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The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently finalized an Annex to a longstanding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding pipeline safety and security. This Annex comes just weeks after a publicized natural gas pipeline cybersecurity intrusion and responds to several recommendations from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) discussed in our earlier alert to update the prior Annex which had not been reviewed or revised since its inception over 14 years ago. The updated Annex emphasizes information-sharing and coordination between the agencies and signals that the agencies are moving forward on satisfying outstanding GAO recommendations. While this is a step in the right direction, questions remain whether TSA is the appropriate agency to oversee pipeline security and whether existing voluntary standards should be mandatory.
Continue Reading As Cyberthreats Continue, PHMSA and TSA MOU Stresses Information Sharing and Coordination

Troutman Sanders Pipeline partners Catherine Little, Bob Hogfoss and Annie Cook authored an article published in Law360 on the Pipeline Safety Act reauthorization legislation currently in the U.S. House and Senate. The current authorization of federal pipeline safety laws and funding of the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) expires at the…

Both the Senate and the House now have bills in varying stages of review for reauthorization of the Pipeline Safety Act, which expires at the end of September.  There are some notable differences in the bills, reflecting the Democratic majority in the House and the Republican majority in the Senate.  Neither bill has been put before the entire chamber for a vote.  If they do progress further, it remains to be seen how the bills will ultimately be reconciled.
Continue Reading Pipeline Safety Act Reauthorization: Issues for Resolution

On July 24, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published an invitation to comment on a preemption application submitted by the States of North Dakota and Montana.  The States’ application asks PHMSA to override vapor pressure limits for crude by rail imposed by the State of Washington.  New Washington law, which became effective on July 28, 2019, prohibits loading or unloading crude oil from a rail car unless the vapor pressure is lower than nine pounds per square inch.  The law also requires facilities receiving crude by rail to provide “advance notice” of the “type” and “vapor pressure” of the crude.  According to North Dakota and Montana, the new law effectively targets Bakken crude—thought by some to be more volatile—and should be preempted by the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, which PHMSA administers.
Continue Reading Vapor Pressure Remains a Volatile Topic

The Department of Transportation (DOT) released a legislative proposal to Congress on June 3, 2019, to reauthorize the federal Pipeline Safety Act (PSA or the Act) and continue funding the federal agency charged with implementing it, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).  DOT’s press release states that the proposal, Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2019, will embrace innovation, clarify certain regulatory requirements to prevent incidents, “modernize” certain data collection, and enhance support for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities.  Proposals target a broad array of topics including pipeline construction review, permitting, and reporting, criminal penalties, updating certain reporting thresholds, industry collaboration, and the scope of federal and state pipeline partnerships. 
Continue Reading DOT Issues Pipeline Safety Act Reauthorization Proposal

President Trump recently issued two much anticipated Executive Orders aimed to streamline the permitting of U.S. energy infrastructure. One Executive Order (EO) focuses primarily on Clean Water Act (CWA) state issued water quality certifications and associated EPA guidance and regulations. In “Executive Order on Promoting Energy Infrastructure and Economic Growth,” the Administration takes aim at “outdated Federal guidance and regulations” under Section 401 of the CWA that are “causing confusion and uncertainty and are hindering the development of energy infrastructure.” While states and environmental organizations are concerned that the EO will limit a state’s authority under the CWA, the impact of the EO at least initially appears to be limited, as the statute and the case law on point already establish certain limits regardless of the EO. What remains to be seen is the import of any proposed rulemakings issued as a result of this EO, or whether these issues prompt any legislation that proposes to amend Section 401 of the CWA.
Continue Reading Executive Order Impact on 401 Water Quality Certification Appears Limited

In advance of a Senate Commerce Committee Hearing on reauthorization of the Pipeline Safety Act, Senators Markey, Warren, and Blumenthal announced legislation to address distribution pipelines and risks associated with the September 2018 Merrimack Valley incident.  The Leonel Rondon Pipeline Safety Act of 2019, named after a man who died in the incident, would impact various aspects of distribution pipelines, including emergency response, integrity management, operation and maintenance, safety management systems, and recordkeeping.  Further, for all pipeline operators the bill would increase civil penalties under the statute by a factor of 100, from $200,000 per day to $2 million per day and for a maximum of $2 million to $200 million for a related series of events.  Even though the majority of the bill’s provisions are limited to distribution pipelines, certain of these proposals could be expanded more broadly during the reauthorization process to apply to gathering and transmission pipelines.
Continue Reading Distribution Pipelines and Increased Penalties Feature in Senate Pipeline Safety Bill

In yet another development relating to Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 water quality certifications, a recent policy directive from the Department of the Army could impose tighter timeframes for a state to review whether projects comply with state water quality standards. The U.S. Department of the Army has issued a policy directive memorandum requiring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to adhere to a “default time period” of 60 days for states to act on a request for water quality certification under CWA Section 401 in conjunction with USACE’s issuance of dredge and fill permits under CWA Section 404. The directive also requires USACE to “immediately draft guidance” to establish criteria for USACE District Engineers to identify circumstances that may warrant additional time for states to decide on an application for water quality certification.
Continue Reading USACE to Impose 60 Day Period on State Water Quality Certification Review

The federal Pipeline Safety Act (PSA or the Act) mandates minimum safety standards for pipelines and certain associated storage and facilities (including LNG and other terminals). Congress should take up legislation to reauthorize the Act this year. Since the last reauthorization in 2016, there have been several noteworthy developments that have affected the industry, the…

Since 9/11, no new rules or regulations have been promulgated to address pipeline or LNG facility security or cybersecurity. Although the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently released an updated version of its “Pipeline Security Guidelines” (Guidelines) that were last issued in 2011, those Guidelines remain advisory.  And both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have made only informal outreach to pipeline and LNG industry as issues have arisen.  As the threat of both cyber and physical attacks on critical energy infrastructure continues, however, some question whether minimal standards for prevention of threats should be in place.  In particular, there has been recent attention by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), members of Congress, and at least one Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) commissioner. (See E&E News Article of May 29, 2018).  These discussions, along with recent proposed legislation in the House and the fact that the Pipeline Safety Act is up for reauthorization later this year, are likely to bring these issues into sharper focus.
Continue Reading Pipeline Security and Cybersecurity: Are Guidelines Enough to Protect Critical Infrastructure?