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Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) joined his colleagues in supporting legislation to improve pipeline safety and security in a bipartisan vote this evening. The bill reauthorizes the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and includes needed reforms to increase transparency, accountability, and safety. Congressman Latta authored multiple provisions included in the legislation.
 
“More than two-thirds of the energy consumed in the United States is transported through our country’s system of pipelines," said Latta. “This underscores how important it is to have a pipeline system in place that is safe, secure, and efficient in order to meet our nation’s energy needs. This bill is the result of bipartisan discussions to enact meaningful pipeline safety reform, and I’m pleased to have played a role in this effort through the provisions I authored."

Congressman Latta authored multiple provisions in the legislation including one to instruct the Department of Transportation (DOT) to examine root causes of excavation related incidents and gather better data to help improve damage prevention programs. Another provision requires DOT to examine safety, regulatory requirements, and best practices on propane distribution systems where multiple customers are served by a single tank. Currently, the adoption and use of a number of these propane systems is complicated by federal regulations imposed on top of state and local regulations.

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