Washington, D.C. - After two long years of hard work, Rep. Rick Larsen was able to push the U.S. House to pass bipartisan pipeline safety legislation. This is the first time since the Bellingham accident that the House has voted for a pipeline safety bill.  

Larsen said, “The U.S. House of Representatives has stalled for more than three years.  Finally, there is real hope of strengthening pipeline safety.”  

The U.S. Senate has passed pipeline safety legislation every year since the accident in Bellingham and has been waiting for the House to take action, before moving forward.  Now that the House has finally passed legislation, the bill will go to conference before reaching the President’s desk for his signature.

Senator Murray applauded Larsen for serving as a catalyst for pipeline safety.  “His perseverance pushed the bill through committee, and his leadership strengthened the bill with a number of tough new safeguards.  Thanks to Rick's hard work and dedication, our communities will soon get the protections and safeguards that are so critically needed.”

The bill will increase penalty fines; improve operator qualifications; provide whistle blower protection; require that pipelines be tested; and allow for state oversight.

Larsen added a new provision that authorizes $6 million for local emergency responders to train and prepare for pipeline related accidents.

“Pipeline safety starts from the ground up.  It is important that we provide our communities with the tools they need to protect themselves,” Larsen said.

“Tonight was more than a step forward,” Larsen beamed.  “Pipeline safety jumped leaps and bounds.”

Larsen sits on the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which oversees the Office of Pipeline Safety.