H.R. 2643 · 117th Congress
Offshore Pipeline Safety Act
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 117th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
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BrownleySponsor11 cosponsors · 11 D
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Grijalva
AL
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Lowenthal
KP
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Porter
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Levin
SC
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Cohen
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Lee
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Lieu
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Matsui
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McNerney
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Quigley
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Ross2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill establishes requirements to address the environmental risks of decommissioned oil and gas pipelines on the seafloor.
What it does: CRS summary · Reported to House · Dec 14, 2022
Offshore Pipeline Safety Act
This bill establishes requirements to address the environmental risks of decommissioned oil and gas pipelines on the seafloor.
Specifically, the bill requires the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to finalize regulations proposed in 2007 related to offshore pipelines. The regulations must require owners of oil and gas pipelines to provide for biannual, third-party inspections of pipelines and to equip pipelines with leak detection systems or devices. Further, the BSEE must issue regulations to charge an annual fee on such owners for the purpose of providing the BSEE with funds to decommission or remove offshore pipelines in the event the owner files for bankruptcy.
When determining whether to permit an owner to decommission such pipelines, the BSEE must consider the navigational hazards, any interferences with other uses of the Outer Continental Shelf, and the environmental impacts of the pipelines.
In addition, the BSEE must continually monitor the condition and location of all oil and gas pipelines that have been decommissioned and remain in place. If the BSEE identifies an exposed segment of any active or decommissioned pipeline, then it must either remove the pipeline from the ocean or ensure it is properly decommissioned and does not pose a threat. If a segment of any active pipeline is exposed or shifts, then the BSEE must resecure the segment to the sea floor.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Offshore Pipeline Safety Act
Latest action (Dec 14, 2022): Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 456.
Policy area: Energy · Origin: House · Introduced: Apr 19, 2021
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.