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HR 4616 103th Congress House

Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1994

Official title: To amend the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 to improve natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 to improve natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety, in response to the natural gas pipeline accident in Edison, New Jersey, and for other purposes.

Introduced: June 21, 1994 Introduced by: Pallone, Frank Democratic · New Jersey See on congress.gov
Transportation and Public Works Accident preventionAdministrative procedureAuthorizationCrime and Law Enforcement
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Data banksDepartment of TransportationEconomics and Public FinanceEmergency ManagementEmergency communication systemsEnergyEnergy policyEnvironmental ProtectionExcavationFederal aid to transportationFederal employeesFines (Penalties)Gas pipelinesGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperwork
This bill died when the 103rd Congress ended
It never became law before the 103rd Congress (1993–1994) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 5, 1994
Referred to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation.
Jun 30, 1994
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
Jun 21, 1994
Referred to the House Committee on Public Works + Transportation.
Jun 21, 1994
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jun 21, 1994
Introduced in House
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 Latest action July 5, 1994

Referred to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1994 - Amends the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to recover from any person engaged in the transportation of gas or hazardous liquids, or from the owner or operator of pipeline facilities, the costs incurred in: (1) accident investigation; or (2) overseeing the response of the person to the accident. Sets a limit upon the amounts recovered.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to: (1) the States for the development and establishment of a one-call notification system; and (2) one-call notification systems for promoting their use.

Prescribes guidelines under which the Secretary may develop an electronic data base on pipeline facilities in order to facilitate risk assessment and safety planning. Authorizes appropriations.

Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review its practices and guidelines for siting natural gas interstate transmission facilities in urban areas in order to determine improved routes and rights-of-way.

Instructs the Secretary to make educational information available to local governments over whose lands pass: (1) natural gas interstate transmission facilities; and (2) hazardous liquid interstate pipeline facilities.

Proscribes excavation and solid waste disposal activity within pipeline rights-of-way, or within a limited area in the vicinity of an interstate pipeline facility.

Modifies the deadline for the Secretary to issue regulations for periodic pipeline inspections. Instructs the Secretary to prescribe a schedule for such inspections.

Requires the owner/operator of an interstate transmission facility to notify annually all residents within certain distances of such facility of the reporting procedures for suspicious activities (including dumping and excavation).

Directs the Secretary to develop public service announcements governing pipeline safety.

Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations requiring the use of remotely or automatically controlled valves for shutting off gas flow in case of an accident or a loss of the primary power source.

Requires the owner/operator of certain pipelines to obtain baseline pipeline safety information through the use of instrumented internal inspection devices (smart pigs).

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4616: Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1994. 103rd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/103-HR-4616/
MLA
"H.R. 4616: Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1994." 103rd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/103-HR-4616/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4616, 103rd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/103-HR-4616/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4616: Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1994](https://openamerica.io/bill/103-HR-4616/)
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