Preventing Future Vintage Plastic Pipeline Tragedies Act

This bill would address safety risks from Aldyl-A polyethylene, a type of plastic piping widely used in gas distribution systems since the 1960s that has been linked to pipeline failures and gas leaks. The legislation was introduced following the 2023 West Reading, Pennsylvania explosion that killed seven people, which federal investigators linked to this hazardous material. If enacted, the bill would require pipeline operators to assess their systems for the presence of Aldyl-A piping within three years of enactment and report the total mileage to federal regulators. Operators would not be required to excavate pipes solely for this assessment. The bill would also require state pipeline safety programs and operators' integrity management programs to account for these older plastic pipes with known safety issues when evaluating risks and planning maintenance or replacement efforts.