What This Bill Does
H.R. 9338, the Pipeline Safety Authorization Act of 2026, would update federal pipeline-safety law in title 49 and authorize new funding from fiscal years 2027 through 2031. It would narrow certain pipeline exclusions, adjust how safety standards weigh costs and benefits, expand formal hearing rights in some enforcement cases, and set new timelines for special permit reviews. The bill also authorizes $180,786,000 per year for gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety work, plus $30,000,000 per year from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and $7,000,000 per year for underground natural gas storage safety. It would also create a confidential voluntary information-sharing system for pipeline safety data.
- Authorizes $180,786,000 each year from fiscal 2027 through 2031 for gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety work.
- Adds $30,000,000 per year from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for hazardous liquid pipeline safety.
- Sets a $125,000 threshold for formal hearings in certain enforcement cases involving compliance costs or civil penalties.
- Requires special-permit applications to be published in the Federal Register and reviewed within 18 months.
- Creates a confidential voluntary information-sharing system for pipeline safety data that cannot be used for enforcement.
Who This Bill Affects
For most people, this bill would not change daily life directly, but it could matter if you live near a pipeline, work in pipeline construction or operations, or depend on energy infrastructure. It could improve safety oversight and incident prevention through new rules, formal hearings for larger enforcement cases over $125,000, an 18-month deadline for special-permit review, and dedicated funding of $180,786,000 a year for pipeline safety programs from 2027 through 2031. At the same time, operators could face more compliance requirements and potentially higher costs, which can be passed through in some form to projects or rates.
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- pipeline safety regulators They are likely to support the bill because it gives PHMSA clearer authority, more funding, and a structured information-sharing system. The formal hearing and permit-review deadlines could also make enforcement and permitting more predictable and transparent.
- pipeline operators and infrastructure developers Some operators may back the bill because it creates a defined special-permit process, an 18-month review deadline, and limits on added waiver terms. That can reduce regulatory uncertainty and help projects move forward under clearer rules.
- public safety advocates and nearby communities They may support the tighter safety focus, the expanded hearing process, and the voluntary system for sharing lessons learned. Those groups often favor stronger oversight if it lowers the chance of leaks, explosions, or other pipeline failures.
- pipeline companies facing compliance costs They may oppose provisions that expand federal oversight, increase enforcement exposure, or make certain lines more clearly subject to regulation. The new hearing rights and safety standards could also lead to slower, more expensive compliance decisions.
- energy project developers They could argue that narrower exclusions and more formal procedures may delay facility expansions, transfer lines, or special-permit approvals. Even with an 18-month deadline, the added process can still increase time and administrative burden.
- fiscal conservatives They may object to authorizing new spending levels, including $180,786,000 per year plus additional amounts from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. Their concern would be that the bill grows federal programs and grants without enough offsetting cuts.
Key Implications
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““provide an opportunity for a formal hearing””
In certain enforcement cases with compliance costs or civil penalties of at least $125,000, respondents would get a more formal process before the agency. That can increase due process protections, but it can also make enforcement take longer and require more administrative work.
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““shall complete a review ... not later than 18 months””
Special permit applications would have a deadline for agency review after Federal Register notice. For operators, that could reduce waiting time and uncertainty; for regulators, it creates a hard timetable they must meet.
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““the Secretary shall establish a confidential voluntary information-sharing system””
The bill creates a protected system for collecting and sharing pipeline safety lessons without using that information for enforcement. The goal is to encourage reporting and learning, but the effectiveness will depend on whether stakeholders trust the confidentiality protections.
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““$180,786,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031””
This is the core authorization level for gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety programs over five years. It signals a substantial federal commitment to inspections, oversight, and grants during that period.
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““may not be used in relation to the enforcement””
Information reported into the voluntary system would be insulated from direct enforcement use. That can encourage candor, but it also means regulators may not be able to rely on the system the way they would on ordinary compliance data.
Latest Status
June 18, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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