Wojnovich Pipeline Safety Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 6187

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Transportation and Public Works

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-11-21: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

Last Updated

2026-01-07T09:05:50Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Wojnovich Pipeline Safety Act of 2025 aims to enhance the safety and modernization of hazardous liquid pipelines (which transport substances like oil or chemicals) by creating funding opportunities, improving public notifications, strengthening emergency responses, and increasing oversight of pipeline operators. It focuses on reducing risks from leaks, accidents, or failures through better infrastructure, transparency, and accountability.

Key Provisions

• Grant Program for Infrastructure (Section 2): Establishes a program under the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA, a federal agency overseeing pipeline safety) to award grants for upgrading hazardous liquid distribution systems.
• Eligible recipients: Municipalities (local governments) in states that meet disclosure requirements, or non-profit community-owned utilities.
• Allows public-private partnerships for projects.
• Selection criteria: Considers pipeline risk (e.g., leak-prone pipes), job creation potential, and economic benefits.
• Awards: Issued within 270 days of funding availability; no single recipient gets more than 12.5% of funds.
• Funding: $100 million authorized annually from fiscal years 2026 to 2030; up to 2% for administration, 0.5% for Inspector General oversight.

• Website Updates (Section 3): Requires PHMSA to improve its website for easier public access, including clear reports on accidents/incidents and operator-provided remediation updates every 90 days until resolved.

• Public Notification and Preparedness (Section 4):
• Mandates states to require real estate contracts to disclose known hazardous liquid pipelines within 0.5 miles of a property, including operator details, pipeline info, recent repairs, and past incidents (data to be public on PHMSA's website).
• Amends existing federal law (49 U.S.C. § 60102(d)(5)) to require pipeline operators' emergency plans to include a strategy for involving affected communities (e.g., landowners).
• Requires operators to set up localized emergency alerts for communities within 1 mile of pipelines or partner with state alert systems; final rule within 18 months.
• Directs rulemaking within 18 months for standardized testing (e.g., water, soil, air near leaks) and notifications to residents if contamination is found; mandates annual inspections for older pipelines or repaired sections.

• Penalties for Accidents (Section 5): Imposes a $2.5 million penalty on operators for each declared leak, accident, incident, or failure, assessed annually until remediation is certified. Doubles to $5 million if not declared within 15 days of discovery.

• Emergency Reimbursement (Section 6): Provides quick funding (within 30 days of operator declaration) to states, local emergency groups (e.g., fire departments, law enforcement), or response agencies for costs like damaged equipment, overtime pay, operational expenses, or other event-related needs. Covers retroactive costs up to 30 days post-event.

• Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Community Trust Fund (Section 7): Creates a fund in the U.S. Treasury, funded by penalties from Section 5, to support the grant program and reimbursements.

• Quarterly Industry Reports (Section 8): Requires PHMSA to report to Congress every 90 days on new industry knowledge about pipeline safety, incorporating it into regulations or guidance.

• Office of Public Engagement (Section 9): Renames and expands PHMSA's Community Liaison Services into an Office of Public Engagement within 1 year. Duties include engaging stakeholders (public, operators, officials), promoting safety programs, informing on regulations, and assisting inquiries. Ensures public accessibility; includes community liaisons in safety meetings. Requires a report to Congress on implementation within 18 months.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amends 49 U.S.C. § 60102(d)(5) by adding a requirement for community involvement in operators' emergency response plans, building on current federal pipeline safety rules.
• Introduces new mandates for real estate disclosures, emergency alerts, standardized testing procedures, and fixed penalties, which expand beyond prior PHMSA requirements focused mainly on operator compliance and inspections.
• Establishes dedicated funding mechanisms (grants and trust fund) not previously specified for hazardous liquid distribution infrastructure.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: PHMSA and the Department of Transportation (DOT) will face increased administrative duties (e.g., grant management, rulemaking, website updates, reporting), with added funding for oversight but potential resource strains. States must implement disclosure rules to access grants, affecting local real estate processes.
• Citizens: Improves safety near pipelines through better notifications, testing, and alerts, potentially reducing health/environmental risks from leaks. Homebuyers gain more information on property risks; affected residents get faster contamination alerts and operator accountability.
• Pipeline Operators and Utilities: Faces higher compliance costs (e.g., alerts, testing, penalties) but opportunities for grants to modernize aging systems, encouraging safer operations.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. pipelines; could indirectly influence cross-border energy infrastructure if pipelines connect to Canada or Mexico, but no explicit provisions.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Pipeline Operators: Primary targets for new rules, penalties, and reporting; must improve emergency plans and infrastructure.
• Municipalities and Community-Owned Utilities: Eligible for grants to upgrade systems, benefiting from economic and job growth criteria.
• States and Local Governments: Required to enforce disclosures; gain reimbursement for emergency responses.
• Public and Landowners: Enhanced protections via disclosures, alerts, and engagement; direct beneficiaries of safety improvements.
• Emergency Responders: Access to quick reimbursements for event responses.
• Congress and DOT/PHMSA: Oversee implementation, funding, and quarterly reports.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens federal oversight of interstate pipelines under the Pipeline Safety Act, with clear rulemaking timelines to ensure enforceability. Fixed penalties provide predictable deterrence but may face challenges if deemed excessive under administrative law. The trust fund ensures penalties directly fund safety, aligning with "polluter pays" principles.
• Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; expands executive agency authority (DOT/PHMSA) within Congress's commerce clause powers over pipelines. Public engagement and disclosures promote transparency without infringing on property rights.
• Political: Bipartisan introduction (by Reps. Fitzpatrick and Suozzi) signals broad support for infrastructure safety amid public concerns over incidents like oil spills. Could influence energy policy debates by prioritizing community protections and modernization funding, potentially setting precedents for similar environmental regulations.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]

Recent Actions

• 2025-11-21: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
• 2025-11-20: 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.
• 2025-11-20: 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.
• 2025-11-20: Introduced in House
• 2025-11-20: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Wojnovich Pipeline Safety Act of 2025 — issued 2025-11-20 — PDF (12 pages)