The American Gas Association (AGA) is working in D.C. to ensure reauthorization of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) through 2019.
The agency works to maintain and improve the security of the nation's energy pipeline network.
Ron Bradley, vice president of gas operations of PECO, based in Philadelphia, testified on behalf of AGA at a House Subcommittee on Energy and Power hearing recently. Bradley called for reauthorization of the agency to further the goals of the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty and Job Creation Act of 2011, which he said has yet to be fully implemented.
“We commend the House Energy and Commerce Committee for emphasizing this in their draft bill," Bradley said. "Enacting new laws and regulations before existing regulations have been finalized and work is complete creates uncertainty that could potentially impact our shared safety goals. In the case of the unanimously passed 2011 Act, several regulations have yet to be promulgated or finalized.”
The AGA, however, is anxious about Section 15 of the agency-reauthorization bill, which would allow lawsuits seeking injunctions against PHMSA for failure to perform non-discretionary duties, whether or not PHMSA was exercising its mandated authority. The energy industry fears that this would dilute federal regulatory power and divert PHMSA's attention from pipeline safety as it deals with such litigation.
Cheryl Campbell, senior vice president of gas for Xcel Energy, agreed with Bradley in testimony at a hearing held recently by the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, saying it was important to implement the measures in the 2011 pipeline act before passing any legislation allowing the aforementioned lawsuits or other new regulations.
The bill, Securing America's Future Energy: Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act (SAFE PIPES Act), was sponsored by Senators Deb Fischer, Cory Booker, Steve Daines, Gary Peters, Chairman John Thune, and Ranking Member Bill Nelson. In December, it was passed by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and awaits approvable by President Obama.
In other congressional activity, the AGA praised a Senate committee for advancing S. 2276, the Securing America’s Future Energy: Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (SAFE PIPES) Act.
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