PHMSA Opens First-Ever National LNG Safety Center at McNeese State University
Summary
PHMSA announced the grand opening of the National Center of Excellence for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Safety at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The 5,400 square foot center, established under the PIPES Act of 2020, will serve as a hub for LNG research, regulatory coordination, best practices development, and stakeholder education. The Center will foster collaboration among the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Energy, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. No compliance obligations are created by this announcement; the Center is positioned as a resource hub rather than a regulatory body at this stage.
“The Center serves as a hub for LNG research and innovation, regulatory coordination, development of operational best practices, and stakeholder education.”
About this source
GovPing monitors PHMSA Press Releases for new transportation regulatory changes. Every update since tracking began is archived, classified, and available as free RSS or email alerts — 7 changes logged to date.
What changed
PHMSA has established the National Center of Excellence for Liquefied Natural Gas Safety at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The 5,400 square foot facility opened on April 22, 2026, and was authorized under the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2020. The Center will coordinate federal LNG safety efforts across the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Energy, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
LNG facility operators and energy companies should note this development as a potential future source of operational best practices and guidance. While the Center currently functions as a research and coordination hub rather than a regulatory body, it may eventually publish standards or coordinate regulatory oversight that affects LNG operations. Companies with LNG interests should monitor the Center's publications for emerging best practices.
Scheduled event
- Date
- 2026-04-22
- Location
- Lake Charles, LA
Archived snapshot
Apr 24, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
In This Section
Contact Us
Office of Governmental, International, and Public Affairs U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
United States
Email:
phmsa.publicaffairs@dot.gov
Phone: 202-366-4831
Fax: 202-366-7431
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Trump’s Transportation Department Opens First-Ever LNG Safety Center to Promote American Energy
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PHMSA 04-26
PHMSAPublicAffairs@dot.gov
The Center serves as a hub for LNG research and innovation, regulatory coordination and stakeholder education
LAKE CHARLES, LA – U.S. Transportation Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) celebrated the grand opening of its National Center of Excellence for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Safety, known as The Center, at McNeese State University.
“The second Trump Administration has the unique opportunity to realize a project started under President Trump’s first administration. It proves this President has been working to secure America’s energy dominance since his very first day in office,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Louisiana serves as America’s major LNG export hub making it the perfect location for PHMSA’s new Center of Excellence. We will continue our mission of ensuring American energy is delivered safely and efficiently to American homes and worldwide.”
“This is not just a building. It is a resource for expertise in the operations, management, and regulatory oversight of LNG facilities,” said PHMSA Administrator Paul Roberti. “We are here to champion the highest standards of excellence and ensure our energy infrastructure remains the safest in the world.”
Additional Information:
The Center serves as a hub for LNG research and innovation, regulatory coordination, development of operational best practices, and stakeholder education. The new 5,400 square foot office space will foster collaboration between the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The National Center of Excellence was established under the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2020 to enhance federal expertise in LNG operations, management and regulatory practices, serve as a hub for best practices, and facilitate collaboration among LNG stakeholders.
Additional information about the Center is available on PHMSA’s website.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s mission is to protect people and the environment by advancing the safe transportation of energy and other hazardous materials that are essential to our daily lives. Please visit https://www.phmsa.dot.gov for more information.
Mentioned entities
Related changes
Get daily alerts for PHMSA Press Releases
Daily digest delivered to your inbox.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
About this page
Every important government, regulator, and court update from around the world. One place. Real-time. Free. Our mission
Source document text, dates, docket IDs, and authority are extracted directly from PHMSA.
The summary, classification, recommended actions, deadlines, and penalty information are AI-generated from the original text and may contain errors. Always verify against the source document.
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when PHMSA Press Releases publishes new changes.
Subscribed!
Optional. Filters your digest to exactly the updates that matter to you.