# 119-hr-5537: Pipeline Accountability Act of 2025 119-hr-5537, Pipeline Accountability Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3] (D-MA); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5537 - As of: 2026-04-21 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-hr-5537 - Congress: 119 - Title: Pipeline Accountability Act of 2025 - Status: in_committee - Introduced: 2025-09-19 - Sponsor: Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3] (D-MA) - Cosponsors: 1 - Policy area: Transportation and Public Works - Touches household money: yes - Last recorded action: 2026-04-21 ## Summary **Modernizes pipeline safety to protect communities and limit climate harm.** The bill tightens technical standards for gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipelines, boosts disclosure and public engagement, and requires faster isolation of ruptures in high‑risk areas. - Communities and households: Requires operators to notify residents, post machine‑readable safety data, and demonstrate the ability to isolate ruptured pipeline segments within 30 minutes in covered locations with a five‑year compliance window. It also funds an Office of Public Engagement to prioritize environmental justice and local outreach. - Pipeline operators and industry: Forces new safety rules and CO2‑specific standards, tighter reporting for blended products above 1 percent, stronger committee conflict rules, and a formal waiver process for the 30‑minute isolation requirement. It also mandates GAO study on hydrogen blending and largely prohibits hydrogen transport beyond trace amounts unless Congress acts. - Local responders and infrastructure programs: Requires training, emergency coordination, and rulemaking on underground storage. It reauthorizes the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Grant Program and directs at least 20 percent of annual grants toward non‑emitting alternatives. *Authorizes new federal spending of $12 million per year for 2025–2028 and $200 million per year for 2027–2031, plus additional unspecified sums for implementation.* ## Cosponsors (1) - Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2025-09-19T00:00:00.000Z ## Provisions PRIA read - Grants to modernize gas systems: benefit, high. If enacted, a federal grant program would fund repairs, replacements, or retirements of gas distribution lines and safety gear. At least 20% of funds would support non‑emitting options like electrification and networked geothermal. Applicants paying prevailing wages and offering strong training wou… - Faster shutdowns and stricter incident reporting: benefit, medium. If enacted, covered pipelines would have to isolate a ruptured segment within 30 minutes of identifying the rupture, starting five years after enactment. The Secretary would issue new gas incident reporting rules within one year, including reporting gas releases of 50,000 cubic feet or more, fires… - More safety info and community help: benefit, medium. If enacted, pipeline operators would have to post free safety details online within one year and update them yearly. They would need to answer public requests within 90 days. The public pipeline map would be available in a machine‑readable format. The Secretary would hold at least one public hearin… - New rules for CO2 pipelines: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Secretary would finish a pending CO2 pipeline safety rule within 18 months. Within two years, more rules would require operators to assess geohazards, monitor changes, prevent leaks, report pipeline and contaminant details, and notify people in potential impact zones. The rules woul… - Stronger safety rules for gas storage: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Secretary would write or update rules for underground natural gas storage within two years. The rules would use technical standards like API RP 1170 and 1171. They would focus on risk management, emergency response, and avoiding single‑point‑of‑failure risks in wells. - Tight limits on hydrogen gas blending: benefit, medium. If enacted, operators could not send hydrogen (beyond trace amounts) through ordinary natural gas distribution pipes unless Congress authorizes it. Systems built for hydrogen that have carried it for at least 10 years could keep doing so. GAO would study hydrogen blending risks and report within th… - Tougher pipeline safety standards and enforcement: benefit, medium. If enacted, safety rules could be applied to older pipelines, not just new ones. Rulewriters would have to consider climate harms and plans to move toward non‑emitting alternatives. The bill would narrow what must be included in statutory cost‑benefit reviews. Safety committees would face strict co… ## Related bills - 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act - 119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act - 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act - 119-hr-4393: DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025 - 119-hr-5658: Child Care for Every Community Act - 119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act ## Sources - [119-hr-5537 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5537) ## Related - [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977) - [119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6644) - [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973) - [119-hr-4393: DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4393) - [119-hr-5658: Child Care for Every Community Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5658) - [119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3971) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5537 (as of 2026-04-21).