The Wojnovich Pipeline Safety Act of 2025 directs the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to establish a grant program that funds safety improvements and modernization of hazardous liquid distribution infrastructure. Eligible recipients are municipalities in states that require the disclosures described in section 4 or community-owned utilities that are not-for-profit, with public-private partnerships allowed for project delivery.
The bill also lays out funding timelines, award criteria, and a framework for transparency and accountability.
Beyond grants, the act expands safety-related requirements and oversight: it updates website accessibility for accident reporting, mandates real estate disclosures near pipeline easements, requires enhanced emergency alerting and testing rules, imposes penalties for unreported leaks, and creates a dedicated Trust Fund financed by penalties to support grant awards and emergency reimbursement. The package is designed to accelerate safety upgrades while boosting public engagement and accountability in pipeline operations.
At a Glance
What It Does
Establishes a PHMSA grant program to fund safety upgrades and modernization of hazardous liquid distribution infrastructure. Sets eligibility for municipalities in states with required disclosures and for community-owned utilities, allows PPPs, and creates award timelines with limits on single-recipient shares.
Who It Affects
States and local governments, municipalities, community-owned non-profit utilities, pipeline operators, and residents near pipelines (within half a mile) who will experience disclosures, reporting, and alerting improvements.
Why It Matters
Creates a dedicated funding stream for safety upgrades, strengthens transparency and community engagement, and imposes accountability measures (reporting, alerts, compliance) intended to reduce leaks and incidents and improve emergency response.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The act creates a dedicated grant program within PHMSA to fund safety and modernization efforts for hazardous liquid pipeline infrastructure. Eligible grant recipients are municipalities in states that enact the required real estate disclosures and community-owned utilities that are not for-profit; recipients may form public-private partnerships to implement projects.
The program specifies how funding will be awarded and includes a cap preventing any single recipient from receiving more than 12.5% of the funds available. In addition to grants, the bill requires PHMSA to improve online accessibility, mandate public reporting of accidents, and provide remediation status updates every 90 days until issues are resolved.
A major feature is the real estate disclosure requirement, which would force states to require notices in real estate contracts about known hazardous liquid pipeline easements within 0.5 miles of a property. The notices must include operator contact information, pipeline name and content, past repairs, and a list of leaks or incidents in the past decade, with the information publicly posted by PHMSA.
The bill also pushes for a federal emergency alert system tied to pipeline leaks or failures, and it mandates rulemaking to improve testing (in-person water tests near wells, inline inspection for older pipelines, and timely notifications to residents).To support enforcement and accountability, the act imposes penalties for operators who declare leaks or incidents—$2.5 million per year until remediation, and $5 million if an operator fails to declare within 15 days. It authorizes up to $100 million per year (2026–2030) to carry out the program, with up to 2% for administrative costs and 0.5% of the funds set aside for DOT’s inspector general oversight.
A Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Community Trust Fund would collect penalty revenue and disburse funds to support sections 2 and 6, while PHMSA would deliver quarterly knowledge reports to Congress and rename a Public Engagement office to emphasize active outreach.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill creates a PHMSA-grant program to fund safety upgrades and modernization of hazardous liquid pipelines.
No single recipient may receive more than 12.5% of the program’s total funds.
The act authorizes $100 million annually (2026–2030) for the program, with 2% administrative costs and 0.5% IG oversight.
A real estate disclosure requirement near pipeline easements within 0.5 miles is established to support grant eligibility and public awareness.
Penalties can reach $2.5 million annually for ongoing leaks until remediation, or $5 million for delays in declaring an incident, with funds deposited into a dedicated Community Trust Fund.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Every bill we cover gets an analysis of its key sections.
Grant program establishment
The Administrator of PHMSA must establish a grant program to fund safety enhancements and modernization of hazardous liquid distribution infrastructure. Eligible recipients include municipalities in states that implement the required disclosures described in Section 4 and community-owned utilities that are not-for-profit. Public-private partnerships are allowed for projects funded under this section. The program defines how opportunities are announced, how applications are evaluated (risk profile of the pipeline, job creation potential, and economic impact), and how awards are limited (not more than 12.5% of total funds to a single recipient). This section sets the framework for administering the grants and ensuring accountability.
Website update and reporting
PHMSA must update its website to improve usability and public accessibility. The update requires easily readable reporting of each accident or incident, and a remediation status update for each incident posted at least every 90 days until remediation is complete. The goal is to provide transparent, timely information about pipeline safety events and responses.
Public notification and preparedness
To participate in the grant program, states must require real estate contracts to disclose known hazardous liquid pipeline easements within 0.5 miles of the property boundary. Disclosures must include operator contact information, the pipeline's name and product, recent repairs, and a decade-long record of leaks or incidents. PHMSA must collect and publicly post this information. The section also expands emergency response planning and public engagement requirements in subsequent sections.
Penalty for accident
Operators of hazardous liquid pipelines face penalties for declaring leaks, incidents, or failures. The baseline penalty is $2.5 million annually until remediation is certified. If an operator fails to declare within 15 days of learning of an event, the penalty rises to $5 million. These penalties are intended to incentivize timely disclosure and rapid remediation.
Emergency reimbursement
Within 30 days of receipt of a declaration of an event, the Secretary must provide funds to reimburse eligible entities for response-related costs. Eligible expenses include replacement of damaged equipment, overtime for responders, operational costs of response, and other purposes related to the event as determined by the Secretary of Transportation. The section defines “eligible entity” as a state or local emergency response group operating in the affected area.
Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Community Trust Fund
A new Trust Fund is established within the Treasury, administered by the Secretary of Transportation. Penalties collected under Section 5 are deposited into the fund and disbursed to carry out Sections 2 and 6. This arrangement ties enforcement outcomes directly to funding for safety grants and reimbursement programs.
Quarterly industry knowledge report
PHMSA must deliver a quarterly report to congressional committees detailing industry knowledge and developments related to hazardous liquid pipeline safety and integrity, starting within 180 days of enactment. PHMSA should incorporate relevant findings into regulations, guidance, advisories, and notices when feasible.
Office of Public Engagement
The bill requires renaming the Community Liaison Services to the Office of Public Engagement within the PHMSA Office of Pipeline Safety. The Office is tasked with proactive stakeholder engagement, promoting safety programs, informing the public about regulations and best practices, and assisting inquiries. The office must ensure accessibility and include community liaisons in safety-order discussions and outreach, with a required Congress-report on implementation within 18 months.
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Explore Energy in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Municipalities in states that adopt real estate disclosures, because grant eligibility and potential project funding improve safety and resilience.
- Community-owned utilities that are not-for-profit, which gain access to grant funds for modernization and safety upgrades.
- Residents and landowners living within 0.5 miles of hazardous liquid pipelines, who benefit from enhanced disclosures, alerts, and engagement around pipeline safety.
- Local emergency responders and public safety organizations, via improved funding, reporting, and community liaison channels that support rapid, coordinated responses.
- PHMSA and DOT regulators gain improved data, transparency, and regulatory feedback through mandated reporting and knowledge-sharing.
Who Bears the Cost
- Pipeline operators incur higher compliance expectations and penalties for non-declaration of leaks or incidents.
- State and local governments incur administrative costs associated with implementing the real estate disclosures and reporting requirements.
- Real estate stakeholders (agents, sellers, and buyers) may face higher transactional burdens due to required disclosures near easements.
- The federal grant program imposes ongoing administrative and oversight costs funded by the program’s budget and penalties deposited into the Trust Fund.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
How to maximize pipeline safety and community engagement without imposing prohibitive costs on operators or stifling property transactions, while ensuring timely, effective rulemaking and transparent accountability.
The bill frontloads safety and transparency enhancements by tying penalties, grants, and reimbursements to a centralized funding mechanism. However, this creates policy tensions around the balance of safety versus cost, particularly for operators who must comply with new disclosure, testing, and public engagement requirements.
The reliance on penalties as a funding source for the Trust Fund could create incentives to adjust reporting practices or to delay disclosures if not carefully calibrated. There is also a potential tension between real estate disclosures and market activity, as properties near pipeline easements may experience altered demand or pricing.
Finally, the scope and speed of rulemaking for testing and remediation must be managed to avoid regulatory bottlenecks that could slow safety improvements or impose duplicative requirements on operators across states.
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