Bill > HR3948

This bill, known as the Offshore Pipeline Safety Act, requires the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to develop and implement updated regulations for offshore oil and gas pipelines to improve safety and environmental protection. The bill mandates that within 18 months, the Secretary of the Interior must issue final regulations requiring pipeline owners to conduct third-party inspections at least every two years and equip pipelines with leak detection systems that can quickly identify variations in product input and output. Additionally, the bill requires BSEE to conduct a comprehensive study evaluating the environmental risks of decommissioning versus removing offshore pipelines, including identifying high-risk pipelines and making recommendations for future actions. The legislation also introduces an annual fee for pipeline owners ($10,000 per mile in deep waters and $1,000 per mile in shallower waters) to fund potential decommissioning efforts in case of bankruptcy. The bill further requires BSEE to continuously monitor decommissioned pipelines, assess their potential hazards to navigation and marine activities, and take action to remove or properly secure any exposed pipeline segments. Lastly, the bill mandates a study on the environmental risks of chemical products used in oil and gas operations, with findings to be reported to Congress within two years, and includes a provision that no part of the Act will take effect without considering potential impacts on reef fish habitat.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3948/all-info