Safer Pipelines Act of 2019 2019-06-24 Introduced in House Safer Pipelines Act of 2019

This bill addresses pipeline safety with respect to natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines.

Among other things, the bill

  • reauthorizes appropriations through FY2023 for pipeline safety activities;
  • prioritizes assessment methods for transmission pipelines that can provide a greater level of safety than direct assessment, including the use of internal inspection devices or pressure testing;
  • makes it mandatory for each operator of a transmission pipeline facility in a high consequence area to install automatic or remote shutoff valves;
  • directs owners and operators of gas or hazardous liquid pipeline facilities to make critical operational information available to surrounding communities and first responders;
  • increases civil penalties for violations and revises the criminal penalty standard from "knowingly and willfully" to "knowingly or recklessly"; and
  • requires the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to submit an annual report to Congress detailing its efforts to hire women, minorities, and veterans as inspectors since January 1, 2012.
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