Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Missouri Rep. Sam Graves led a coalition of 25 other federal lawmakers in calling on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to reverse its suspension of rules allowing shipments of LNG by rail.
No Oklahoma Senators or Representatives were part of the effort that sent a letter to PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown accusing the Biden administration of carrying out a war on American energy. It accused the PHMSA of advancing the administration’s green agenda, prioritizing radical policies and intentionally discouraging investment in American energy.
“… This suspension, which is the latest attack in the Biden administration’s war on American energy, calls into question PHMSA’s commitment to its safety mission, PHMSA’s role in promoting the administration’s extreme green policies, and whether PHMSA will ever reasonably allow for the movement of LNG by rail.We ask you to reverse this misstep or, at a minimum, act more rationally going forward,” stated the letter.
The lawmakers argued that PHMSA must focus on safety, including evidence that LNG can move more safely by rail than by highway:
“PHMSA is a safety agency, not an environmental agency, and is responsible for regulating the safe transportation of hazardous materials. Given its safety mission, the question PHMSA must consider is not whether LNG can be moved safely in tank cars by rail, but rather what restrictions are reasonable and justified?” they continued.
PHMSA issued a final rule in July 2020 that authorized the movement of LNG by rail tank car. But the members of Congress say President Biden targeted the rule since day one of his presidency. In September of this year, the agency announced the complete suspension of the LNG by rail rule through June 2025.
Read the full text of the letter HERE.