Press Releases

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO); Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Ranking Member Rick Crawford (R-AR); and 18 additional Committee Republicans are calling on the Biden Administration to drop plans to suspend recently finalized regulations that authorized the safe transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by rail. They warned this unwarranted action will unnecessarily burden the transportation sector during the ongoing supply chain crisis, while stifling access to a more environmentally friendly source of energy.

In a letter to Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Acting Administrator Tristan Brown, the Members wrote: “LNG has a proven safety record, is the most environmentally friendly fossil fuel option, and contributes to the United States’, and our allies’ energy independence.  As our country faces significant supply chain issues and rising energy prices, we should be incentivizing critical infrastructure that can provide additional capacity to the Nation’s ability to safely transport energy and ease some of these challenges.  Yet, the rollback of this rule once again places additional regulatory burdens to stifle key transportation infrastructure.”

On November 8, 2021, PHMSA published a notice of proposed rulemaking to rescind the July 24, 2020, final rule authorizing the bulk transportation of LNG in certain tank cars.  In their letter, the Members highlight this recent executive action as another example of how the Administration is undermining the Nation’s economy by driving up energy costs for American families and business.  These actions hurt our ability to improve our infrastructure network and respond to the ongoing supply chain crisis.

“We must question whether the agency’s explanation for proposing this rollback constitutes a reasonable decision.  No evidence exists for PHMSA to reasonably conclude that the 2020 rule should be changed so soon after taking effect, and therefore this newly proposed rule is arbitrary, capricious, and unwarranted,” the Members said.

Read the full letter here.