APGA submitted testimony to a Senate pipeline safety hearing held on June 24 in the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine infrastructure, Safety, and Security.  The testimony was similar to testimony APGA submitted to the House for a pipeline safety hearing held in May.   

In its testimony, APGA expresses support for a clean reauthorization of the Act.  The testimony further states that if Congress does consider changes to the Act, the Committee give careful consideration before imposing any additional regulatory burdens upon gas distribution systems.  The testimony also expresses concern with potential efforts to expand EFV requirements to commercial and industrial businesses and multifamily residences, stating that “a commercial building, unlike a residential unit, may see huge changes in gas demand as tenants in the space move in and out.”  The testimony also expresses opposition to any changes in the current formula that would shift the user fees to the distribution systems.  Shifting fees to the distribution system would mean that natural gas customers would pay both the user fees assessed to the distribution system and the fees passed on in transportation rates charged by their pipeline supplier.  Lastly, the testimony urges the Committee to consider regulating low stress transmission lines (a line operating below 30 percent of the specified minimum yield stress) operated by distribution systems under the Distribution Integrity Management Program (DIMP) instead of the Transmission Integrity Management Program (TIMP). 

A copy of APGA’s testimony is available on the APGA website at www.apga.org/filings.  To date, neither the House nor Senate has introduced legislation reauthorizing the Pipeline Safety Act.  The Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2006, which authorizes federal pipeline safety programs, is scheduled to expire in 2010.  It remains unclear if Congress will be able to pass reauthorization legislation prior to adjournment.  If you have any questions on this article, please contact Dave Schryver of APGA’s staff by phone at 202-464-2742 or by email at dschryver@apga.org.  

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