Sec. 17. Workforce
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Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment, the Secretary shall increase the number of full-time equivalent employees (as compared to the number of positions on the date of enactment of this Act) by— at least 8 full-time employees with subject matter expertise in pipeline safety, pipeline facilities, and pipeline systems to finalize outstanding pipeline safety rulemakings and fulfill mandates for the Office of Pipeline Safety of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; and at least 3 full-time attorneys with pipeline industry of safety expertise in the Office of Chief Counsel of the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
The Secretary shall ensure that the number of positions for pipeline inspection and enforcement personnel in the Office of Pipeline Safety of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration does not fall below the following: 222 for fiscal year 2020. 233 for fiscal year 2021. 245 for fiscal year 2022. 258 for fiscal year 2023. 272 for fiscal year 2024. Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall request authority from the Office of Personnel Management to use incentives, as necessary, to recruit and retain a qualified workforce, including— for inspection and enforcement personnel and subject matter experts dedicated to rulemaking activities in the Office of Pipeline Safety, including the Liquefied Natural Gas division of the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, as established under section 16(b)— special pay rates permitted under section 5305 of title 5, United States Code; and repayment of student loans accompanied by a continued service agreement, permitted under section 5379 of title 5, United States Code; and for the Deputy Associate Administrator of the Liquefied Natural Gas division in the Office of Pipeline Safety, as established under section 16(b), critical position pay permitted under section 5377 of title 5, United States Code.
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, a report that contains— the number of full-time personnel the agency has hired to meet the requirements of subsection (a), as well as the total number of personnel employed by the Administrator; a description of the agency’s efforts to comply with subsection (b); a description of the personnel of the Liquefied Natural Gas division in the Office of Pipeline Safety, any impediments to hiring, and any personnel constraints affecting the ability of the agency to fulfill the authorities of such division; and any other details associated with the agency’s progress toward fulfilling the staffing levels and pursuing the financial incentives as directed by this section.
Not later than 90 days after the date on which the report is transmitted under paragraph
(1)and not later than every 90 days thereafter until all statutory mandates under this section are met, the Administrator shall transmit an updated report that describes the actions taken since the previous report.