WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA) released the following statement after the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced two rules: a final rule to improve the requirements for the detection and repair of leaks from natural gas distribution, gas transmission, and gas gathering pipelines and a proposed rule to set more specific safety standards for gaseous carbon dioxide pipelines.
"The rules announced by PHMSA this week will improve pipeline safety for communities across the country, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure pipelines remain the safest way to transport hazardous gasses,” Ranking Member Larsen said. “Last Congress, my Democratic colleagues urged PHMSA to finalize a leak detection rule as required in pipeline safety legislation enacted in 2020, and I am glad to see it now adopted. In addition, our Committee unanimously endorsed moving forward with a new carbon dioxide rulemaking in December 2023. While these rules are important to improving pipeline safety, T&I Democrats remain focused on passing a bipartisan pipeline safety bill this Congress.”
Leak Detection Rule
This final rule updates decades-old, federal leak detection and repair standards in favor of new requirements that add an additional layer of safety by deploying commercially available, advanced technologies to find and fix gas leaks that previously may have gone undetected and unrepaired in perpetuity. This rule reflects industry consensus from both public comments and the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee.
Carbon Dioxide Rule
This proposed rule creates regulations specific to gaseous carbon dioxide pipelines to ensure their safety and address the expected growth in carbon dioxide carried in a gaseous state by pipeline.
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