# PHMSA Proposes LNG Safety Rule Updates

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has proposed updating safety regulations for liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities to incorporate NFPA Standard 59A (2026 edition) and recognize newer technologies. PHMSA estimates the changes could generate **$100 million in annual savings**. LNG facility operators and infrastructure suppliers should assess how the proposed standards and technology provisions may affect facility designs, safety systems, and future project costs when the NPRM is published in the Federal Register.

- The proposal concerns LNG facility safety requirements and could affect operators, engineering firms, equipment suppliers, and other infrastructure contractors serving the sector.
- Procurement teams can use the proposed incorporation of NFPA 59A (2026 edition) to identify potential impacts on technical specifications and safety-related procurement planning; the proposal is not yet a final rule.
- PHMSA Administrator Paul Roberti described the update as recognizing industry innovation while streamlining requirements, making the NPRM relevant to suppliers offering newer LNG facility technologies.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 29, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

### Key Quotes
> As the world’s largest LNG exporter, the United States’ regulations for LNG facilities are the gold standard. But we have let those regulations stagnate, relying on an outdated version of an industry standard from more than twenty years ago. Today’s long overdue proposal recognizes the innovation that has transformed the industry over the last ten years and enhances safety by streamlining regulatory requirements and incentivizing the deployment of cutting-edge technologies.
> — Paul Roberti, PHMSA Administrator

### Sources
- [Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Modernizes LNG Regulations to Secure American Energy Dominance | US Department of Transportation](https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-modernizes-lng-regulations-secure) - DOT