[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10108]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  THE PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (PHMSA) 
   FUNDING IN FY15 TRANSPORTATION-HUD APPROPRIATIONS BILL (H.R. 4745)

                                  _____
                                 

                             HON. RUSH HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 12, 2014

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Mr. Griffin's (the 
Gentleman 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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