On Oct. 6, 2025, a bipartisan foursome from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation introduced the PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025. The proposal aims to “enhance the safety of pipeline transportation” by providing updates to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety program.
It authorizes $1.65 billion in appropriations over the next five years to fund PHMSA’s pipeline safety program. It then seeks to implement measures to fortify pipeline integrity through (1) enhancing enforcement capabilities and attendant penalties, (2) imposing proactive risk mitigation requirements to address certain safety threats, and (3) strengthening oversight of pipeline operations by staying current with market trends such as emerging gases.
Enhanced Enforcement and Penalties
The bill attempts to hold pipeline operators more accountable for infractions through increased enforcement and higher penalties.
Recognizing the substantive enforcement role of state agencies, the act would increase federal funding for state inspection programs. This measure is designed to ensure that state partners have enough resources to maintain broad oversight over pipelines.
Civil penalties would increase for pipeline safety violations, doubling the maximum daily penalty from approximately $200,000 to $400,000 and the maximum for a series of violations from approximately $2 million to $4 million.
Proactive Risk Mitigation
Next, the proposed act would preemptively address several identified safety risks by imposing prospective safety measures on the industry.
Cybersecurity: The Transportation Security Administration would publish a final rule enhancing the cybersecurity of pipelines within six months of its enactment. The final rule would cement the temporary cybersecurity requirements established in recent years.
Geohazards: Pipeline operators would proactively mitigate risks from geohazards — such as landslides, earthquakes, flooding and river scour — and inspect facilities following such events. The proposed act would authorize PHMSA to consider how a pipeline operator’s inspection and maintenance plan contributes to mitigating threats posed by geohazards in assessing a given plan’s adequacy.
Plastic Pipeline Components: Operators would investigate and report the presence of Aldyl-A in their pipelines within three years of the bill’s enactment.
Impact Radius Calculations: The proposed act would direct PHMSA to study past incidents and update the methodology for calculating a pipeline’s potential impact radius.
Automatic Gas Shutoff: PHMSA also would study the efficacy of fire shutoff valves and, depending on the results of that study, authorize rulemaking of new standards requiring utilities to install automatic shutoff devices to halt gas flow during house fires.
Addressing Emerging Gases
Finally, the proposed act attempts to remain current with modern trends as it closes regulatory gaps related to emerging gases.
Blending: PHMSA would study the blending of hydrogen into existing natural gas systems at levels greater than 5%. Depending on the results of that study, PHMSA would consider whether new blending-related regulations are required for safety-related purposes. The bill would require natural gas pipeline operators to report any products they intentionally blended that exceed 2% of the volume of product transported in their pipeline. PHMSA also would study the associated risks and update safety standards accordingly.
Carbon Dioxide Pipelines: PHMSA would issue safety standards specific to CO₂ pipelines, including provisions that address the unique hazards posed by CO₂ releases, such as the potential for gas to travel significant distances and impact public safety.
The PIPELINE Safety Act of 2025 represents a comprehensive effort to modernize pipeline safety regulations, address evolving risks and enhance the resilience of the nation’s energy infrastructure. Pipeline operators should review the bill’s new requirements and assess their compliance strategies in anticipation of forthcoming regulatory changes.