PIPES Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 5301

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Transportation and Public Works

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-09-17: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Last Updated

2026-06-11T23:26:36Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Promoting Innovation in Pipeline Efficiency and Safety Act of 2025 (PIPES Act of 2025) aims to improve the safety of pipeline transportation systems in the United States by amending title 49 of the United States Code. It focuses on enhancing regulations, funding, and oversight for gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipelines, while promoting innovation, workforce development, and information sharing to prevent accidents, reduce risks, and support emerging technologies like hydrogen blending and carbon capture.

Key Provisions

The bill includes authorizations for funding, new definitions, regulatory reforms, studies, and programs across 32 sections. Major elements are grouped below:

• Funding and Authorizations (Sec. 2):
• Authorizes increasing appropriations from pipeline safety fees for fiscal years 2026–2029, totaling over $800 million for gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety, including $9 million annually for specific programs and up to $79 million for state grants.
• Allocates $30–$31.5 million annually from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for hazardous liquid activities.
• Increases funding for operational expenses ($31.7–$34 million), one-call notification programs ($2 million/year), emergency response grants, community information grants ($2.25–$3 million), technical assistance ($1.25–$2 million), and damage prevention ($2 million/year).
• Establishes a new grant program (Sec. 60144) for publicly owned natural gas distribution systems, authorizing $150 million annually (2027–2029) from the General Fund to repair or replace high-risk infrastructure, prioritizing rural and distressed areas.

• Definitions and Scope Expansion (Sec. 3):
• Expands definitions to include carbon dioxide pipelines and transportation, defining "carbon dioxide" as streams over 50% CO2 (excluding solid form), and distinguishing interstate/intrastate facilities.
• Introduces terms like "de-identified" data (removing identifiers for privacy), "non-public pipeline safety data," and "Tribal" (relating to federally recognized Indian Tribes).

• Workforce and Regulatory Processes (Secs. 4–10):
• Allows PHMSA (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) to add up to 30 technical experts for policy and rulemaking; requires a report on hiring barriers and staffing.
• Mandates monthly updates on overdue rulemakings ("outstanding mandates") from prior laws, with notifications to Congress upon completion.
• Requires periodic reviews (every 4 years) of incorporated industry standards, with public lists of decisions and free online access; GAO to review compliance.
• Establishes annual inspection priority reports and summaries of federal/state inspections, including violations.
• Reforms technical safety standards committees for more frequent meetings and better reporting.
• Expresses congressional intent for early stakeholder engagement in rulemakings.
• Renames and expands the Office of Public Engagement to improve outreach on safety practices.

• Safety Standards and Operations (Secs. 11–17, 25, 29, 32):
• Finalizes rules on class location changes (population density affecting safety standards) and idled pipelines (applying safety rules to inactive lines).
• Allows alternative rights-of-way maintenance methods (e.g., vegetation management for wildlife) if equally safe.
• Requires studies and rulemakings on composite materials for hydrogen pipelines, geohazards (e.g., earthquakes, floods), special permits (with 18-month review limits), and maximum allowable operating pressure reconfirmation using historical tests.
• Expands CO2 pipeline regulations, including standards for storage incidental to transport, dispersion modeling for high-consequence areas, and integration into existing safety frameworks (e.g., integrity management, emergency plans).

• Damage Prevention and Enforcement (Secs. 18, 21–22, 26):
• Enhances state grants for one-call programs (excavation notifications) by requiring "leading practices" (e.g., ticket limits, training, positive responses); mandates biennial reports on damages.
• Adds criminal penalties (up to 10 years imprisonment) for knowingly causing defects or disrupting pipeline operations (e.g., valve tampering).
• Increases maximum civil penalties from $2 million to $3.412 million per violation.
• Requires formal hearings for high-penalty enforcement actions (over $125,000) and public hearing protocols.

• Studies, Reports, and Innovation (Secs. 14–16, 19–20, 28, 30–31):
• Directs studies by National Academies, GAO, or PHMSA on integrity management effectiveness, hydrogen blending in pipelines, costs of failures (including cyber incidents), safety information disclosure, and localized emergency alerts.
• Establishes a Competitive Academic Agreement Program allowing 100% federal funding for small/mid-sized institutions (under 17,500 students).
• Creates a Voluntary Information-Sharing System (VIS) for de-identified safety data, governed by a balanced board, exempt from FOIA and discovery in most cases to encourage participation.

• Coordination and Grants (Secs. 23–24, 27):
• Forms a Liquefied Natural Gas Regulatory Safety Working Group for interagency coordination on LNG facilities.
• Requires annual budget estimates for state pipeline safety grants, aiming for 80% federal cost coverage.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Funding Increases: Replaces prior authorizations (e.g., 2021–2023 levels) with higher amounts for 2026–2029, adding CO2 pipelines to fee collections and grants; introduces General Fund grants for community infrastructure.
• CO2 Pipeline Integration: Newly regulates CO2 pipelines under chapter 601, including definitions, safety standards (e.g., part 195 updates), state certifications, and user fees; excludes long-term geologic storage under EPA rules.
• Regulatory Streamlining: Mandates timelines for rulemakings, special permits, and standard updates; allows waivers of regulations for workforce incentives and alternative maintenance.
• Enforcement Enhancements: Boosts penalties, adds criminal provisions for sabotage-like acts, and formalizes hearings; expands damage prevention criteria and VIS protections (confidentiality, FOIA exemptions).
• Idled Pipelines and MAOP: Applies safety rules to idled lines; defers reconfirmation for historically tested pipelines pending a working group report and rulemaking.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: PHMSA gains resources (funding, staff) for oversight but faces new mandates (e.g., studies, reports, VIS management), potentially increasing workload; states receive more grants but must adopt leading practices; interagency coordination improves for LNG/CO2.
• Citizens and Communities: Enhanced safety reduces accident risks (e.g., leaks, explosions), with grants aiding rural/municipal upgrades; better public engagement and alerts improve awareness and emergency response; economic costs from failures (e.g., energy price spikes) may decrease.
• Pipeline Operators: New requirements (e.g., CO2 standards, data sharing) raise compliance costs but offer innovations (e.g., hydrogen composites, alternatives); VIS encourages voluntary safety improvements without punitive use.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though CO2/hydrogen provisions support U.S. climate goals (e.g., carbon capture) and align with global standards; studies on international blending practices may inform exports.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Pipeline Operators: Gas, hazardous liquid, and emerging CO2/hydrogen transporters (e.g., utilities, energy firms) face new regulations, grants, and data-sharing incentives.
• Government Entities: PHMSA (federal oversight), states/Tribes (certified programs, grants), and emergency responders (better coordination, alerts).
• Public and Communities: Residents near pipelines, especially in high-risk/rural areas, benefit from safety enhancements; advocacy groups influence VIS and studies.
• Industry and Academia: Vendors, standards organizations, and small institutions gain from academic programs and innovation studies.
• Environmental/Safety Groups: Input on geohazards, CO2, and rights-of-way; protections for pollinator habitats.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens federal preemption under chapter 601 for CO2 pipelines while preserving state roles; VIS's FOIA/discovery exemptions (with criminal/mandatory reporting exceptions) balance confidentiality and accountability, potentially limiting litigation but raising transparency concerns. Formal hearings enhance due process in enforcement.
• Constitutional: No apparent challenges; expands executive rulemaking with congressional oversight (e.g., reports), aligning with administrative law; Tribal definitions ensure sovereignty in consultations/grants.
• Political: Bipartisan sponsors signal broad support for energy security and safety; promotes clean energy transitions (CO2/hydrogen) amid climate debates, but increased fees/penalties may face industry pushback; studies/reports foster evidence-based policy without mandating major overhauls.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]

Cosponsors (4)

Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2], Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-09-17: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
• 2025-09-17: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
• 2025-09-17: Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Discharged
• 2025-09-15: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
• 2025-09-11: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-09-11: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-09-11: Introduced in House
• 2025-09-11: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Promoting Innovation in Pipeline Efficiency and Safety Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-11 — PDF (107 pages)