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Committee approves House Bill 294 to restore Idaho PUC primacy over pipeline safety enforcement
Summary
The committee voted to send House Bill 294 to the floor with a do‑pass recommendation; the bill corrects an outdated code reference and restores state primacy over intrastate pipeline safety enforcement and penalty authority.
Sen. Berndt presented House Bill 294 to restore Idaho’s primacy over pipeline safety enforcement and penalties, telling the committee the Legislature failed to update code last year and the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) assumed enforcement authority as of Jan. 1, 2025.
Maria Barrett Riley, executive director of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, testified the change would return enforcement and flexibility to the Idaho PUC. Hart Gilchrist, vice president of Business Development and External Affairs for an interstate gas company, said the state‑run program improves local relationships, settlement possibilities and retains penalty funds in Idaho.
Senators discussed the penalties; witnesses said the bill aligns Idaho with federal penalty structures adopted in 2024 so the state can regain primacy. A motion to send House Bill 294 to the floor with a do‑pass recommendation carried.
