Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
The bill amends the definition of “transporting gas” in 49 U.S.C. §60101(a)(21) to add explicit exclusions. It excludes (1) gathering gas in rural areas (other than through regulated gathering lines) outside populated areas the Secretary designates as nonrural, and (2) movements of gas by a plant owner/operator for use as fuel, feedstock, or other direct plant operations when transported via piping wholly on plant grounds or via transfer piping that extends less than 1 mile outside the plant grounds.
Scope of federal oversight vs. state/industry control: liberals view the change as weakening safety enforcement; conservatives see it as sensible deregulation.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly scoped substantive statutory amendment that precisely modifies the definition of 'transporting gas' to exclude specified in-plant and limited transfer movements and certain gathering activity in rural areas.
The bill amends the definition of “transporting gas” in 49 U.S.C. §60101(a)(21) to add explicit exclusions.
It excludes (1) gathering gas in rural areas (other than through regulated gathering lines) outside populated areas the Secretary designates as nonrural, and (2) movements of gas by a plant owner/operator for use as fuel, feedstock, or other direct plant operations when transported via piping wholly on plant grounds or via transfer piping that extends less than 1 mile outside the plant grounds.
In short, certain on-site and very short transfer pipeline movements (and some rural gathering) would not fall within the statute’s “transporting gas” definition under federal pipeline safety law.
On content alone the bill is modest, administrable, and fiscally light—features that favor enactment. However, it reduces federal oversight of certain gas movements, a point that can mobilize opposition from safety and environmental constituencies. The absence of broader compromise mechanisms (e.g., safety safeguards, sunsets) and the Senate's higher threshold for passage lower the overall chance relative to purely noncontroversial technical fixes.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly scoped substantive statutory amendment that precisely modifies the definition of 'transporting gas' to exclude specified in-plant and limited transfer movements and certain gathering activity in rural areas. The amendment is clearly targeted within the U.S. Code and contains concrete exclusions and a measurable distance threshold.
Scope of federal oversight vs. state/industry control: liberals view the change as weakening safety enforcement; conservatives see it as sensible deregulation.
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Scope of federal oversight vs. state/industry control: liberals view the change as weakening safety enforcement; conservatives see it as sensible deregulation.
A mainstream liberal/left-leaning person would likely view this bill as a targeted deregulatory change that reduces federal safety oversight over on‑site and short-distance piping and some rural gathering lines.
They would be concerned that excluding these movements from the federal definition could create regulatory gaps, weaken safety and environmental protections, and shift enforcement responsibility away from federal authorities without clear compensating safeguards.
They would support plant efficiency but want stronger, explicit protections for workers, nearby communities, and the environment.
A centrist/moderate would see practical appeal in reducing unnecessary federal overlap for truly on‑site or very short transfer lines while also worrying about unintended safety and regulatory gaps.
They would weigh efficiency and cost savings for industry against the need for clear rules, consistent oversight, and protections for communities and workers.
They would likely seek clarifications and safeguards to ensure the change is narrowly tailored and implemented transparently.
A mainstream conservative would generally view this bill favorably as a targeted rollback of federal regulatory reach that returns routine, on-site pipe operations to plant operators or state control.
They would emphasize reducing unnecessary federal regulation, lowering compliance costs, and increasing operational flexibility for industry.
They may still prefer clearer statutory language to avoid litigation or uncertainty but would likely support the principle of narrowing federal jurisdiction.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
On content alone the bill is modest, administrable, and fiscally light—features that favor enactment. However, it reduces federal oversight of certain gas movements, a point that can mobilize opposition from safety and environmental constituencies. The absence of broader compromise mechanisms (e.g., safety safeguards, sunsets) and the Senate's higher threshold for passage lower the overall chance relative to purely noncontroversial technical fixes.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Scope of federal oversight vs. state/industry control: liberals view the change as weakening safety enforcement; conservatives see it as se…
On content alone the bill is modest, administrable, and fiscally light—features that favor enactment. However, it reduces federal oversight…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly scoped substantive statutory amendment that precisely modifies the definition of 'transporting gas' to exclude specified in-plant and limited transfer m…
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