PHMSA Voluntary Information Sharing Act

Key Points

• This bill requires the Department of Transportation to create a new system where pipeline companies can voluntarily share safety data. The goal is to identify risks and "near misses" before they lead to major leaks or explosions.
• To encourage honesty, the information shared would be confidential and "nonpunitive." This means the government generally cannot use the shared data to fine the companies, and the data is protected from public records requests and most lawsuits.
• A 15-member board would oversee the program, including five people from the government, five from the pipeline industry, and five from public safety groups. A neutral third party would manage the data to ensure it is stripped of identifying details before being analyzed.
• By sharing lessons learned from accidents or technical failures across the whole industry, the program aims to improve safety for gas and hazardous liquid pipelines nationwide. It focuses on finding trends that might be missed if companies keep their data private.
• The program would be set up within one year of the bill passing. It would be funded through a mix of public-private partnerships and up to $5 million in annual fees from the industry through 2027.

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