Congress members urge DOT to finalize gas pipeline leak detection rule

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, led 40 lawmakers in urging the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to finalize a Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair Rule.

The rule, the lawmakers said, is needed to reduce methane pollution and strengthen protective standards for the use of advanced leak detection technologies and faster leak repairs on natural gas pipelines.

In a bicameral letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the legislators said the rule is urgently needed and they are concerned to see further delays in the projected finalization schedule.

“This rulemaking is already far behind schedule. Congress directed PHMSA in the bipartisan PIPES Act of 2020 to finalize advanced leak detection standards by the end of 2021. After the proposed rule was released in May 2023, the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) was expected to complete its review of the proposed rule in December 2023, but the process was extended to provide for an additional meeting in March 2024. Now that GPAC has completed review of the rule, PHMSA should act promptly to finalize the rule, consistent with the agency’s authority to set minimum pipeline standards designed to meet the need for pipeline safety and environmental protection,” the lawmakers wrote.

The legislators end the letter by encouraging the Department of Transportation and PHMSA to finalize the proposed protective standards as soon as possible.

Their request is endorsed by Environmental Defense Fund, Pipeline Safety Trust, League of Conservation Voters, Evangelical Environmental Network, Earthworks, Sierra Club, and Western Organization of Resource Councils.

“Strong safeguards are needed to protect public safety and the environment from pipeline leaks which cause methane pollution, accelerate climate change and put communities at risk. PHMSA must act rapidly to finalize strong standards for gas pipeline leak detection and repair as quickly as possible. We applaud Sen. Heinrich, Rep. Peters and the over 30 other members of Congress who signed onto this letter for their support of finalizing this urgently needed action,” Erin Murphy, Environmental Defense Fund senior attorney for energy markets & utility regulation, said.

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