Subcommittee Markup of HR 3432 – Pipeline Safety

The Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a markup hearing on HR 3432, the Safer Pipelines Act of 2019, tomorrow. The bill was introduced earlier this week and an official copy of the bill has not yet been published. A Committee print of the bill is available.

A quick review of that print indicates that this is an authorization bill for the pipeline safety activities of DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA). I have not yet had a chance to do an in depth review of the bill but it does include provisions making modification to current requirements for:

• Integrity management programs;

• Pipeline hazard communication requirements;

• Emergency preparedness planning; and

• The adjustment of civil and criminal penalties for violations of pipeline safety rules and regulations.

Additionally, §6 of the bill includes the same mandamus provisions found in HR 3290.

The markup notice indicates that at least one amendment will be considered to HR 3432. That amendment proposed by Rep. Kennedy (D,MA) would add six new sections to the bill. Again, I have not yet had a chance to do an in depth review of the amendment, but it looks very similar to HR 2139 that was cosponsored by Kennedy. HR 2139 has not yet been referred to the Energy Subcommittee and no action has been taken on that bill.