Missouri Gets Pass on 'Buy America' for Gas Pipes
Published Date: 1/21/2025
Notice
Summary
City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri, got a special pass to skip some 'Buy America' rules for certain parts in their natural gas safety upgrade project. This waiver starts January 22, 2025, because those parts aren’t available domestically or would cost too much. It helps them keep the project on track while using the federal grant money wisely.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
$10M grant to replace pipe and services
City Utilities received a $10,000,000 NGDISM grant (FY2022) to speed replacement of about 13.7 miles of legacy Aldyl A pipe and roughly 1,409 legacy plastic gas services, and to install a locator system to help prevent future excavation damage. The grant-funded project is the one covered by the waiver and its period of performance is estimated to end June 30, 2029.
Waiver lets Springfield use non‑U.S. parts
PHMSA granted City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri a project‑specific waiver of the Build America, Buy America rules for locator markers; meter stops with insulated unions; magnesium anodes; 1A meter swivels, nuts, and washers; and direct bury lugs. The waiver is effective January 22, 2025, applies only to this City Utilities NGDISM project, and covers an estimated $72,000 of materials (about 0.72% of the $10,000,000 grant award).
Waiver does NOT extend to other grantees
PHMSA made this waiver project‑specific: the exemption from BABA requirements applies only to City Utilities' Legacy Plastic Pipe Replacement project and is not applicable to any other NGDISM grant recipient's projects.
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