HR5301-119

What This Bill Does

The PIPES Act of 2025 is a broad pipeline-safety reauthorization. It authorizes PHMSA gas and hazardous-liquid pipeline safety funding from user fees for fiscal years 2026 through 2029, rising from $181.4 million in 2026 to $206.6 million in 2029, with state grants rising from $73 million to $79 million. It also authorizes Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund amounts for hazardous-liquid safety work, rising from $30 million to $33 million over the same period.

The bill pushes PHMSA to publish updates on overdue rulemakings, make inspection activity available electronically, create or rename an Office of Public Engagement, report on state pipeline-safety grant reimbursement, and study pipeline failure costs. It adds carbon dioxide pipeline safety language, requires studies or rulemaking work on hydrogen and composite materials, creates a confidential voluntary information-sharing system for pipeline safety data, and directs work on geohazards, integrity management, excavation damage prevention, localized emergency alerts, LNG regulatory coordination, and maximum allowable operating pressure.

Who Benefits and How

PHMSA benefits from multi-year authorization and clearer program direction. State pipeline safety agencies benefit from grant funding and budget reporting aimed at 80 percent reimbursement. Municipal and community-owned natural gas utilities benefit from SECURE Natural Gas grants for replacing vulnerable infrastructure. Pipeline operators benefit from rights-of-way flexibility, class-location rule updates, special permit process changes, formal hearing rights, and temporary relief from some maximum allowable operating pressure reconfirmation requirements. Academic institutions benefit from pipeline-safety research funding, and communities near pipelines benefit from public engagement, emergency-alert, and safety-data initiatives.

Who Bears the Burden and How

PHMSA and DOT staff must administer the reauthorization, publish rulemaking updates, manage studies, create working groups, and run the voluntary information-sharing system. Pipeline operators face higher civil penalties, expanded carbon dioxide safety coverage, reporting expectations, and continued integrity-management obligations. Carbon dioxide pipeline operators must prepare for federal safety standards tied to liquid or supercritical CO2 transportation. LNG project sponsors must coordinate with federal regulators under the LNG provisions. People who damage or disrupt pipeline infrastructure face stronger criminal exposure. Congressional committees must review more notifications and reports.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes PHMSA gas and hazardous-liquid pipeline safety funding for fiscal years 2026 through 2029.
• Provides state pipeline-safety grant funding and requires reporting on reimbursement levels.
• Requires public updates on outstanding pipeline rulemaking mandates and inspection activity.
• Establishes a confidential voluntary information-sharing system for pipeline safety data.
• Adds carbon dioxide pipeline safety provisions and directs hydrogen and composite-materials studies.
• Modifies rights-of-way management, class-location changes, special permits, formal hearings, and maximum allowable operating pressure requirements.
• Increases penalties for pipeline infrastructure disruption and requires studies on geohazards, integrity management, failure costs, and emergency alerts.