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United States · Law · S

S. 2276 (114th)

PIPES Act of 2016

enactedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

10 November 2015

Last action

—

Status

Became Public Law No: 114-183.

Sponsors

—

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

4 March 2026

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Summary

Securing America's Future Energy: Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act or the SAFE PIPES Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2019 the gas and hazardous liquid pipeline and related programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT). DOT shall make periodic reports to Congress on the status of a final rule for required pipeline safety regulations for which no interim final rule or direct final rule has been issued, and any other significant rulemaking. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall report on the natural gas integrity management and hazardous liquid integrity management programs. After completion of any pipeline safety inspection, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), or the head of the agency leading the inspection, shall: conduct a post-inspection briefing with the operator outlining concerns; or issue the operator a final report, notice of amendment of plans or procedures, safety order, or corrective action order. DOT shall study improving damage prevention through technological improvements in location and communications practices to prevent accidental excavation damage to a pipe or its coating. The PHMSA shall review its staff resource management, and may certify the existence of any severe shortage of qualified candidates or a critical hiring need for a PHMSA position or group of positions. In developing a research and development program plan for pipeline facility integrity, the PHMSA shall: (1) create opportunities for joint research ventures with non-federal entities, and (2) permit collaborative research and development projects with appropriate non-federal organizations. DOT shall convene a working group to consider development of a voluntary no-fault information sharing system to encourage collaborative efforts to improve inspection information feedback and information sharing regarding natural gas transmission and hazardous liquid pipeline integrity risk analysis. DOT shall: report on the feasibility of a national integrated pipeline safety regulatory inspection database to improve communication and collaboration between the PHMSA and state pipeline regulators; and issue minimum uniform safety standards for the operation, environmental protection, and integrity management of underground natural gas storage facilities. The PHMSA and an operator shall each consider the impact of a worst-case discharge of hazardous liquid, or the substantial threat of one, into or on any navigable waters or adjoining shorelines that may be covered by ice. DOT shall revise certain regulations to state explicitly that the Great Lakes are a U.S.A. ecological resource for purposes of determining whether a pipeline is in a high consequence area. The GAO shall report on the staffing, resource allocation, oversight strategy, and management of the Transportation Security Administration's pipeline security program and other surface transportation programs.

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Documents

17 official files

Enrolled Bill (text)

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