Oklahoma Corporation Commission Calls on Congress to Strengthen Federal Support for State Pipeline Safety Programs

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) has formally urged congressional leaders to fully fund state pipeline safety grants and preserve key provisions supporting state pipeline safety programs as Congress considers appropriations for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and reauthorization of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act.

In a letter sent to the leadership of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Commission emphasized the critical role state pipeline safety agencies play in protecting the public through inspections, regulatory oversight, enforcement, and emergency response.

The OCC requested that Congress provide sufficient funding to allow PHMSA to reimburse state pipeline safety programs at the maximum practical level authorized under federal law - approximately 78.5 percent of eligible program costs - and maintain statutory protections ensuring that state pipeline safety grants are not conditioned on responsibilities outside a state's pipeline safety authority.

"State pipeline safety programs are the backbone of the nation's pipeline safety system," said OCC Chairman Kim David. "Our inspectors are on the ground every day working to ensure Oklahoma's pipelines operate safely and reliably. As Congress continues to expand the responsibilities placed on state programs, it is essential that federal funding keeps pace so states have the resources necessary to protect the public."

The OCC's Pipeline Safety Department administers Oklahoma's intrastate pipeline safety program through certification by PHMSA. The department oversees more than 258 intrastate gathering, transmission, underground natural gas storage, and distribution operators, as well as 33 intrastate hazardous liquid operators, covering more than 64,600 miles of pipeline across the state.

The OCC remains committed to working with Congress, PHMSA, and state partners to ensure pipeline safety programs have the resources necessary to protect Oklahoma communities, safeguard critical infrastructure, and maintain the highest standards of public safety.