---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 60141"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "60141"
heading: "Standards for underground natural gas storage facilities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/60141"
units:
  - "Subtitle VIII — Pipelines"
  - "Chapter 601 — Safety"
---

# §60141. Standards for underground natural gas storage facilities

- (a) **Minimum Safety Standards.—** Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the PIPES Act of 2016, the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25), in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall issue minimum safety standards for [underground natural gas storage facilities](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-26).
- (b) **Considerations.—** In developing the safety standards required under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) shall, to the extent practicable—
  - (1) consider consensus standards for the operation, environmental protection, and integrity management of [underground natural gas storage facilities](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-26);
  - (2) consider the economic impacts of the regulations on individual [gas](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-2) customers;
  - (3) ensure that the regulations do not have a significant economic impact on end users; and
  - (4) consider the recommendations of the Aliso Canyon natural [gas](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-2) leak task force established under section 31 of the PIPES Act of 2016.
- (c) **Federal-State Cooperation.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) may authorize a [State](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-20) authority (including a [municipality](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-15)) to participate in the oversight of [underground natural gas storage facilities](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-26) in the same manner as provided in sections [60105](/usc/49/60105.md) and 60106.
- (d) **Rules of Construction.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** Nothing in this section may be construed to affect any Federal regulation relating to [gas pipeline facilities](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-3) that is in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the PIPES Act of 2016.
  - (2) **Limitations.—** Nothing in this section may be construed to authorize the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25)—
    - (A) to prescribe the location of an [underground natural gas storage facility](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-26); or
    - (B) to require the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25)’s permission to construct a facility referred to in [subparagraph (A)](#d-2-A).
- (e) **Preemption.—** A [State](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-20) authority may adopt additional or more stringent safety standards for intrastate [underground natural gas storage facilities](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-26) if such standards are compatible with the minimum standards prescribed under this section.
- (f) **Statutory Construction.—** Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25)’s authority under this title to regulate the underground storage of [gas](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-2) that is not natural [gas](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-2).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 114–183, § 12(b), June 22, 2016, 130 Stat. 522.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The date of enactment of the PIPES Act of 2016, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (d)(1), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 114–183, which was approved June 22, 2016.

Section 31 of the PIPES Act of 2016, referred to in subsec. (b)(4), is section 31 of Pub. L. 114–183, June 22, 2016, 130 Stat. 533, which is not classified to the Code.