Sponsors (11)
The bill increases identification and risk-evaluation of Aldyl–A plastic pipelines and avoids mandatory excavations—trading better information and less short-term disruption for reduced regulator verification and a risk of higher long-term remediation costs.
Utilities and state regulators will be required to identify and report miles of Aldyl–A piping and add 'historic plastics with known safety issues' to risk-evaluation lists, improving awareness and planning for potentially unsafe pipeline materials.
Pipeline owners/operators and local communities will avoid mandatory excavation for assessments, reducing short-term disruption and excavation costs.
Local regulators and communities may have reduced ability to verify operator assessments because mandatory excavation is prohibited, which could leave some unsafe piping undiscovered for longer and increase safety risk.
Reporting identification of Aldyl–A could trigger accelerated replacement or remediation programs that raise costs for utilities and ultimately for ratepayers and taxpayers.
Pipeline owners and operators will incur compliance costs and staff time to survey and report Aldyl–A mileage within three years.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires gas distribution operators to identify and report presence and estimated miles of Aldyl–A pipe within three years and adds vintage plastics to state safety certification and risk evaluation lists.
Official title: To direct owners and operators of gas distribution pipeline facilities to assess systems for the presence of Aldyl-A polyethylene, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 24, 2026 by Christina Houlahan · Last progress March 24, 2026
Requires owners and operators of gas distribution pipeline facilities to survey and report whether they have Aldyl–A (a vintage polyethylene pipe) and estimate how many miles exist within their systems, with reports due within three years of enactment. The bill forbids the federal Secretary from ordering excavations for the survey, preserves existing federal inspection and enforcement authorities, and adds “historic plastics with known safety issues” (including Aldyl–A) to lists used in State pipeline safety program certifications and distribution integrity risk evaluations.