WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today announced the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the bipartisan, Pipeline Safety Act of 2016, H.R. 5050, which contains his language to improve the safety and regulation of underground natural gas storage facilities. The bill passed by unanimous consent.

“I commend my colleagues on the House committee for reauthorizing this pipeline safety bill and including my provision to address a dangerous lapse in the oversight of interstate underground natural gas storage facilities,” said Roberts. “We are now one step closer to this bill becoming law and preventing another tragic explosion like the one we had in Hutchinson when we lost two lives and a significant amount of property as a result of an underground gas leak.”

Roberts continued, “Underground natural gas storage facilities are not being regulated by the federal government, and the courts will not allow states to monitor their own storage fields if the gas in those facilities is in interstate transportation. With this action, we are one step closure to ensuring proper oversight to prevent another dangerous explosion.”

In Kansas, there are 11 interstate underground storage sites containing over 270 billion cubic feet of gas.

Last July, Roberts negotiated language to address underground gas storage safety which was included in the SAFE PIPES Act, S. 2276. The bill was approved by the full Senate in March. Roberts also introduced a stand-alone bill last year. For more on that, go here.

The legislation now goes to the full House for debate.