[inaudible conversations] the subcommittee on railroad pipeline and Hazardous Materials will come to order. I ask unanimous consent that the chairman of the authorized to recess at any time during todays hearing. Without objection, so ordered. I ask unanimous consent the members not on the subcommittee be permitted to sit on the subcommittee for todays hearing and with out objection so ordered. Members want to enter document documents the record please email it to document ci at braille. Gov. Com. Before we discuss todays hearing id like to take a moment to remember our colleague congressman donald paine c jr. O passed away two weeks ago. It was a privilege to work with donald on thena subcommittee. It was clear to all who knew him the strong commitment Public Service was for his constituents. Im grateful for the opportunity to work alongside donald putting together a bipartisan Pipeline Safety legislation. He will be deeply missed here on the committee and i want to send my condolences and prayers to Family Friends and staff as they deal with this great loss. I will now recognize myself for the purpose of holding for five minutes. Todays hearing will examine the need to reauthorize the pipeline and hazardouss Materials Safety Administration including providing new direction and authority over emerging energy sources. This past fall myself chairman grades Ranking Member larsson and ranked member pain introduced promoting the pipes act of 2023. Last december the committee passed h. R. 6494 out of committee on a bipartisan basis. Crafting this built that the committee solicited input from a wide range and in turn received 90 priorities from members in over 100 requests per Pipeline Safety stakeholders. Im grateful for the support from members of this committee in putting together this important piece of Bipartisan Legislation. In our country up to 3. 3 million miles of pipeline safely and efficiently carry Natural Gas Hydrogen hazardous liquid and other Energy Resources vital for Nations Energy independence. Making it the utmost importance to congress to ensure santa is focused on its core mission of advancing the state transportation of these resources. The pipe after 2023 rear i reauthorizes the necessary resources and direction for the agency to facilitate plant safety oversight responsibilities in an efficient and effective manner. The bill contains several provisions to accomplish this including an authorization for additional Pipeline Safety technical experts to complete outstanding congressional tamandates. In the fast past 20 years more than 1400 excavation damage incidents have occurred. H. R. 6494 and in crews reducing excavation damage incidents promoting Public Safety. It 2 will support the effort to oversee the state transportatiof of new and emerging fuels by directing finsa to update regulations for the state transportatione Carbon Dioxide n the study to you the use of Hydrogen Blending and natural gas. These and other provisions in the act of 2020 through and ensure the safety and reliability of the United StatesPipeline Network in the transportation of our critical Energy Resources. It is more important than ever are finsa to receiver reauthorization firmn congress. This will provide the agency and regulating communities muchneeded certainty in the federal Pipeline Safety policy and also provide legislative direction to address these pressing areas of concern in Pipeline Safety. I want to thank your witnesses for being here today and sharing their perspectives on Pipeline Safety reauthorization and what it means for finsa the industry and the communities for the transportation of our Energy Products to take place ill note my colleagues on the Health Energy in Commerce Committee passed Pipeline Safety reauthorization legislation on their jurisdiction. Despite suchhe action in the hoe we have yet to see any movement in the senate from leader schumer and his majority. As the house has shown its possible to legislate in a bipartisan manner in the name of Pipeline Safety. I call on the senate to follow suit and i hope to work with them in the near future. I will yield back and recognize Ranking Member wilson for five minutes for an opening statement. Thanknk you chair nehls for holding this hearing today and thank you Ranking Member larsen for your faith in me. It is with aai heavy heart thati take on the role of Ranking Member on the subcommittee. Congressman was not just a colleague but a cherished friend whose legacy im dedicated to honor. His eight exemplary leadership on the Railroad Subcommittee set the standard of excellence that im committed to upholding and building. For many years we were soldiers in the army to uplift men and boys and whether that be tres von martin or fighting for Health Disparities among black boys. D we fought the good fight to bring back our girls from. I sat next to him in committee for years and we were table mates every year at the congressional black caucus. He shared many memories with me. He wasan so proud to be the fatr of triplets and he let me know that he married a florida girl. I will miss him and im committed to honoring his legacy and continuing his work on this committee. As we all know part of this mission was to ensure the safety of all people and he had a goal of never wanting to miss regardless of his health. Speaking every day on the floor to honor his constituents, he loved his constituents. He was a man for all seasons and we will miss him dearly. People are coming to congress and nothing is more important to me than the safety and education of our children. I do not want to see any pipeline incident and im particularly concerned when they occur near a school. At least two recent incidents in the last year happened near a school. It was at an Elementary School in conway washington and to the mississippi d delta and marigold mississippi. Believe it or not just last monthi. And marigold of pipeline explosion at the supercenter prek through eighth grade school. Although no children were injured to Staff Members are injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. I want to know how pipeline operators work with communities and schools to prevent such incidents. Are they working with the impacted schools for additional tutoring and what about their Mental Health clinics how does having to evacuate impact children. With regard r to pipes i suppord the bill because it has essential provisions and i associate myself with his work. Among them the bill includes increased funding for the pipeline and Hazardous MaterialsSafety Administration to support the office for its critical im proud this bipartisan Pipeline Safety bill focuses on Pipeline Safety. The bill makes changes to the Competitive Academic Agreement Program to provide funding for Academic Research and development Pipeline Safety of the future. The changes will help most historically black colleges and universities and other minority serving institutions participate in the program. These are positive changes and i urge congress to adopt it. Lastly i want to say the mayor of west redding was leaving the city through the aftermath of this deadliest pipeline explosion that country experienced in 2023 peer thank you for watching today. Im so sorry for the seven people who died. 10 people d were injured and i understand in enough volunteer firefighting capacity you also showed up to help with the immediate emergencycy response. We hear you, we see you and we will never forget you. I look forward to hearing from our Witnesses Today and i yield back my time. The gentlelady yields. I now recognize Ranking Member of the full committee mr. Larsen for five minutes. Thank you chair nehls for calling this hearing on Pipeline Safety and for your kind words to our colleague and friend. We continue to mourn a day after his death two weeks ago. As he was a leader on the pipe act of 2023 that are committee voted for. Mously he strongly supported us Pipeline Safety has the funding they need to do their work and laid the groundwork for strong rail funding in r a bipartisan infrastructure law. Through dons work with the replacement of centuryold rail bridges and tunnels and projects. He was a friend and advocate for real workers and their bid for sick leave higher wages and improved working conditions. His efforts helped support an agreement that would strengthen the safety and quality of life for essential rail workers. He worked on legislation in the wake of the derailment in East Palestine where he made an important part of this legacy that Congress Must continue to realize. On june 101999 olympic pipeline explosion in bellingham washington claimed the lives of 210yearold boys in an 18yearold the young man. Explosion released 237,000 gallons of gasoline into creek in bellingham. This explosion set my commitment to the highest level of Pipeline Safety. Transparency of Pipeline Safety and increase the accountability for pipeline operators. According to the finsa data they have been 12,722 pipeline incidents claiming two lives in costing three to 4 million in Property Damage they have always worked on the pipes of 2023 build the pipeline industry continues to experience deadly accidents and causing accidents to the environment through 2020 through is the deadliest for pipelines in history. A pipeline explosion in west redding killed seven people and injured 11 displays three families from the neighboring building and evacuated many more from the area. In november of 2023 as well for structure release 1. 1 million gallons of oil from underwater u pipeline incidents and an unusually sensitive area in the gulf of 20 miles southeast of louisiana. More recently in january 242 homes less than a mile from each other in jackson mississippi exploded three days apart from pipelinene leaks. The first explosion resulted in one fatality or one injury and resulting fireex from the second explosion spread to nearby homes. The incident happened after identified because the pipelines in the area. Putting safety first means greater oversight and accountability for pipeline operators and it means Greater Transparency for the community trand the public. Finsa creates Public Engagement an idea byby my colleague. Improving safety and preventing incidents. Finsa in the safety programs need the resources and staff to inspect pipelines conduct investigations when incidents occur and takest appropriate enforcement actions. Pipes 2023 increases vance and safety organizations. Police are built its 56 million for state Pipeline Safety programs over four years. Iin appreciate talking about the pipes act of 2023 but i want to welcome finsa administrator krista brown who visit my site in bellingham and build current safety trust Whose Organization was created because of that. I want to thank finsa and the response to conway washington Pipeline Leak that happened last year and cleanup continues and nears the end for that. In addition to safety nations they created the firstever national gas distribution safeti modernization grand park ram. Finsa is not fiber and 80 million m for 157 projects 1 billion made available to municipalities and Community Owned utility to repair or replace Natural Gas Pipelines and improve safety. The pipelines play a Critical Role in the nations infrastructure in the daily lives of americans. We are we are here today to make sure the National Pipeline safely delivers energy cross the country. Look forward to todays discussion was that i yield back. Mr. Larsen yields. Thank you sir. Id like to welcome our witnesses and thank them for being here today. Briefly they dide take a moment to explain our lighting system to the witnesses. Theres a mic in front of you and if its yellow youve run out b of time and read conclude your remarks please. Asu asm is consent that full statement be included in the record without objection so ordered. I ask unanimous consent the record of todays hearing remain open until such time as witnesses have provided answers to any questions that may be submitted to them in riding. Bj without objection so ordered and i ask unanimous consent to record remain open for 15 days for additional comments and information permitted by members for witnesses to be included in the record of todays hearing. Without objection, so ordered. Your written testimony has been a part of the record and the subcommittee as you limit your oral arguments to five minutes. Mr. Eyes appreciate you handing me the Emergency Response guidelines to million of these went to First Responders. Well done but i have an issue. Before recognize you for your fiveminute testament id like to take a moment of personal privilege. Without objection, so ordered. The committee notified you on april 15 to 202421 days ago at todays hearing taking place. You also have been asked for feedback on the pipes act far longer than that. We had a bipartisan basis asked for the center for after the sumpter presummit and thats 90 days ago, three months. Yet you are unable to provide your written testimony to this committee in a t timely fashion denying all the members of the subcommittee the ability to adequately review your testimony that your agency was unable to share feedback on the billl untl last night after 10 00 p. M. I find it completely, completely unacceptable and inexcusable. Now due to your delay on both fronts many members may have questions in this hearing as well and i want to make sure it is expected a full answer. We want a full answer from you to all members questions today. I would also like you to commit to responding to all members questions for the record. Give me a reasonable expectation here. Can you commit to providing an answer, two weeks, three weeks . Can you give me a number . As you may know both the ta and her inner Agency Review process which does take time so i will commit to working as fast as i can. In the two weeks or three weeks . Come on, give me an idea. Okay, here we go but i look forward to your responses. We here in the subcommittee are interested in what you have to share. If you cant comear up with the time i look forward to a productive hearing i hope we can have a productive hearing. With that you are recognized for five minutes. Go ahead sir. Simina thank you mr. Chairman thank you Ranking Member larsen and members of the subcommittee for the invitation to discuss finsa and her work as well as the reauthorization legislation you have put together. I want to start by echoing the sentiment and condolences to the family and for those of you who were colleagues and friends to the same office and Staff Members. I know we are saddened as i was to learn of his passing. Its a testament to his legacy that he worked across the aisle to help legislation to bury pipeline taking to keep constituents and all americans safe from Hazardous Material transportation but as they testified last year before the subcommittee safety is and remains the top priority of the department of transportation and thele finsa. Finsa is responsible for overseeing the transport of Hazardous Materials o through pipelines and other modes of transportation. As trucks planes and automobiles dronesro among others. Designer purses of maintenance is the chairman should nearly 3. 3 million miles of pipeline ao well is one in 10 goods that are classified as Hazardous Material transport commercially in the United States everything from nuclear to lithiumion batteries spacecraft being transported to space ports around the United States and around the row. Nearly twothirds of the energy we consume in the u. S. Is transported by a pipeline and over the past two decades especially the last two years in conjunction with americas red hot Economic GrowthEnergy Production has continued to increase to record levels. Curr