[Washington, DC] – Amy Andryszak, President & CEO of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) released the following statement to accompany a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security ahead of the January 18 hearing to discuss the Pipeline Safety, Modernization, and Expansion Act of 2023.
“INGAA appreciates the work of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to advance legislation to reauthorize the Office of Pipeline Safety within the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for five years.
“Our organization has a long history of supporting Congress advancing bipartisan legislation that improves the safety of our nation’s pipeline system. Safety is paramount to our membership, and we appreciate the periodic review of PHMSA’s policy direction. It is our hope that Congress enacts legislation to reauthorize the agency’s safety programs this year.
“In its letter to the Subcommittee, INGAA comments on six main issues regarding the Pipeline Safety, Modernization, and Expansion Act of 2023, which include:
- INGAA’s number one priority is safety, and we support having a strong safety regulator.
- PHMSA should complete its work on the class location rulemaking and issue a final rule.
- The Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee strengthens rulemakings and should meet more frequently.
- Congress should include a provision requiring PHMSA to address a regulatory error affecting Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure.
- Fuel choice for consumers should be protected.
- Congress should enact energy infrastructure permitting reforms.
“We look forward to working with the Subcommittee to ensure that PHMSA has the proper resources and direction to continually improve the safety of our industry and enable development of the energy infrastructure that delivers the benefits of natural gas to the American people.”
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INGAA represents the U.S. natural gas pipeline industry. INGAA’s members deliver clean, abundant, affordable natural gas throughout North America and operate approximately 200,000 miles of pipelines that serve as an indispensable link between natural gas producers and consumers.
