About the Act

The Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 was designed to examine and improve the state of pipeline safety regulation. The Act:

• Reauthorizes PHMSA's federal pipeline safety programs through fiscal year 2015
• Provides the regulatory certainty necessary for pipeline owners and operators to plan infrastructure investments and create jobs
• Improves pipeline transportation by strengthening enforcement of current laws and improving existing laws where necessary
• Ensures a balanced regulatory approach to improving safety that applies cost-benefit principles
• Protects and preserves Congressional authority by ensuring certain key rulemakings are not finalized until Congress has an opportunity to act
• Access the full text of the Act here.

Progress Tracker

PHMSA is committed to improving the safety of nation's 2.6 million mile pipeline transportation network. The 2011 Act included 42 new mandates for PHMSA, of which 27 have been completed. The remaining 15 mandates is a top priority for PHMSA and the agency is well on track to satisfying them as expeditiously as possible. PHMSA has made significant progress in initiating rulemaking on activities for natural gas transmission and hazardous liquid pipelines; expansion of excess flow valve usage; and operator qualification, cost recovery, and accident notification. Additionally, PHMSA is planning to issue a separate proposed rulemaking soon that will propose new standards for leak detection and automatic shut-off valves for both hazardous liquid and gas transmission pipelines. Issuing final rulemakings for all of the aforementioned regulatory actions will close an additional 10 mandates. The remaining five mandates are all tied to reports and data collections that are currently in progress.

Track PHMSA's progress on implementing the Act section by section in the chart. This will be updated as the agency completes more Act mandates.