Oklahoma Calls for Increased PHMSA Funding for State Pipeline Safety
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is urging Congress to fully fund PHMSA state pipeline safety grants and preserve key protections as lawmakers consider reauthorizing the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act.
(P&GJ) — The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) is urging Congress to fully fund state pipeline safety grants and preserve key protections for state oversight programs as lawmakers consider appropriations for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and reauthorization of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act.
In a letter sent to leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the commission called for sufficient funding to allow PHMSA to reimburse state pipeline safety programs at the maximum level permitted under federal law—about 78.5% of eligible program costs.
The OCC also urged Congress to maintain statutory protections ensuring federal pipeline safety grants are not tied to responsibilities that fall outside a state's pipeline safety authority.
OCC Chairman Kim David said state agencies play a central role in ensuring pipeline safety through inspections, enforcement and emergency response.
"State pipeline safety programs are the backbone of the nation's pipeline safety system," David said. "Our inspectors are on the ground every day working to ensure Oklahoma's pipelines operate safely and reliably. As Congress continues to expand the responsibilities placed on state programs, it is essential that federal funding keeps pace so states have the resources necessary to protect the public."
The OCC's Pipeline Safety Department administers Oklahoma's intrastate pipeline safety program under PHMSA certification. The agency oversees 258 intrastate gathering, transmission, underground natural gas storage and distribution operators, along with 33 hazardous liquid pipeline operators, covering more than 64,600 miles of pipeline across the state.
The commission said it will continue working with Congress, PHMSA and other state agencies to ensure pipeline safety programs have the resources needed to protect critical infrastructure and the public.