On August 10, the Senate passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The bill was passed with bipartisan support from 69 senators and would invest $1 trillion in the nation’s infrastructure. The bill includes funding that will support public natural gas systems’ efforts on pipeline safety and cybersecurity, as well as funding that could lead to greater deployment of natural gas vehicles in the transportation sector.
The legislation that was passed includes $1 billion in proposed funding for a Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program to be administered by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). If enacted, PHMSA will award $200 million in grant funding each year for five years for a variety of purposes. In addition to the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of leak-prone pipe, PHMSA could also consider applications for funding to purchase equipment that reduces safety incidents and prevents economic losses. This grant program will exclusively be available to municipality or community-owned gas utilities.
The bill also invests in cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, including natural gas networks. Those investments include a grant program for state and local governments to address threats to their information technology systems. While public gas systems would not be able to apply for this funding directly, it could result in additional funds for cybersecurity planning.
The bill also supports greater deployment of alternative fuel vehicles, including those that run on natural gas, by funding the buildout of fueling infrastructure, as well as the purchase and production of low-emission natural gas buses.
The bill also provides $500 million in additional funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program that helps make natural gas affordable for many member systems’ customers.
For all these reasons, APGA believes the bill’s passage will benefit public natural gas systems; as such, APGA was pleased to see it pass. The legislation has now been sent to the House of Representatives for their consideration and a vote. The House is not expected to vote on the legislation prior to the conclusion of the budget reconciliation process, which means there will likely be no further progress until September at the earliest.
APGA will continue to monitor its progress through the legislative process and advocate for the provisions that benefit our members.
For questions about this article, please contact Emily Wong of APGA staff by phone at 202-470-4262 or by email at
ewong@apga.org.