USDOT Repeals Biden-Era Guidance Citing Federal Overreach and Excessive Regulatory Burdens on the Pipeline Industry

Publish Date: July 2, 2025

On June 17, 2025 the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced that it transmitted notice to the Federal Register that repeals an Advisory Bulletin that was issued by the Biden administration about the provisions in Section 114 of the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2020 (2020 PIPES Act).

The repealed Advisory Bulletin expanded the scope of Section 114 and imposed new regulatory requirements, which resulted in a significant increase in costs on the pipeline industry. The bulletin was intended to guide operators in implementing Section 114 of the PIPES Act and to advance environmental objectives.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and PHMSA’s Acting Administrator Ben Kochman recently discussed the reasons the Advisory Bulletin was rescinded.

“Eliminating red tape is at the heart of this administration’s plan to maintain energy dominance,” said Sean Duffy. “President Trump’s aggressive deregulatory agenda is bringing down costs for consumers and unleashing a golden age of American energy.”

Ben Kochman added, “Section 114 provided clear direction to operators and PHMSA. That is why I am rescinding the prior administration’s Advisory Bulletin, which imposed new requirements outside the scope of existing regulations and statute.”

The notice rescinding the Advisory Bulletin guides pipeline owners and operators to adhere to the text of Section 114 of the 2020 PIPES Act and Section 60108(a) of the Pipeline Safety Act when developing their inspection and maintenance plans.

Related Information:

• US DOT Rescinds Biden-Era Guidance
• Pipeline Safety: Recission of Advisory Bulletin on Section 114 of the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2020

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