Bill addressing jurisdictional propane systems passes Congress

President Obama has signed the SAFE PIPES Act.

Both chambers of Congress passed a bill that includes a provision requiring a review of the regulations on jurisdictional propane systems, and the president followed by signing it into law.

The bill – Securing America’s Future Energy: Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (SAFE PIPES) Act of 2016 – calls for the secretary of transportation to enter into an agreement with the Transportation Research Board to conduct a study examining the safety, regulatory requirements, techniques and best practices applicable to pipeline facilities that transport or store only petroleum gas or mixtures of petroleum gas and air to 100 or fewer customers.

In light of the development, the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) plans to begin preliminary discussions with the Transportation Research Board and the Department of Transportation about the required study. Industry input is integral to highlight the current regulatory framework’s shortcomings, according to NPGA. A number of NPGA’s members addressed the topic directly with legislators last month at Propane Days in Washington, D.C.