a final version is voted on. PST has testified in front of multiple congressional committees on pipeline safety; you can find that testimony here. This process, sometimes referred to as “reauthorization” gives lawmakers, and in turn their constituents, and opportunity to argue for additional pipeline safety oversight and regulation.
PHMSA then takes the direction it receives from Congress through federal statutes to update existing regulations, and write new regulations related to pipeline safety. These regulatory actions are required to be published in the Federal Register, and PHMSA is required by law to receive public comments on most rulemaking actions. This is another opportunity for members of the public to have their voices heard when it comes to federal pipeline safety policy. PST regularly comments on PHMSA rulemaking notices; you can find our comments here. For more information on this process, please visit PST’s “How to Comment” page.
Congressional Oversight of Pipeline Safety
Several congressional committees and subcommittees oversee PHMSA and federal pipeline safety programs. Several lawmakers from each chamber sit on these committees, representing interests in pipeline safety from across the country. To see if your representative serves on one of these committees, see below for more information.
House of Representatives:
House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
U.S. Senate
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Primary authorizing committee for PHMSA pipeline programs)
- https://www.commerce.senate.gov/
- Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety
The most recent federal pipeline safety: PIPES Act of 2020.
Pipeline Safety Trust’s Six Federal Policy Priorities:
Participating in Federal Pipeline Safety Rulemaking:
Federal pipeline safety regulations are developed by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Proposed rules are published in the Federal Register, and members of the public can formally comment on them during open comment periods. Public comments help to document community concerns and improve regulatory outcomes. For more information, see PST’s page “How to Comment on Pipeline Safety.”