Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, led a hearing titled Strengthening American Energy: A Review of Pipeline Safety Policy. “Pipelines are not only vital for the safe transportation of the reliable energy that Americans rely upon, but they will continue to ensure our nation’s energy dominance,” said Chairman Latta . “ Today’s hearing offered the opportunity to address multiple issues including rule making for the PIPES Act, closing penalty loopholes for pipeline vandalism, and examining ways that certain technologies, like AI, can be used to increase efficiencies in the pipeline system." Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11): “Would you agree that if we’re going to meet the rising demand, while also keeping the lights on, that we need to get serious about modernizing and expanding our natural gas infrastructure?” Mr. Moriarty: “ Yes, I would agree with that. Natural gas pipelines are the safest way to move the energy that this nation needs. And there’s ever more demand for energy across our surface territories, which is the United States. And to meet those demands, we need to construct and safely operate pipelines as well as LNG storage facilities.” Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15): “Mr. Moriarty, you mentioned that one of the top risks you perceive for pipeline safety is in fact cybersecurity. Would you share with us a bit more about the cyber threat landscape you are seeing and how you’re partnering with federal agencies like the FBI and CISA to meet that threat?” Mr. Moriarty: “ Because of the cyber threat, we took our SCADA system, which is responsible for the safe operations of our systems, off our corporate system and we put it into what we call a DMZ zone, which means nobody can get access to it. So, even if there is a breach somewhere on our system, it won’t get into the pipeline safe operation. Every day, we have threats we have a scoreboard where we see threats coming in in real time. Because of the investments we have made, most of those are stopped before they become a real threat.” Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12): “Building up our pipeline capacity is critical to delivering affordable energy to our constituents across the country and our allies. We’ve heard from the witnesses that pipelines are the safest way to deliver energy. As we are working on modernizing the role of Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration, it is critical we ensure it works to enhance our pipeline infrastructure.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement regarding the release of America’s AI Action Plan, which focuses on safeguarding U.S. global leadership in artificial intelligence.   “Today’s announcement is a major victory in our work to win the race for AI. The future of American global competitiveness, innovation, and economic growth depends on strong investments and a unified approach that promotes AI development and deployment at scale. President Trump’s ‘AI Action Plan’ is an important step toward harnessing the full power of American innovation and aligns with our Committee’s work to unleash infrastructure development and advanced manufacturing, promote a national AI framework, and safeguard Americans where existing protections fall short,” said Chairman Guthrie. “Throughout this Congress, we’ve heard a clear message that to win the race for AI, we need to bring more baseload energy sources online, including natural gas, coal, hydropower, and nuclear. We cannot cede leadership in the development and deployment of AI technology to the Chinese Communist Party, which does not share our values. “We look forward to continuing our work with President Trump to ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in AI development.”   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Strengthening American Energy: A Review of Pipeline Safety Policy. Subcommittee Chairman Latta's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Welcome to today’s hearing, “Strengthening American Energy: A Review of Pipeline Safety Policy.” And thank you to our witnesses for your participation. “Today, we will examine the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety program. “PHMSA is a Department of Transportation agency tasked with developing and enforcing federal safety regulations for the nation’s onshore pipeline infrastructure and the transportation of hazardous materials. “The witnesses before us represent different segments of PHMSA’s regulated community and can provide important perspectives on the reauthorization of PHMSA. “Pipelines are the safest and most efficient mode of transportation for oil, natural gas, liquid energy products, and hazardous materials, and they play an instrumental role in delivering the products that drive our nation’s economy forward. “The agency has about 3.3 million miles of pipelines under its purview. In order to ensure these pipelines are operated in a safe and reliable manner, PHMSA partners and coordinates with States to administer pipeline safety programs and inspect infrastructure within a state's boundaries. “PHMSA was last authorized in the Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act (PIPES) of 2020, through Fiscal Year 2023. “I hope we can work in a bipartisan fashion this Congress with our House and Senate colleagues to reauthorize PHMSA to continue carrying out its mission and associated duties. This subcommittee has a responsibility to ensure PHMSA maintains a strong focus on safety and operates within its statutory authorities. “The PIPES Act of 2020 included several statutorily mandated rulemakings that never fully got out the door under the previous administration. Today, the subcommittee will examine implementation of the PIPES Act to ensure PHMSA is on track to carry out Congressional intent in a cost-effective and workable manner. “Additionally, the subcommittee will examine new challenges and opportunities for pipeline safety. “For example, the replacement of aging infrastructure must be a top priority for PHMSA, States, and pipeline operators, but it presents cost and operational challenges. “Especially as energy demand is projected to increase significantly in the immediate future, the upgrading of our natural gas network must be prioritized to ensure the safe transportation of natural gas and other important energy sources and products. “While substantial progress has been made in replacing aging pipes, there is still work to be done. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses on how PHMSA can best address the remaining 1 percent of iron distribution pipes. “American innovations and new technologies, like artificial intelligence technology, also present opportunities to bolster the quality of risk assessments and advance safety towards our collective goal of zero incidents. However, these technologies will also pose challenges to information and operational security. It is important that a PHMSA reauthorization gives the agency the tools needed to have an effective approach for the opportunities and challenges ahead.  “In his confirmation hearing last week, Paul Roberti, President Trump’s nominee for PHMSA administrator, committed to pursuing opportunities to utilize new, cost-effective technologies to enhance safety. The subcommittee hopes to collaborate with PHMSA and pipeline operators in this endeavor. “A PHMSA reauthorization must prioritize the improvement of the agency’s core responsibility: safety. I am concerned that the previous administration advanced extraneous priorities and set safety to the side. However, President Trump’s administration has recommitted to this critical mission, and I hope this Committee can produce a reauthorization that maintains safety as the cornerstone of PHMSA’s pipeline safety program. “Pipelines are imperative to public safety and the energy security of our nation. I look forward to hearing from pipeline operators today as we build on American energy leadership.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Yesterday, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, penned a letter to Secretary Jennifer Granholm questioning the Department of Energy’s involvement in the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to prevent new offshore oil and gas production, leading to higher prices for consumers and harming U.S. energy security. KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “Closing off swaths of U.S. offshore areas to energy production, as the Biden-Harris Administration reportedly intends to do, will lead to higher energy prices for American families, the loss of American jobs, and greatly diminish our country’s energy security. As the Secretary of Energy, you have an obligation to weigh in on this matter and insist on a full review of the energy security and economic impacts before any decisions are finalized. “The United States stands at an energy crossroads, facing mounting global security threats and soaring demand for power. Instead of leading the world in energy production, we’ve allowed misguided “green” policies to hamstring our potential. It’s time to unleash American energy dominance again—the federal government must become an ally, not an obstacle, to our nation’s energy security. We look forward to your prompt response to this request, no later than January 10, 2025.” Read the story  here . BACKGROUND: This morning, the Biden Administration announced that more than 625 million square miles of coastline would be off-limits for energy production. Republican Members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce have continuously called on the Biden-Harris Administration to end its attack on American energy production before leaving office on January 20th. The letter requests an explanation of the DOE’s involvement in the decision and whether the White House or the Department of Interior consulted with the DOE about the plans to close off access to offshore resources. Any decision to shut down access to significant American energy resources impacts U.S. energy policy and should be reviewed by the DOE. The Biden Administration’s energy policies have continued to create major harm to America’s energy production and workforce. A unilateral ban on energy production in large swaths of the U.S. coastline will have lasting impacts on American energy production and security.

“DOE is threatening domestic jobs and economic development, weakening the energy security of European allies, and strengthening our adversaries” Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) sent a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm demanding the agency stop rushing to prematurely release its anti-liquefied natural gas (LNG) study, which aims to hamstring the incoming Presidential administration. The letter also calls for DOE to lift the pause on LNG exports, which was a politically motivated decision by the Biden administration to appease radical environmental activists at the expense of American energy security and the security of our allies. KEY LETTER EXCERPTS: “Despite DOE’s prior findings and published reviews in favor of U.S. LNG exports, and contrary to DOE’s limited statutory authority under the NGA, the Biden administration’s DOE announced that it would expand its environmental review as part of a ‘managed transition’ to reduce use of fossil fuels. Recent press reports indicate that DOE is racing to complete a study on the climate impacts of LNG exports to hamper the incoming Republican administration and provide opportunities to challenge future project approvals in court.” [...] “ The results of the 2024 presidential election are clear, and DOE leadership will soon change. As a traditional part of the peaceful transfer of power, DOE should immediately stop work on any plans to expand the scope of review or add new conditions to LNG export licenses. DOE should immediately lift the ban on LNG export approvals in compliance with the NGA and the District Court order.” BACKGROUND: January 26, 2024 : The Biden administration announces indefinite “pause” on LNG export permits. Chair Rodgers immediately rebukes the decision, calling it a “gift to Putin.” February 5, 2024 : More than 150 House Republicans demand President Biden ends his de facto ban on American LNG exports. February 15, 2024 : E&C Republicans lead bipartisan passage of H.R. 7176 to reverse President Biden’s LNG export ban. April 8, 2024 : The Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security holds a field hearing in Port Arthur, Texas, with local leaders and energy workers to highlight the economic and public benefits of American energy production, including job creation. November 7, 2024 : Bloomberg Law reports that the “Biden administration is racing to complete a study that could complicate President-Elect Donald Trump’s plan to immediately approve new liquefied natural gas export terminals.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today sent letters to five independent federal agencies urging the Biden-Harris administration appointees to abandon partisan efforts and instead focus remaining efforts on bipartisan, consensus items.   The letters state, “The results of the 2024 presidential election are now apparent and leadership of the [agency] will soon change. As a traditional part of the peaceful transfer of power, the [agency] should immediately stop work on any partisan or controversial item under consideration, consistent with applicable law and regulation.”    Click below to read each agency’s letter:   Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Federal Communications Commission (FCC)   Federal Trade Commission (FTC)   Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)   Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Note: In the letter, Chair Rodgers urges NRC to continue timely implementation of the ADVANCE Act.