Federal grant programs / Department of Transportation

PHMSA Pipeline Safety Underground Natural Gas Storage Grant (20.725)

Also known as PHMSA Pipeline Safety Underground Natural Gas Storage Grant

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$5.1 million
• Grant awards61
• Typical award$46,770
• Awarded in FY 2025$2.5 million
• Size rank1,617 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceFormula grants

Key findings

• Annual funding rose from $1.1 million in fiscal 2021 to $2.5 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 1617th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 119% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 15 states and territories.

What the program funds

Participating state entities, through annual Certification/Agreements with PHMSA, will inspect and enforce the federal underground storage regulations for intrastate underground natural gas storage facilities located within the state.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

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 must have a 60105 Certification or 60106 Agreement with PHMSA. The Department provides Federal funds, 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. State (Includes District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) Also, State agency with a Certification or Agreement under 60105 or 60106 of Title 49 USC.

What the money can and cannot pay for

To participate, state law must provide the state entity with the authority to establish and enforce regulations over the downhole portion of intrastate storage facilities. Participating state entities, through annual Certification/Agreements with PHMSA, will inspect and enforce the federal underground storage regulations for intrastate underground natural gas storage facilities located within the state. PHMSA will support participating state entities with grant funding paying a portion of their inspection and enforcement program costs based on the available federal funding for the program.

Matching requirements

Statutory Formula: Title 49. Transportation, Part 198. REGULATIONS FOR GRANTS TO AID STATE PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAMS, Subpart B. Grant Allocation,Public Law 114.183.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. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Aug 15, 2025 to Sep 30, 2025 Applications are submitted in September for the next calendar year.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

For FY 2024, the awards ranged from $13,554-$1,987,016

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2018: This is a formula grant requiring program certification that pays for costs of personnel and activities of eligible programs.Fiscal Year2019: § 60107. State pipeline safety grants (a) General authority.--If a State authority files an application not later than September 30 of a calendar year, the Secretary of Transportation shall pay not more than 80 percent of the cost of the personnel, equipment, and activities the authority reasonably requires during the next calendar yearFiscal Year2020: § 60107. State pipeline safety grants (a) General authority.--If a State authority files an application not later than September 30 of a calendar year, the Secretary of Transportation shall pay not more than 80 percent of the cost of the personnel, equipment, and activities the authority reasonably requires during the next calendar yearFiscal Year2023: • Activities related to the inspection of intrastate underground natural gas storage facilities, to ensure complianceFiscal Year2025: The UNGS Grant is a Formula Grant that provides funding to state UNGS safety programs under the authority of 49 U.S.C. § 60107. The statute authorizes PHMSA to reimburse up to, but not more than, 80 percent of the total cost of personnel, equipment, and activities reasonably required by the state agency to conduct its UNGS safety program during a given calendar year.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Almost all of the money went to state and local governments.

By state

1 state has a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards. It is California.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.