Pipeline Safety Program State Base Grant (20.700)
Pipeline Safety Program State Base Grant (Assistance Listing 20.700) is run by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, part of the Department of Transportation. It awarded $275 million in 309 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $888,922 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $481,923. Half of the 309 awards fell between $168,541 and $1.0 million, and they ranged from $8,014 to $7.2 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$275 million
- Grant awards309
- Typical award$481,923
- Awarded in FY 2025$9.7 million
- Size rank526 of 1824
- Type of assistanceFormula grants
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $58.0 million in fiscal 2021 to $9.7 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 526th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 76% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 49 states and territories.
What the program funds
To develop, support and maintain inspection and enforcement activities for State gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety programs.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
State Agency. State must have a 60105 Certification or 60106 Agreement with PHMSA. The Department provides Federal funds (limited to congressional appropriations), up to 80 percent of the State's total program costs to any State agency with a certificate under Section 60105 of Title 49, United States Code, an agreement under Section 60106 of Title 49, United States Code, or to any State acting as a DOT agent on interstate pipelines.
What the money can and cannot pay for
The Federal Pipeline Safety Law authorizes Federal reimbursement of up to 80 percent of a State's expenditure during the year for personnel, equipment, and activities reasonably required by the State agency for the conduct of its pipeline safety program. The Law further stipulates the State agency must also agree to provide the remaining cost of the safety program(s). Within these limitations, the available funds are allocated by a method designed to reflect the degree to which a State has met certain established goals. The allocation is determined by assigning point values to the States for having achieved certain levels of program participation, dividing this point score by the sum of the States' point scores, and multiplying this ratio by the funding amount available for the distribution. PHMSA distributes remaining funds according to certain criteria designed to seek improvements in State programs. The criteria used by PHMSA is the extent of intrastate jurisdiction, inspector qualifications, recommended number of inspection person-days, State adoption of applicable Federal regulations, and other relevant criteria. In 2024, the Federal allocations represented 61.06 percent of the total estimated State requests in the natural gas program. The Federal allocation in the hazardous liquid program represented 61.53 percent of the total estimated State requests. Funds must be dedicated to the Certified Pipeline Safety Program and are based on the State performance scores.;
Matching requirements
Statutory Formula: Title 49 C.F.R. Transportation, Part 198. REGULATIONS FOR GRANTS TO AID STATE PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAMS, Subpart B,Public Law 116.260.Grant Allocation Public Law Grants are awarded based on the following formula: Grant Award = State Budget Amount*State Performance Score*Percent Allocation Where Percent Allocation(80%Maximum)_= Total Available Funding/Sum of All Programs (State Score*State Budget) State Budget Amount = Calendar Year Budget Estimate Submitted by each State with Grant Application Annual State Performance Score Outlined in the Guidelines for Participating in the Pipeline Safety Program. Percent Allocation – This is the maximum percentage of total program costs that can be applied to each grantee. There is an 80% maximum funding limited required by Section 60107 of the Pipeline Safety Act. This formula provides for an equal distribution of available funds in the event appropriated funding is less than required for maximum funding. Total Available Funding - This is the annual funding provided by congressional appropriation. This would also include any unexpended (carryover) funds available from previous fiscal years. The combined sum of each State Performance Score multiplied by each State Budget Estimate. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Aug 15, 2025 to Sep 30, 2025 Applications are due by September 30 for the next calendar year
Award range and average, in the agency's words
The range of grants awarded $27,718-$6,443,761
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2016: No current data is available. There were 50 State Pipeline Safety Programs that participate in the grant resulting in safety oversight for over 2 million miles of pipeline. The State Base Grant is to support State Pipeline Safety Programs which are certified through PHMSA to inspect and enforce the pipeline safety regulations under the State’s safety authority. All States currently participate in the pipeline safety program except Alaska and Hawaii. This is a recurring grant which has been in place for over 30 years. The Grantees are provided with specific notification of the grant availability and webinars supporting their grant applications Budget Fiscal Year: Fiscal Year2017: There are 50 State Pipeline Safety Programs that participate in the grant resulting in safety oversight for over 2 million miles of pipeline. The State Base Grant is to support State Pipeline Safety Programs which are certified through PHMSA to inspect and enforce the pipeline safety regulations under the State’s safety authority. All States currently participate in the pipeline safety program except Alaska and Hawaii. This is a recurring grant which has been in place for over 30 years. The Grantees are provided with specific notification of the grant availability and webinars supporting their grant applications.Fiscal Year2018: There are 49 State Pipeline Safety Programs that participate in the grant resulting in safety oversight for over 2 million miles of pipeline.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Pipeline Safety Program State Base Grant (20.700) awarded$275 million across 309 grant awards, an average of $888,922 per award.
Who usually wins
Almost all of the money went to state and local governments.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 309 | $275 million | 100% |
By state
43 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 10 | $48.3 million |
| Texas | 9 | $29.9 million |
| New York | 10 | $21.1 million |
| Pennsylvania | 10 | $12.4 million |
| Massachusetts | 5 | $11.9 million |
| Louisiana | 11 | $9.8 million |
| Illinois | 4 | $8.3 million |
| Virginia | 11 | $8.1 million |
| Oklahoma | 11 | $7.9 million |
| Minnesota | 9 | $7.3 million |
| Michigan | 4 | $6.9 million |
| Washington | 10 | $6.3 million |
| Arizona | 11 | $6.2 million |
| Georgia | 5 | $5.1 million |
| Connecticut | 5 | $5.0 million |
| Indiana | 10 | $4.7 million |
| Ohio | 4 | $4.4 million |
| New Jersey | 4 | $4.3 million |
| Colorado | 5 | $4.0 million |
| New Mexico | 10 | $3.7 million |
| Tennessee | 5 | $3.5 million |
| Alabama | 9 | $3.5 million |
| Kentucky | 5 | $3.5 million |
| Maryland | 11 | $3.3 million |
| Wisconsin | 4 | $3.2 million |
| Nevada | 5 | $2.9 million |
| Oregon | 5 | $2.9 million |
| Missouri | 5 | $2.8 million |
| North Carolina | 4 | $2.7 million |
| Rhode Island | 5 | $2.7 million |
| Florida | 5 | $2.6 million |
| Iowa | 4 | $2.5 million |
| Arkansas | 5 | $2.3 million |
| West Virginia | 9 | $2.2 million |
| District of Columbia | 5 | $2.1 million |
| Kansas | 5 | $2.1 million |
| Maine | 5 | $1.7 million |
| Utah | 5 | $1.7 million |
| New Hampshire | 5 | $1.7 million |
| Mississippi | 4 | $1.6 million |
| Nebraska | 5 | $1.2 million |
| North Dakota | 5 | $1.1 million |
| Wyoming | 5 | $1.0 million |
| Idaho | 4 | $954,723 |
| Vermont | 5 | $915,400 |
| Delaware | 5 | $887,769 |
| South Dakota | 4 | $786,370 |
| Montana | 4 | $637,597 |
| Puerto Rico | 4 | $80,084 |