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S. 2276, SAFE PIPES Act 1 (February 23, 2016)

handle is hein.congrec/cbo2756 and id is 1 raw text is: 




                  CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
                              COST ESTIMATE

                                                                 February 23, 2016


                                    S. 2276
                               SAFE PIPES Act

As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
                               on December 9, 2015


SUMMARY

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) oversees the
safety of pipelines that transport natural gas or hazardous liquids and provides grants to
states for programs to ensure pipeline safety. S. 2276 would require PHMSA to pursue a
variety of regulatory and administrative activities related to such programs and would
authorize appropriations for those purposes. The bill also would authorize PHMSA to
establish safety standards for certain underground natural gas storage facilities, assess fees
on entities that operate such facilities, and spend such fees-subject to authority provided
in advance in appropriation acts-to ensure that such facilities meet those standards.

CBO estimates that implementing S. 2276 would require gross appropriations totaling
$525 million over the 2017-2021 period. CBO also estimates that those appropriations
would be offset by $462 million in fees paid by pipeline owners, which are considered
offsets to discretionary spending. Assuming appropriation of amounts specified and
estimated to be necessary, CBO estimates that the resulting net outlays would total
$50 million over the 2017-2021 period.

In addition, CBO estimates that enacting S. 2276 would increase revenues from
assessments on entities that operate certain underground natural gas storage facilities by
$17 million over the 2017-2026 period. Pay-as-you-go procedures apply because enacting
the legislation would affect revenues. Enacting S. 2276 would not affect direct spending.

CBO estimates that enacting the legislation would not increase net direct spending or
on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.

S. 2276 would impose intergovernmental and private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by establishing new safety standards on storage
facilities for natural gas and imposing new fees. Based on information from PHMSA and
industry sources, CBO estimates the aggregate cost of the mandates would fall below the
annual thresholds established in UMRA for intergovernmental and private-sector

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