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HR 432 104th Congress House

Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1995

Official title: To amend chapter 601 of title 49, United States Code, to improve natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety, in response to the natural gas pipeline acci… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend chapter 601 of title 49, United States Code, 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: January 5, 1995 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 FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEmergency communication systemsEnergyEnergy policyEnvironmental ProtectionExcavationFederal aid to higher educationFederal aid to transportationFederal employeesFines (Penalties)Gas pipelinesGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperworkGovernmental investigationsHigher educationInformation servicesInjunctionsLabor and EmploymentLand useLawLicensesNatural gasPetroleum pipelinesPhysical geographyPipeline sitingPipelinesPublic service advertisingRecruiting of employeesRefuse and refuse disposalRight-of-wayRisk assessmentScience, Technology, CommunicationsTelephoneTransportation of hazardous substancesTransportation safetyUnderground constructionUnderground utility linesUrban affairsUrban areasWaste disposal sites
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This bill died when the 104th Congress ended
It never became law before the 104th Congress (1995–1996) 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 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 28, 1995
See H.R.1323.
Mar 14, 1995
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Feb 21, 1995
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
Jan 20, 1995
Referred to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation.
Jan 5, 1995
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jan 5, 1995
Introduced in House
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 Latest action March 28, 1995

See H.R.1323.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1995- Amends Federal pipeline safety law 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) investigating an accident; and (2) overseeing the person's response to the accident. Sets a limit upon the amounts recoverable.

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 whether changes are needed in route selection and right-of-way widths. Authorizes appropriations.

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. Authorizes appropriations.

Prohibits 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 by instrumented internal inspection devices (smart pigs). Instructs the Secretary to prescribe a schedule for such inspections.

Requires the owner or operator of an interstate transmission facility to notify annually all residents within certain distances of such facility of procedures for reporting instances of 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 the event of an accident or a loss of the primary power source.

Requires the owner or operator of certain pipelines to obtain baseline pipeline safety information through the use of smart pigs.

 Related & companion bills 2
  • HR 1323 Procedurally related Pipeline Safety Act of 1995
  • S 162 Text similarities Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1994
 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. 432: Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1995. 104th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-432/
MLA
"H.R. 432: Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1995." 104th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-432/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 432, 104th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-432/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 432: Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1995](https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-432/)
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