H.R. 1441 · 118th Congress
Offshore Pipeline Safety Act
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 118th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
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BrownleySponsor10 cosponsors · 10 D
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Cartwright
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Matsui
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Porter
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Huffman
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Schiff
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Bonamici
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Tokuda
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DeSaulnier
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Lee
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Thompson0 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill establishes requirements that address the safety and environmental risks associated with certain pipelines on the Outer Continental Shelf.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Mar 8, 2023
Offshore Pipeline Safety Act
This bill establishes requirements that address the safety and environmental risks associated with certain pipelines on the Outer Continental Shelf.
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 (1) provide for biannual, third-party inspections of pipelines; and (2) 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.
In addition, the BSEE must continually monitor the condition and location of all oil and gas pipelines that have been decommissioned (e.g., inactive pipelines that are left buried in the seafloor) and remain in place. If the BSEE identifies an exposed segment of any 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 remove the pipeline, decommission it, or resecure the segment to the sea floor. 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.
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 (Mar 22, 2023): Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Policy area: Energy · Origin: House · Introduced: Mar 8, 2023
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.