HR 2100 Introduced – PALS Act

Back in March Rep Nehls (R,TX) introduced HR 2100, the Providing Americans with LNG Safely (PALS) Act. The bill would prohibit DOT from taking action to stop the shipment of liquified natural gas (LNG) by rail. This is very similar to S 1012 that was introduced earlier this year in the Senate, but Nehls added a cute name.

Prohibition on Action

The very short bill would specifically stop DOT from taking two different types of regulatory action concerning the shipment of LNG by rail. The first would be a prohibition against issuing any regulation or long-term order that prohibits the transportation of LNG by rail. The second would prevent similar DOT actions that would restrict or contract the scope of PHMSA’s final rule authorizing the shipment of LNG by rail that was issued last year.

The bill does specifically state that: “Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary of Transportation from issuing short-term emergency orders related to the transportation of liquefied natural gas by rail.”

Moving Forward

While Nehls is a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration, and a cosponsor is Ranking Member Graves (R,MO), there is no way that this bill will be considered in Committee. This is almost a strictly party-divided issue. Even in a nearly evenly divided House, this bill could never make it to the floor for consideration.