Washington, D.C.– Today, U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) introduced the Pipeline Safety Engagement Act, legislation to create an independent Office of Public Engagement within the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
“Pipelines affect surrounding areas including safety, health, and the environment. This is why the public must be fully informed on safety measures and regulations,” said Rep. Strickland. “Creating an Office of Public Engagement will allow PHMSA to ramp up their efforts to engage with local communities about pipeline safety.”
The Pipeline Safety Engagement Act allocates $12 million to build on PHMSA’s preexisting efforts to engage community members that have been impeded by a lack of independence, training, and funding from the agency. The funding would boost services to educate the public on pipeline safety, including by providing information in different languages.
U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and is the only African-American woman who serves on the House Armed Services Committee. She is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress and is the first African-American elected to represent the Pacific Northwest at the federal level.
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