The current regulations, developed decades before any US Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) export facilities existed, are woefully out of date and in need of modernization. In recent years, the United States has considerably increased its LNG footprint and become the number one exporter of the super-chilled, dense energy source, as the Trump Administration continues these efforts it’s paramount strong safety standards are put into place.
Bellingham, WASHINGTON – [April 29, 2025] – Following their drafting in the 1970s, the existing LNG safety rules were finalized and then enacted in the 1980s and aimed at regulating “peak shaving.” Peak shaving is when LNG is used to help power natural gas power plants when those power plants are at the point of peak demand.
In both 2016 and 2020, as part of the PIPES Act, Congress mandated the federal pipeline regulator, Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to update the LNG regulations. In addition, in Aug. 2020, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the federal government’s internal “congressional” watchdog made a strong recommendation that PHMSA follow through on updating the LNG safety regulations.
PHMSA announced the first step in updating the regulations, by seeking stakeholder input on a variety of surprisingly fundamental questions to inform the rulemaking process. In its recent announcement of the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), PHMSA also committed to holding a public meeting where the agency plans to address comments it receives about the proposed rule, a step in the right direction. However, the ANPRM itself references the Trump Administration’s Executive Order “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” and asks stakeholders to offer ideas on how the agency can “best design a rulemaking to update its Part 193 regulations for LNG facilities to be deregulatory and lead to cost savings for the industry.”
“While it’s wonderful to see PHMSA finally addressing the long-outdated LNG safety regulations, it’s hard to reconcile this effort with PHMSA’s references to this being deregulatory. The Pipeline Safety Trust urges PHMSA to center this regulatory update on strengthening safety protections for communities near LNG facilities, rather than primarily focusing on operational efficiencies.” Pipeline Safety Trust Executive Director Bill Caram said. “The agency should also consider applying public awareness, public engagement, and SMS requirements in addition to the mentioned National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 59A-2023 standard to LNG facilities. There are many regulatory gaps that would not be met by simply adopting a newer version of one standard.”
###
About Pipeline Safety Trust: The Pipeline Safety Trust is a nonprofit public watchdog promoting pipeline safety through education and advocacy by increasing access to information, and by building partnerships with residents, safety advocates, government, and industry, that result in safer communities and a healthier environment.
For More Information Contact: Kenneth Clarkson, Communications Director -
Download the full press release here.
I hoping they don’t need to follow the “President” and continue on with their plans to update the regulations, other wise more people will die from accidents. If they have the money to go ahead, I’d like to have them follow along with their plans for the good of the people how live near the areas that would possible for explosion’s. This is very important and Trump should nor stop them.
Now you can think of the pipelines/storage here in Gibbstown, Gloucester County, NJ.