Rep. Burlison Introduces the Propane Accessibility and Regulatory Relief Act

WASHINGTON- Recently, Congressman Eric Burlison (MO-07) introduced the Propane Accessibility and Regulatory Relief Act which would exempt propane tanks with a capacity of up to 126,000 pounds from burdensome regulations.

In 2006, Congress authorized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish the Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program to identify and regulate high-risk chemical facilities. Unfortunately, when determining which propane tanks should be regulated, DHS set the threshold too low. That decision has had a negative impact on the ability of businesses to use and sell propane. Currently, propane retailers possessing 60,000 lbs. or more of propane are subject to CFATS.  The 60,000 lbs. threshold places forces businesses who use and sell propane to comply with burdensome and costly regulations.

Rep. Burlison said: “This is an issue that impacts the small, independent propane businesses in Southwest Missouri and throughout the country.  When this issue was brought to my attention, I wanted to help.” 

“The Propane Accessibility and Regulatory Relief Act will provide relief from the onerous and costly regulations. These regulations are wasteful, time consuming, and costly.  They create unnecessary burdens on the businesses that use and sell propane, and those burdens are passed on to American families in the form of higher prices.”

Support for this legislation:

“The National Propane Gas Association commends Congressman Eric Burlison for introducing The Propane Accessibility and Regulatory Relief Act. A GAO study conducted in 2021 has highlighted the duplicative nature of the Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program. Compliance with these regulations escalates operational expenses for the propane industry, thereby leading to higher costs for end users, particularly those residing in rural communities. Moreover, this program discourages the expansion of on-site propane storage, which could mitigate the risk of potential supply disruptions during peak demand months. The Propane Accessibility and Regulatory Relief Act offers a pathway to alleviate CFATS compliance obligations, ease supply chain limitations, and bolster energy security in rural America.” 

“The Missouri Propane Gas Association is grateful for Congressman Eric Burlison’s Propane Accessibility and Regulatory Relief Act. Our industry’s safety record for more than a century underscores a commitment to ensuring product security and compliance with national standards. However, the former CFATS guidelines have arbitrarily designated threshold amounts of reportable propane that do not reflect an accurate risk environment, yet require onerous and expensive investments to comply. H.R. 6022 adjusts that threshold to maintain an appropriate level of oversight without adding unnecessary compliance costs that are ultimately passed on the customers.”