The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Funding in FY15 Transportation-HUD Appropriations Bill (H.R. 4745)

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Mr. Griffin's (the Gentlemen from Arkansas) amendment to increase funding for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The amendment was adopted and included in H.R. 4745, as passed.

On March 4, 2014, an incident involving a gas line in Ewing, New Jersey resulted in an explosion damaging dozens of homes--destroying some, injuring seven construction workers, and claiming one life.
Although the investigation of this particular accident is ongoing, it is a reminder of the need to properly inspect and operate safely around our country's expanding pipeline infrastructure.

The pipeline in this instance was only a 2 inch line, however elsewhere in Central New Jersey, and around the country, pipelines with much greater capacity are aging. Combined with demand for new energy pipeline infrastructure, many pipelines are now being constructed or expanded.

For instance, a 42-inch pipeline expansion project has been proposed along an existing route in my New Jersey district. I have heard from my constituents about their safety concerns with this project which will require excavation and construction work along an existing, more than 50 year old pipeline, which runs past homes and schools.

Nationally, about one-third of our natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines are over 50 years old.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is primarily responsible for reviewing proposals to build interstate natural gas pipelines, but PHMSA has a role in enforcing regulations and standards for design and construction.

The bill before us today recommends $131,500,000 to continue pipeline safety operations, research and development, and state grants-in-aid, which is $12,413,000 above fiscal year 2014 but $26,500,000 below the President's budget request.

I appreciate the Committee's work to increase funding for PHMSA over the previous fiscal years, and I am happy to support Mr. Griffin's amendment to increase funding in the operational expense account, but even with the adoption of this amendment pipeline safety programs will be funded at $26.5 million less than what the Administration requested.

Fully funding pipeline safety programs at the budget request would support hiring 54 new inspection and enforcement staff, funding for the National Pipeline Information Exchange (NPIX) initiative, and funding for States Pipeline Safety grants.

I hope that the Committee will consider the adoption of this amendment as a sign of Congress' intent to provide more robust funding in support of PHMSA's mission to protect people and the environment from the risks of hazardous materials transportation.

PHMSA has established ambitious goals to reduce pipeline spills and safety incidents, but without the necessary resources we will see past progress halted with more accidents, sometime with deadly consequences, in the future.

I'm glad that the Griffin amendment was adopted without objection by voice vote, and I look forward to working with the Gentlemen on pipeline safety issues in the future.

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