Bacon Announces Funding for Mitigating Risks for Natural Gas Pipelines

Omaha, Neb. - The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law appropriated Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) $1 billion for the agency’s Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) –its first-ever infrastructure grant—aimed at mitigating safety risk from the highest-risk, legacy natural gas distribution pipes, particularly in underserved communities. Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) voted for the Infrastructure Law.

Specifically, the statute provides $200 million per year to be awarded to municipality or community owned gas distributional systems for the replacement, repair, or rehabilitation of high risk, leak-prone, legacy pipe.  PHMSA is now ready to award $391,938,091 in funding to modernize over 600 miles of pipes in underserved and transportation-disadvantaged communities through 130 projects in 26 states, including grants for equipment to help pinpoint methane leaks for repair.

In Nebraska’s 2^nd Congressional District, 2 entities will receive a total of $26,572,365:

·   Metro Utilities District, otherwise known as M.U.D. will receive $25,225,287.00 for pipeline construction project to replace 89.1 miles of natural gas infrastructure.

·   The City of Wahoo, NE will receive $1,347,078 for a pipeline construction project to replace 2.15 miles of natural gas infrastructure. 

“My vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was representative of our community,” said Bacon. “These needed resources will bolster our economy, create jobs and improve safety. This funding will help mitigate current safety risks stemming from some of our oldest natural gas distribution pipes, all while creating hundreds of good-paying jobs.”

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